By Geoff Rounds
MITCH Foster fought back tears after recoding an emotional victory in the seventh round of the Eureka Garages and Sheds Series at Avalon Raceway on Saturday night presented by Mototech.
The Moe driver contemplated giving the sport away just three weeks ago after a lean couple of seasons raced to the lead inside the final laps to hold out experienced drivers Brett Milburn of Melbourne and American Geoff Ensign.
Foster jumped to the top win off his sprintcar with his tearful father Steve and remained there for a period of time in shock at what they had finally achieved after grabbing the lead from early pacesetter Milburn on lap 15 of the 30 lap race.
“I was there waiting for Brett to slip up and then I just went for the lead I had nothing to lose,” Foster said.
“We really needed this win for myself and as a team as we’d had 13 DNF’s up until tonight. To actually finish is just a plus but to win is even better, it’s bloody unreal to be honest to win a round in this series.”
Winning the pole shootout put Foster off pole for the A Main alongside Milburn and despite a tearaway lead by Milburn Foster was patient to eventually haul him in while Ensign came from 17th quickly through the field to get to third on lap 12 in a stunning drive.
Pre-race favourite Shaun Dobson had a terrible run through his heats and had to work hard to make the feature and in typical style he did just that on a slick and racy track.
Dobson came from third in the C Main, and then from 15th in the B main to get the final transfer spot of sixth for the A. Starting then from the last spot in 18th Dobson drove a steady race to pick off cars and eventually grab fourth in a good battle to hold Darren Mollenoyux for fifth and bank vital series points.
Eureka series leader Jeremy Cross had a mixed night with a good starting position of third for the final but an early race tangle with Domain Ramsay saw Cross sent to the rear and battle back to finish in 10th place.
Winchelsea’s Ryan Davis had a solid battle with Warrnambool’s Stephen Bell to finishseventh with Bell in a dogged eighth from 13th while David McKay and Darren Hickman were stout to record top ten results.
The opening round of the Jettco Series for Formula 500s was an interesting affair with Warrnambool pair Jye O’Keeffe and Ash Sinclair waging their own battle early in the 20 lap race. It would be though O’Keeffe who caught early leader Sinclair napping slightly at a restart with seven laps to run and passed him immediately after the cone to win. Polesitter James Aranyosi nearly rolled on the opening lap and eventually pulled out of the race on lap 12 with mechanical issues. Final placings were Jye O’Keeffe, Ash Sinclair, Shane Van Duynhoven, Dion Bellman and Steve Van Ginneken.
For more information contact Jeff Drew 0418 160 985 or Geoff Rounds 0413 024413.
The next race meeting at Avalon Raceway will be on March 9, with the Great Southern Sprintcar Showdown and V8 Dirt Modifieds. www.avalonraceway.com for more info.
