Van Ginneken Demolishes the Opposition to take Eureka Series Final Win

SPRINTCAR RACING ASSOCIATION OF VIC. INC.

www.eurekagarages.com.au www.hoosiertireaustralia.com.au

www.ktm.com.au www.essendonford.com.au www.essendonmitsubishi.com.au

By Ian Vale

Tim Van Ginneken demolished the opposition with an outstanding drive to take the win in the Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series Grand Final at Simpson Speedway last night on a wild hooked up race track that tested all the drivers during the night giving the spectators plenty of action to watch and some of the best wheels stands seen for some time.

Such was Van Ginneken’s performance in the main event he lapped the field up to sixth place and took the win from second placed driver Darren Mollenoyux by over eleven seconds. While Van Ginneken was in a league of his own in the Eureka A Main the battle between Mollenoyux, Brett Milburn, Corey McCullagh and John Vogels raged all race long, such was the battle the commentator were struggling to keep up with the action.

Local driver Luke Walker was in form on the night to end up highest point scorer after the heat races while another local John Vogels was only one point behind him followed by Darren Mollenoyux, Tim Van Ginneken, Glen Sutherland and then the new 2015-2016 Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series Champion Brett Milburn would fill the top six spots for the A main but they were yet to run the top six shootout for their final starting positions.

Walker showed he was in form when he set the best time to start from pole position for the Main event, Mollenoyux advanced to the front row while both Milburn and Sutherland moved to the second row, and both Vogels and Van Ginneken were dropped back to the third row starting positions.

The other qualifier that would join the top six in starting order was Nick Lacey from position seven followed by Kristy Ellis, Eddie Lumbar, Corey McCullagh, Brayden Parr and Paul O’Shannassy followed by the six B Main qualifiers, Shaun Dobson, Jacob Smith, Charles Hunter, Phil Lock, Chris Campbell and Daniel Newnham.

The final Eureka Garages & Sheds A Main of the 2015-2016 season field assemble ready for action, Mollenoyux wasted no time to jump into the lead leaving Walker in second place but it was not long before the action heated up when Vogels had the save of the season, his ride stood up on the right front wheel in turn three on the first lap and he somehow saved the car from rolling but he would loose eight positions by the time he crossed the line for the first lap.

One lap completed and the caution lights were when Walker hooked up down the main straight into a big wheel stand only to come down and hit Sutherland that would put both drivers out of the race.

The attempted restart didn’t get a lap in when Dobson who was making an outside move on turn four was hit by another car sending into the wall and out of the race leaving fifteen sprintcars to complete the next twenty nine laps.

Mollenoyux lead the restart from Van Ginneken who had made ground on the first lap and with the demise of both Walker & Sutherland leaving him in the box seat to challenge Mollenoyux, Milburn was now into third with Lacey into fourth, Ellis in fifth place followed by McCullagh, Parr, Smith, Vogels and Lumbar in tenth place round out the other runners was O’Shannassy, Hunter, Lock, Newnham and Campbell.

Mollenoyux was in control trying to run a conservative pace that was suitable for the hooked up track conditions that was getting a little rough, Van Ginneken was closing on the leader but the real interest was Vogels who was on his way back through the field to catch the trio of Milburn, Lacey and McCullagh that were racing each other hard.

Just over one third race distance and Mollenoyux left a gap going into turn one and Van Ginneken didn’t require a written invitation to take to opportunity to go thru for the lead. Once in the lead Van Ginneken moved his car up track and poured the coals on then picked the pace up by over half a second per lap.

With Van Ginneken gone and lapping cars Mollenoyux was keeping his composure and holding a comfortable second place while the action between Milburn, McCullagh, Lacey and Vogels excited the crowd and commentators, with this battle going on Mollenoyux was keeping just out of reach of these drivers. McCullagh who won the previous round at Simpson wanted another podium finish when he moved past Milburn to take third place with twelve to go, Vogels was relentless in trying to take fifth place from Lacey while Jacob Smith was now moving into the picture.

As the laps wound down back up front and Van Ginneken was gone with over three quarters of a lap lead from Mollenoyux but Milburn was not done yet and wanted third place back from McCullagh, two to go and Milburn accomplished his mission to take third place back while Vogels demoted Lacey to sixth place.

But on the night the best man won with a brilliant drive, Tim Van Ginneken a clear winner who just happened to pick up $5000 for his efforts from Darren Mollenoyux in second, Brett Milburn third, Corey McCullagh fourth, John Vogels fifth and the last car on the lead lap Nick Lacey home in sixth place, rounding out the finishers in order was Jacob Smith, Brayden Parr with yet another outstanding drive followed by Kristy Ellis, Paul O’Shannassy, Eddie Lumbar, Charles Hunter, Daniel Newnham, Chris Campbell and Phil Lock.

With Darren Mollenoyux’s second place finish this gave him enough points on the night to deny fourth place finisher Corey McCullagh from take second place back in the Eureka Garages and Sheds Sprintcar Series, the top there order for the 2015-2016 Eureka Series is Brett Milburn 1^st, Darren Mollenoyux 2^nd & Corey McCullagh 3^rd.

To top the night off Domenic Sabatino the proprietor of Eureka Garages & Sheds arrived in time to see the Grand Final and present the winners with their trophies for the night with the drivers all thanking Domenic and his Company Eureka Garages & Sheds for their amazing support of the Eureka Series over the past thirteen years.

Heat winners on the night went to Glen Sutherland, Brayden Parr, Nick Lacey, Tim Van Ginneken, Luke Walker and Darren Mollenoyux.

With the Eureka Series now over many of the Series sponsor awards have been won, the Metric Men, most heat win went to Brett Milburn, Essendon Mitsubishi most cars passed in the Series A Main was taken out by John Vogels and the Eliminator Race Wings award has be won by Jye Okeeffe.

Now while these awards are confirmed there are still other major awards to be decided, the KTM Top ten award thanks to Jeff Leisk and KTM Australian will be drawn at the SRA presentation dinner for the new KTM 250EXC Enduro Motor bike to be won.

Then we have the Essendon Ford Luxury accommodation package of five nights at Port Douglas that also includes the airfares for two that will be drawn at the dinner for the drivers that finished between eleventh and twentieth in the Series and meet the criteria.

One of the most prestigious awards that is to be voted on and handed out at the Dinner is the Parr Motorsports Drivers Driver award as voted on by the drivers in the Series.

Then thanks to Eureka Garages & Sheds that contribute a major amont of the Prize Poole money along with Hoosier Tire Australian and Camden Neon Signs there will be over $38,000 handed out to the top fifteen drivers that meet the Series Criteria at the presentation.

A special thanks to one of the Series new sponsor Steelpipes Pty Ltd and Lumbar Transport for putting money up for the first driver not to transfer from the B Main each night and some funds into the prize Poole as well.

The Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria would like to thank all our Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series sponsors on behalf of the competitors for making the 2015-2016 Series the biggest it has been and the success it was.

Eureka Garages & Sheds, KTM Australia, Hoosier Tire Australian, Essendon Ford and Essendon Mitsubishi, Camden Signage & Building Services, Parr Motorsports, Eliminator Race Wings, Steelpipes Pty Ltd, The Metric Men, Sprintcarworld, Corey Gibson Photography, D & F Racing Products and Maxam printing.

Also to the venues that have supported the SRA and the Eureka Series this season thank you, Avalon Raceway, Borderline Speedway, Heartland Raceway, Premier Speedway, Simpson Speedway and Western Speedway.

Eureka Garages and Sheds Series nightly contingency awards:
HOOSIER TIRE AUSTRALIA – 11^th Place in the A Main at Each round.

11^th place – N36 Eddie Lumbar

D&F RACING PRODUCTS – Hard luck of the night – V48 Adam King.
STEELPIPES PTY LTD – 1^st competitor not to transfer from B to A-Main –

V42 Jye Okeeffe.

End of Series awards:

Eureka Garages & Sheds major sponsor of the Series overall prize money Poole.

KTM Top Ten Motorbike award – Random draw at the Presentation Dinner.

Camden Neon Signs – sponsors of the Series Prize Poole.

Hoosier Tire Australia – sponsors of the Series Prize Poole.

Essendon Ford Trip to Port Douglas award – for drivers finishing between 11^th and 20^th place in the Series. Random draw at the Presentation Dinner.

METRIC MEN – End of Series most heat wins –

(Overall) V68 Brett Milburn (8 wins).

ESSENDON MITSUBISHI – most cars passed in A-Main on the night,

V72 Jacob Smith (7 Cars)

(End of series award) cars passed overall – V70 John Vogels. (30 cars each)

ELIMINATOR RACE WINGS – for the driver that transfers the most from the B Main to the A Main events the most. Overall, V42 Jye Okeeffe, (5 Times)

PARR MOTORSPORTS –Drivers Driver award as voted on by the drivers in the Series.

Eureka Garages and Sheds Series – KTM Top 10:

1^st – Brett Milburn – 4538
2^nd – Darren Mollenoyux – 3634
3^rd – Corey McCullagh – 3590
4^th – Jye Okeeffe – 3321

5^th – Shaun Dobson – 3181

6^th – Glen Sutherland – 3076

7^th – John Vogels -3057
8^th – Adam King – 3024
9^th – Luke Walker – 2786
10^th – Dennis Jones – 2714

Essendon Ford – Trip to Port Douglas

(End of Series random draw between 11^th & 20^th place)

11^th – Jacob Smith – 2690

12^th – Tim Hutchins – 2661

13^th – Daniel Pestka – 2445

14^th – Nick Lacey – 2427

15^th – Ian Loudoun – 2399

16^th – Tim Van Ginneken – 2397

17^th – Kristy Ellis – 2395

18^th – Brayden Parr – 2291

19^th – Eddie Lumbar – 2289

20^th – Jordyn Charge – 2245

The Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria thank the following

Eureka Garages and Sheds Sprintcar Series & Season sponsors:

EUREKA GARAGES & SHEDS, KTM AUSTRALIA, ESSENDON FORD, MD MOTORSPORT, HOOSIER TIRE AUSTRALIA, CAMDEN SIGNAGE & BUILDING SERVICES, PARR MOTORSPORTS, ESSENDON MITSUBISHI, ELIMINATIOR RACE WINGS, STEELPIPES PTY LTD, THE METRIC MEN, HICKMAN’S ENVITOMENTAL & TREE MAINTENANCE, MAXAM PRINTING, SPRINTCARWORLD, AUTOPREMIER FLEET MAINTENANCE, COREY GIBSON PHOTOGRAPHY, ASCOT VALE SPORTS & THROPHIES. D&F RACING PRODUCTS.

Eureka Garages & Sheds www.eurekagarages.com.au

KTM Australia www.ktm.com

Essendon Ford www.essendonford.com.au

Hoosier Tires Australia www.mdmotorsport.com.au

Camden Signage & Building Services www.camdenneon.com.au

Essendon Mitsubishi www.essendonmitsubishi.com.au

Steelpipes Pty Ltd www.steelpipes.com.au

The Metric Men www.themetricmen.com.au

Eliminator Race Wings www.crossmotorsport.com

Parr Motorsports www.parrmotorsports.com

Sprintcarworld www.sprintcarworld.com.au

Corey Gibson photography www.gibsonphotography.com.au