Jamie Veal has raced to the beat of his own tune this summer and the experience gained on a variety of tracks suited has him in spades.
When the big boys rolled into Geelong last night for the annual President’s Cup sprintcar International everyone was tipping a variety of the big boys to slam dunk the 30 lapper and leave town with full pockets after last night’s sprintcar classic at Avalon Raceway.
It appeared that every American with access to a competitive car was in the pits plotting and planning a strategic route to victory lane and the $10.000 winner’s slice of the Essendon Ford sponsored race.
David Murcott set quick time at 11.972s to oust Californian Tim Kaeding (11.979) and the mercurial James McFadden who stopped the clock at 11.980s.
Veal stayed ice cool while local whiz Stephen Bell cruised through his heats to book a front row starting spot in the main.
When the green flag dropped Kaeding hiccuped and Bell charged into the lead and began to pull away as Veal, Robbie Farr, Grant Anderson, Kaeding and McFadden gave chase.
The longer the contest went the more certain Bell looked the winner.
About the time he looked home lapped traffic came in to play on lap 21 and Bell virtually gonged himself with an innocent spin that cost him a certain ten grand.
Ouch.
With nine laps remaining Veal took up station at the front with hard charging Robbie Farr moving ever so closer to the leader.
Grant Anderson, who has been missing from the scene for most of the summer,looked razor sharp as he moved to third and held off a determined Kaeding, McFadden and American Kyle Hirst.
It was a tough but competitive race and attracted perhaps the most talented
field in the long history of the President’s Cup.
The Essendon Ford $20.000 premiership Sweepstakes has not been affected by last night’s point score round with David Murcott still leading the chase from Steven Lines.
