A steamy Avalon afternoon greeted the fans that flocked for the running of the 2021 Bruce Riddiford Street Stock Memorial backed by the Formula 500s and Amca Nationals.
 
The AMCA 350 chev class was a locked grid of the main four cars battling all night between Dean Heseltine, Neale Peachey, Paul Sullivan and Stephen Hopkins.
 
Heseltine would set the V93 off pole position in the A main before charging home and locking it into victory lane. An Ecstatic Paul Sullivan aboard the V28 was the recipient of his second place award, with Neale Peachey holding down third in his V51.
 
Stephen Hopkins parked the V8 in fourth with John Churchyett and Jimmy Harris filling the final 6 finishers.
 
Junior Formula 500s shared two separate heat winners in Jordy Langdon taking out heat one and Tyler Maggs solidifying his run to win heat two.
The main event would see young Maggs lead in to turn one before never looking back. Maggs would win comfortably from Jordy Langdon, Chad Bell, Jackson Van Ginneken and Caleb Langdon in the top five. Zoe Pearce, Holly Harris and Dakota Luckett locked out the finish of the 8 car field.
 
In the Senior 500 ranks, it was Jack Ellston that opened his cheque book early, by winning heat number one. Matthew Turner stole the show in heat two, while Steph Munn and Josh Buckingham secured victories in heat three and four respectively.
 
Angus Hollis locked in a pole position start after a second and a third finish alongside Steph Munn on the front row. Hollis would lead the field comfortably for 17 laps of the 20 lap distance.
 
A fast finishing Jordan Rae however would steal the show after battling from fourth to pass Rankin, Munn and eventually Hollis who was left in open air. Rae would throw down a turn one slide job and catch the unsuspecting Hollis off guard to snare the win with three to run.
 
The Bruce Riddiford Memorial for Street Stocks was a fierce showdown with previous two time winner, Mick Clarke pushing hard for a record book third victory. Struggling to piece it together and succumbing to a flat right front tyre, Clarke would set himself a deep hole to dig out of.
 
Jacob Mills, driving the Patriot MotorSports #11 started a stellar run taking out both his heat races with wins to set his pole position for the A Main Dash qualifier.
 
Dale Morrison was pleased to win heat two aboard the DS13, while Morris Ahearn was electric and unmatchable to win heat race four.
In his final outing heading into retirement, Brad McClure qualified well into the dash, before laying down a QuickTime smackdown and parking the Redline #24 in pole position.
 
The 30 lap A Main was chock full of thrills and spills while the front of the field fought hard for the whole distance. A few cautions throughout the race would see a number of lead changes including Dave Barrie who led for a good portion of the race from McClure.
 
After struggling to make amends of his dash result, Jacob Mills was rampant through the field to move the Patriot MotorSports #11 through the field and edge closer to the lead battle.
 
Morris Ahearn stood staunch peppering away at the tail of the leaders inside the top two railing his immaculate M4 missile.
 
Mills would get the run he’d searched for after the restart with 10 laps to run, before powering home the 11 machine and taking a second Riddiford Memorial victory to the Patriot Crew.
 
The battle to the line was monumental, with Ahearn, Morrison and Barrie all charging hard through three and four on the final lap. Ahearn would tangle before sending the M4 skyward and upside down marking his first roll-over in twenty six years of racing. Morris would climb out under his own steam from the M4 with a jaw dropping finish to the A Main.
 
The veterans of Brad McClure and Mick Clarke who had a back to back run of first and second, filled positions four and five respectively. Lewis Clarke, Steven Watts and Shane Roycroft battled to the line for sixth, seventh and eighth. Chris Hay, Felicity Roycroft and Nevano Cowan would be the last of the finishers.
 
With a battered and bruised infield consisting of Lee Harrison, AJ Lawrence, Dylan Campton and the tore up M4 of Morris Ahearn.
 
A spectacular night of racing ensued at the Place for Pace across all classes. Fans were up and about cheering for all their favourite drivers getting over the line and it was a much needed return to racing for the Lara Raceway.
 
Mills was pumped to mark his name on the Riddiford Memorial plaque, doing it all for Bruce Riddiford who was the pioneer of the Street Stock class back in the Melbourne Speedbowl days. Patriot Motorsports making it two trophies on the wall now, and already have eyes on a third next season.
 
ENDS RELEASE…
📸 All Images shot by Avalon Raceway