Tancredi Takes Diggers Cup and Triple Crown Series
By Ian Vale
Micheal Tancredi continued his good form in the 360 sprintcar ranks at Avalon Raceway last night when he took out a thrilling win in round three of the Indy Race Parts SRA 360 Triple Crown Series that doubled as the Digger Cup in honour of the Anzacs that was sponsored by A Plus Powder Coating.
With plenty of excitement during the heat races the real action was to come in the Indy Race Parts Triple Crown Series Main event but not before one of the nights main contenders John Vogels had his night ended in his first heat race after setting fast time in his qualifying group. While Vogels night came to an end Terry Rankin was deemed the primary cause for the incident and was sent to the rear of the field for the restart.
With the field lined for the running of the 2019 SRA 360 Sprintcar Diggers Cup Main event would see Brayden Parr the top points qualifier and winner of the pole position shootouts starting from position one with last round winner Matthew Reed along side of him, row two had two drivers that have won the Diggers Cup previously, Brett Milburn and Michael Tancredi while row three was Terry Rankin and Mark Carlin. The other qualifiers in order were Eddie Lumbar, Travis Millar, Mitchell Smith, Jesse Nicholas, Phil Lock, Darren Clarke and the B Main transferring drivers of Jordyn Charge, Boyd Harris, Marcus Green and Chris Campbell.
Parr won the race start to lead Tancredi who was quick to demote both Milburn and Reed at the completion of lap one when the caution lights came on for Eddie Lumbar after a spin.
Back under way and Parr had the goods to move away from the pack with a few fast lap times to leave Tancredi in pursuit from Reed and now Rankin who passed Milburn for third when Milburn spun dropping him down to the tail of the field before the caution lights were back on for Jesse Nicholas who came to a halt in turn four a lap later.
Restart two and Parr continued where he left off opening a gap again back to Tancredi, Reed, Rankin, Carlin and Millar who filled the top six placing’s.
Now the early mover in the field was Campbell who started from position sixteen to slice is way thru the field to close in on the leading pack.
Half race distance and Parr was into lapped traffic allowing both Tancredi and Reed to close the gap down but Parr seemed to manage the traffic well putting both Lock and Nicholas between himself, Tancredi and Reed were holding station with Rankin, Carlin and now Campbell who demoted both Charge and Millar to take up sixth place in the field.
With Parr moving in on more traffic both Tancredi and Reed closed in while as Parr tried to find a way past Lumbar. Over the next few laps Parr and Tancredi were running side by side trying to pass Lumbar when a gap on the pole line opened for Parr to make the pass but Tancredi had made his mind up to go high on the track and see if he could take the lead as the two raced one each side of Lumbar.
That highline move of Tancredi’s payed off to take the race lead and with his new found racing line Tancredi open a gap back to Parr who was still trying to keep in touch, Reed was holding down third place with five lapped cars between himself Carlin when the caution lights were back on once again for Rankin who spun in turn three.
It was now a three lap dash to the flag for Tancredi but on the restart Parr was ready to have one last chance at taking the race lead back but he eventually had to settle for second place as the chequred flag fell to the 2019 Diggers Cup winner Micheal Tancredi, Parr took second place from Reed while Chris Campbell passed Carlin to take forth place after a strong drive from the rear of the field, Carlin was a happy man to take fifth place on the night from Millar, Charge was home in seventh place ahead of the recovering Brett Milburn in eight rounding out the finishers were Clarke, Green, Lumbar, Harris, Nicholas and Lock.
Over the three rounds of the 2019 Indy Race Parts SRA 360 Triple Crown Series both Michael Tancredi and Matthew Reed score a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place each in the Main events but with each rounds total points accumulated Micheal Tancredi won the Triple Crown Series from Matthew Reed by only nineteen points to claim the Indy Race Parts top prize, Brett Milburn was third in the Series while Chris Solomon finished in fourth place.
Time Trial Group fastest times:
Group 1 V92 Matthew Reed 12.925, Group 2 V70 John Vogels 12.725.
Heat winners on the night were V77 Brayden Parr, V29 Michael Tancredi, V93 Travis Miller, and V75 Mitchell Smith.
The SRA Indy Race Parts 360 Sprintcar Triple Crown Series Top 6:
1st – Michael Tancredi – 1227
2nd – Matthew Reed – 1208
3rd – Brett Milburn – 965
4th – Chris Solomon – 883
5th – Eddie Lumbar – 751
6th – Michael Cunningham – 739
The Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria thank the following Eureka Garages and Sheds Sprintcar Series and season sponsors:
EUREKA GARAGES & SHEDS, WESTERN NISSAN, MD MOTORSPORT, HOOSIER TIRE AUSTRALIA, CAMDEN SINGAGE & BUILDING SERVICES, PARR MOTORSPORTS, STEELPIPES AUSTALIA, LUMBAR’S TRANSPORT, AVALON RACEWAY, INDY RACE PARTS, MR ELECTRIC, D&F RACING PRODUCTS, ELIMINATOR RACE WINGS, COREY GIBSON PHOTOGRAPHY, MAXAM PRINTING, SPRINTCARWORLD.
Eureka Garages & Sheds www.eurekagarages.com.au
Western Nissan www.westernnissan.com.au
Hoosier Tires Australia www.mdmotorsport.com.au
Camden Signage & Building Services www.camdenneon.com.au
Steelpipes Pty Ltd www.steelpipes.com.au
Lumbars Transport www.lumbars.com.au
Eliminator Race Wings www.crossmotorsport.com
Mr Electric www.mrelectric.com.au
Parr Motorsports www.parrmotorsport.com
Avalon Raceway www.avalonraceway.com.au
Corey Gibson Photography www.gibsonphotography.com.au
Sprintcarworld www.sprintcarworld.com.au
Maxam Printing www.maxamprinting.com.au
Indy Race Parts (Australia) 0438 819 444
