Echuca’s Travis Mills lived up to the pre-race hype when he stormed to the win in last night’s opening round of the Lucas Oil Southern Speedcar Tour event held at Avalon Raceway. Part of a packed card, Mills joined Dan Dubois (Wingless Sprints), Brad McLure (Street Stocks), Jack Bell (Junior Sedans) and Mark Carlin (Modified Production) as winners at Avalon’s second meeting of the season.
Reigning track champion Dan Dubois proved too good in the Wingless Sprint final despite the car being ‘tight’ finishing ahead of James Wren and New South Welshman Jay Waugh. Close to 40 Wingless Sprints took to the track for the Avanats in what is a sign of things to come later in the season when the Victorian title is held in March.
Meanwhile Allansford’s Jack Bell showed great car speed to outrun a quality field of Junior Sedans to defeat Penola’s Jack Gartner with last season’s Junior Driver of the Year Dion Bellman finishing third.
Local favourite and former national champion Brad McLure inherited the lead when Mick Clarke got a flat tire while leading the Street Stock final. From there it was smooth sailing as he romped to the win ahead of Anthony Missen and Troy Polley.
Track conditions were perfect throughout the night and the good crowd was entertained with some close and intense racing across all divisions.
Young South Australian Brock Hallet threatened to derail the recent success enjoyed at the venue by Travis Mills when he jumped to the lead and was running strongly. Mills hunted the young tear away for much of the race before making a decisive move for the lead in turn 3 and never looked back. The event was cut short when Matt Papa upended his mount in turn 2 allowing Mills the win from Hallet. The Speedcars provided plenty of action and excitement as there was numerous outside passes for position throughout the three heat races that preceded the final.
Class results were as follows;
SPEEDCARS
Ht 1. Travis Mills, Todd Bennett, Jamie McKinlay.
Ht 2. Brock Hallet, Todd Bennett, Jamie McKinlay.
Ht 3. Travis Mills, Brock Hallet, Ian Black.
FINAL. Travis Mills, Brock Hallet, Ian Black
JUNIOR SEDANS.
Ht 1. Brock Atkins, Rusty Hickman, Kye Walters
Ht 2. Steven Watts, Josh Buckingham, Jack Gartner
Ht 3. Brock Atkins, Kye Walters, Rusty Hickman
Ht 4. Jack Bell, Jack Gartner, Dion Bellman
Ht 5. Steven Watts, Brock Atkins, Mason Swandale
Ht 6. Jack Gartner, Dion Bellman, Brooke Buckingham
FINAL. Jack Bell, Jack Gartner, Dion Bellman
WINGLESS SPRINTS.
Ht 1. Peter Temby, Peter Green, Wayne Milburn Jnr
Ht 2. James Wren, Jye Saunders, Justin Barton
Ht 3. Glenn Jones, Sean McKeever, Dan Dubois
Ht 4. Jay Waugh, Troy Small, Brett Milburn
Ht 5. Andy Hibbert, Dayne Bentvelzen, David McKay
Ht 6. Corey Ludeman, Dan Dubois, Dan Robson
FINAL. Dan Dubois, James Wren, Jay Waugh
STREET STOCKS
Ht 1. Mick Clarke, Mark Topperwein, Brad McLure
Ht 2. Daryl Atkinson, Dale Blomeley, Troy Polley
Ht 3. Brad McLure, Lewis Clarke, Rick Swasbrick
Ht 4. Anthony Missen, Mark Young, Troy Polley
FINAL. Brad McLure, Anthony Missen, Troy Polley
MODIFIED PRODUCTION SEDANS
Ht 1. Mark Carlin, John Benson, Ty Galley
Ht 2.Ty Galley, Mark Carlin, John Benson
FINAL. Mark Carlin, Ty Galley, Chris Rieck
Next Event; Saturday November 10th – Routley’s Sprintcar Stampede
Website; www.avalonraceway.com
For more info contact Jeff Drew 0418 160 985 / Gavin White email gwxp@speedway.net.au