After a false start to the 2024/25 racing season for the NSW Grand Prix Midget Racing Association as a result of rain curtailing the running of round one at Cullen Bullen, the association headed to Goulburn for the Bart Wilkinson Memorial and round two of the NSW Grand Prix Midget Super Series.
Goulburn Speedway had undergone a complete reshape of the infield and also added extra banking around the racetrack during the offseason, and it certainly looked a treat when drivers, crew and supporters began arriving at the venue for race day.
As was the case last season for the Bart Wilkinson Memorial, Bart’s daughter Sue Hardy and her husband Ian were in attendance with the beautiful “BKW Special” – the 1960 Micro Midget custom built and raced by Bart.
This first race of the season also saw some changes in race cars and drivers. Adam Buckley had parted ways with his beloved ‘Green machine’ that was now in the hands of Gavin Black re-numbered and re-presented in fantastic white and red retro livery. Dylan Lees had acquired the Walker Chassis car, previously owned and run successfully to multiple titles wins by the Moir family.
It was also fantastic to see Graham Lucas back in the drivers seat for this season. In other news outside of the car racing, the NSW association also has announced that it had concluded its six-year sponsorship relationship with Gulf Western Oil, there will be a major announcement in the coming weeks on a new club sponsor.
The first heat of eight laps started at the fall of the green flag and seen Riley Bowyer take off quickly from pole position into the lead. Gavin Black moved quickly past Buckley into second place followed by Buckley, Hall, Bowyer Snr, Lees and Lucas. On lap two, Bowyer Snr capitalised on some mistakes up ahead of him to move into second place followed closely by Buckley and Hall who both moved past Black. Lap three seen a yellow light as Lees spun in turn four.
The restart saw Bowyer Jnr from Bowyer Snr, Buckley, Hall, Black and Lucas, while Lees (NSW #24 – Sponsor Wanted) had pulled infield with a gear issue. Hall wasted no time in moving past Buckley into third and the positions in the race settled down for a few laps apart from Black and Buckley swapping places a few times. With two laps to go, the yellow lights were back on with Lucas having a spin on the front straight, setting the scene for a sprint finish. On the restart, Jay Hall was deemed to have passed a car before the start line and would be penalised two places, while Bowyer (NSW #50 – Arjan Motors) Jnr cruised to a win in heat one, followed by Bowyer Snr, Black, Buckley, Lucas and then Hall who was relegated earlier into sixth spot.
Heat two got underway and it was Jay Hall showing the field just how much mumbo the Grizzly Chassis number six car has got, sprinting into the lead, while Gary Bowyer (NSW #5 – White Ant Racing) moved up into second place ahead of Black, Buckley, Bowyer Jnr, Lucas & Lees. On lap three, Black (NSW # 8 – Prestige Smash Repairs) tapped the wall on the front straight and in doing do, the rear inside tyre was pulled from the wheel bring out the yellow and ending his heat. The restart saw Hall from Bowyer Snr, Buckley, Bowyer Jnr, Lucas, and Lees. Hall pinned the ears back once again out in front, while Bowyer Snr kept pace in second, the remainder of the heat was completed without incident with Buckley then Bowyer Jnr, Lucas and Lees finishing in the same order as they restarted. It was the first heat race win for the Grizzly Chassis design with Hall behind the wheel.
The final heat race of the night, Buckley – driving the Wally Kermond owned (NSW # 14 – Central Coast Motor Group) race car moved out into the lead early, followed by Hall, Bowyer Jnr, Bowyer Snr, Lucas, and Lees. Lap two seen Hall move around the outside of Buckley to take the race lead, whilst behind, Bowyer clipped the wall and ended his heat race pulling safely to the infield with the Jacobs Ladder breaking apart. A lap later Lees also pulled infield with the gear drive failing on his car. This left Hall out front, followed by Buckley, Bowyer Jnr, and Lucas (NSW # 30 Kelly’s Heavy Haulage).
With a lap to go, Bowyer Jnr made a pass on the inside of Buckley to claim the second position and the remainder of the heat was completed with Hall taking his second heat win of the night, ahead of Bowyer Jnr, Buckley, and Lucas. The Gavin Black driven car did not start this heat while undergoing repairs to be ready for the feature race.
The feature race for the Bart Wilkinson Memorial was much anticipated by the competition and prior to the feature event Sue Hardy piloted the immaculate BWS Special 1960 Micro Midget around Goulburn Speedway in a few parade laps, much to the pleasure of everyone at the venue.
The lineup for the feature race, based on highest point scorers through the heat races starting from the rear, saw Gavin Black start from pole position with the returning Graham Lucas alongside then came Jay Hall, Adam Buckley, Gary Bowyer, and Riley Bowyer. Dylan Lees was a non-starter with the gear drive issues his car suffered not being able to be rectified in time.
The fifteen lap feature race got off to a clean start with Black taking advantage of his starting position to race into the lead, followed by Hall, Buckley, Bowyer Snr, Lucas and Bowyer Jnr. Towards the end of lap one, it was evident that Black had trouble with his car appearing very loose in the rear end, Hall went past into the lead and two laps later Buckley also moved up past Black into second place behind Hall. The following lap, Bowyer Snr moved ahead of Black into third, while both he and Buckley then set about chasing down Hall ahead of them.
Lap by lap, Buckley and Bowyer moved up closer to the rear of Hall and with four laps remaining, Hall was leading from Buckley, Bowyer Snr, Bowyer Jnr who had moved ahead of Black and then Lucas. Hall then came up to lap Lucas on lap eleven and this was enough for Buckley to move close enough to the rear of Hall in the six car to seriously contend for the lead. However, Hall remained rock solid and took the chequered flag a split second ahead of Buckley, closely followed by Bowyer Snr, Bowyer Jnr, Black and Lucas.
The win for the (NSW # 6 Central Coast Motor Group) team was full of meaning and certainly vindication for the many years of arduous work in developing the new chassis design. On and off track, the Grizzly Chassis car is a head turner and gets tongues wagging. While it still has plenty of improvement left, recent changes to the rear end set up and suspension have reaped rewards already, with the car handling much better in the turns. One thing is for sure, once the team at CCMG get it 100% right, it will be a Jet.
At the on-track podium presentation, Bowyer Snr, Buckley then Hall all thanked the association and their fellow drivers for a great night, the track and it’s management who had done an excellent job in presenting a fresh track surface allowing for fast racing and plenty of passing opportunities.
Super Series Point Score after Round two (Round one rained out)
Jay Hall 81
Adam Buckley 74
Riley Bowyer 74
Gary Bowyer 64
Graham Lucas 56
Gavin Black 47
Dylan Lees 27
The NSW Grand Prix Midget Racing Association wish to thank their current supporters;
Arjan Motors
White Ant Racing
AOK Trophies
Full Throttle Publishing
Written by
NSW GP Midget Association Publicity officer and Media representatives.