Alexandra Speedway started its new race season with the local member racers picking up several feature race wins on a night that included series rounds for Sports Sedans, Junior Sedans, Street Stocks and Late Models.
An enthusiastic crowd was on hand to see River Paterson from Yarra Junction, Luke Morrison from Officer, Dylan Barrow from Wandin, David Donegan from Healesville and Matthew Nelson from Woori Yallock were all winners.
With so much vital series points on the line, numerous crashes and contact with the concrete walls by competitors resulted in some drivers not achieving the results they set out for, however plenty to chat about for race fans.
The biggest field belonged to the JP Asphalting Extreme Sports Sedans Series with additional club support from Miller Excavations, the racing included competitors who came from Northeast Victoria, Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs of Melbourne, and the Murrindindi surrounds. Qualifying race wins were shared by Rhys Collins, Damien Miller, Tommy McDonald, Ian Thomsen, Damien Miller again, Dale Smith, McDonald a second time, Lee Beach, and Dale Smith a second time.
There was crash damage and mechanical issues along the way putting drivers out of the event before the final, some of them being favourites for a potential victory.In the feature event Donegan, McDonald, Russell Smith, his son Dale, Thomsen, and Beach started in the first six spots in the twenty-five-lap final with Donegan securing the lead spot initially before McDonald past him on lap three. Dale Smith moved to the lead on lap six whilst Donegan dropped back into third spot before he passed McDonald for second on lap ten.
It took until lap fifteen before Donegan passed Smith and assumed the lead spot once again. Ian Thomsen’s car ignited in flames to end his race. McDonald also moved passed Smith on lap nineteen into second. For much of the race the top three where right around each other before Donegan cleared off later in the race eventually to a four second margin. Donegan would claim the victory ahead of McDonald, Dale Smith, Beach, and Josh Service in the Sports Sedan Extreme Series round.
Junior Sedan Promotional Association competitors in both grades of Top Star and New Stars were on hand for series action. In top Star competition drivers raced in three of the four heat races held to set their qualifying spot. Cruz Carlin won a first heat race where the first four competitors were separated by less than a second in the closest heat race. Brad Marshall then Victorian state champion River Paterson twice in succession won heat races also. Paterson, Will Fallon, James Peacock, Carlin, Axel Robinson and Jake Bradley were the top six starters. Paterson put himself out in front on lap one with Tamika Simpson moving inside the top six until lap four. Peacock and Carlin swapped spots more than once in third and fourth during the race before Paterson greeted the chequered flag leading all fifteen laps to beat Fallon, Carlin, Peacock and Robinson with the margin just .240 at the end between the lead two in an exciting finish.
New Stars action began with Noah Basten winning the first two heat races ahead of Luke Morrison by less than a second before Morrison won the final qualifier. Basten, Morrison, Cruz Paterson, Dacy Dannatt, Taijan Ussger and Cruz Abela were the top six starters with several re-starts required before the race really was able to get going. Abela hit the concrete wall and his race ended in the infield watching his friends. When the race really got going, Basten hit the front on lap one of twelve. Morrison kept the pressure on and at lap eight made the move into the lead spot. Morrison then created a little gap in the closing stages to defeat Basten, Paterson, Dannatt and Ussher before running out of fuel to earn himself a push car assisted victory lap.
Three heats were slated for Street Stock competition for a round of their Speedway Sedans Victoria Northern Series. Matt Nelson raced away for a huge victory in the first heat race and in contrast the second heat race that he also won had a margin of less than a second. Linken Paterson then picked up a strong win in the final heat race. Twenty-five laps was then the distance to compete over in the final. Nelson began with Paterson from the front with Jack Jordan Ricky Cornwall, Matt Brooks and Matt Bishop holding starting spots in the top six. Nelson led from the drop of the green with Paterson the first to exit the race and Cornwall moving to second. Tim Hutchinson who recently won an event at Wangaratta moved into third on lap five. Nelson held a comfortable lead and the top three held their spots for the next twenty laps with Nelson greeting the flagman four seconds ahead of Cornwall, Hutchinson, Jordan and Bishop.
In Late Model competition with support from Bramleigh Estate, Dylan Barrow and Chevy Edwards shared wins in the two qualifying races before Barrow led all ten laps in the final to defeat the Edwards brothers Chevy and Brock, then come Tasmanian Ellis Dickenson and Shane Belk.
Alexandra Speedway will next hold competition on December the 7th with a state Production Sedan series round, a Goulburn Ovens Sedan Association series round, Sports Sedans, National Junior Sedans, Standard Saloons, and a Ladies Standard Saloon series round.
Alexandra and District Speedway club thank and acknowledge the following valuable supporters;
Alexandra & Yea Pre-Mix
Alexandra Panels & Towing
AusBuilt Rural
Beach Earthmoving
Bendigo Bank
Belkblast Protective Coatings
Custom Transport Equipment
Donnaz Underground
Eastern Suburbs Locksmiths
Elite Racking Installs
Endeavor Petroleum
Exhaust Fix Lilydale
Fallon’s Bus Services
Fineblade
Foodworks
Highline Racewear
Ismail’s Building & Construction
LS Quarry
Matthew & Sons Drilling Services
Metro Tow
Outer Eastern Steel
Pakenham Towing
Precision Race Parts
Raslarr Engineering
Revegetation Victoria
S&N Builders
Smooth Suspension
Town & Country Tennis Courts
Tritech Lubricants
Tyrepower Alexandra
Victory Lane Racegear
Wandin Heavy Haulage
Waverley Exhaust & Brake Centre
Yenckens Hardware Alexandra
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Speedway Media
For Alexandra and District Speedway Club