by Geoff Rounds
A smooth drive from Robbie Farr was the telling factor in his third Essendon Ford President’s Cup victory at Avalon Raceway on Wednesday night.
In front of 3500 fans, Farr who was runner-up last year, raced from pole position to lead the entire 25 laps of the feature race and held Americans Tim Kaeding and Kyle Hirst off to add to his Cup wins in 2012 and 2007.
The feature took two attempts to get underway when officials deemed the first not a consistent start and on the second restart it was carnage. Current World of Outlaws American champion Daryn Pittman and fellow countryman Paul McMahon tangled with Western Australian Cameron Gessner. Gessner escaped the scene but the two gun Americans were left nosed into the turn four wall as was Dubbo’s jeremy Cross. The USA drivers both suffered major front-end problems and joined another American, Jason Meyers on the infield who suffered magneto drama and failed to start the event.
A complete restart was ordered and farr again jumped his rivals for the lead and began working the top and bottom of the slick Avalon circuit and was never headed in a non-stop race.
Kaeding was again fast and and carried his excellent form from Sydney last weekend where he won the opening night while Hirst’s third already adds to his multiple Australian victories.
Brett Milburn again showed consistency finishing fourth while Mourn Gambier’s Steven Lines grabbed fifth after a solid, early battle with Tasmanian speedster Shaun Dobson. Defending President’s Cup winner of 2013 Jamie Veal again was superb and grabbed the fastest time of the night in earlier time trials with an 11.648 seconds lap, edging out USA Terry McCarl who finished ninth overall in the A Main. Veal then grabbed a heat win while holding off Brooke Tatnell. Veal would eventually finish in seventh.
Grant Anderson’s solid season rolls on and he was 11th adding to his stunning podium finish in Sydney last weekend, while current Australian sprint car champion James McFadden was third quickest in time trials then was second and eighth in heats and finished the final in 12th.
Other solid performers in the final were Dave Murcott from 14th to eighth while triple President’s Cup winner Tatnell produced another steady drive after winning the B Main and from position 15 worked his way to 10th place in an ominous display from the former national champ.
Farr pocketed $10,000 for his efforts and was quick to praise his machinery and crew.
“The package we’ve got is good, it’s very good,” Farr said.
This is really the time of the year you want everything performing with these big races and top drivers around. Tonight was a quality field and you don’t get too many chances with these guys. We were lucky with everything going our way and I just hope it continues now for the next couple of weeks.”
The next race meeting for Avalon Raceway is the seventh round of the Eureka Garages and Sheds for sprint cars with Formula 500’s also on the program on February 8.
For more information go to website: www.avalonraceway.com
For more details phone Jeff Drew 0418 160 985 / Geoff Rounds 0413 024 413.
