General News
3 May, 2023
Darlington speedway kicks into gear
DARLINGTON Speedway came alive last weekend, with the first of three race meetings to be held in May.
DARLINGTON Speedway came alive last weekend, with the first of three race meetings to be held in May.
The Mortlake Speedway Club season has begun and although the start is later than normal (beyond the control of volunteers) those who attended the event on Saturday were thrilled with the night’s racing.
The race program included production sedans, standard saloons, hot rods and junior sedans.
The production sedans saw Portland’s John Calderwood win a heat race and Shaun Queale of the Wimmera win two heats before the feature event over 15 laps produced a great finish by the two heat winners.
Calderwood held on to defeat the quicker Queale, with Heath Riley from Hamilton finishing third and Dean Hughes and Haydn Riley closing out the top five.
Colac’s Miller Throckmorton was a favourite in the Top Stars category of the national junior sedan class, and he began with a win in the first heat race.
He backed that up in the second race although it was much closer with pressure from Jayden Lock before Throckmorton defeated Lock, Jake Bradley, and Pary Das in the final.
In the developing juniors’ New Stars category of the national division Jackson Warrener from Portland, a brand-new racer this season, won the first heat race by almost one complete lap while James Peacock took victory in the second heat.
In the feature event Peacock claimed the win in another close result.
In second place was Cruz Carlin from Portland, Tyler Wilson from the same club, then Charlotte Leerson and Taylor Hose.
Eight-cylinder fans were not left out either, with the Hot Rods of the Speedway Drivers Association of Victoria given three heat races and a final.
Kali Hovey from Greater Geelong won the first heat race before Phil Jenkins from Melbourne’s Western Suburbs won the second and Shannon Meakins the third.
Andy Kemp won his first ever feature in the class, defeating Meakins, Kali Hovey and Tony Green.
For the Victorian Speedway Council Junior 1200cc sedan title race, Mortlake club hosted day one of qualifying before Daylesford club hosted the second day of racing at Darlington.
Arthur Hutchinson, Xander Baxter, Bryce Leek and Billy McBride all won qualifying races on day one.
On the points table, Baxter led at the halfway stage from McBride, Hutchinson, Leek and Braidan Webster.
Leek (representing Drouin) went on to claim the title on day two ahead of Baxter, Riley Taylor, Sheedy and Andrew Mitchell.
Mortlake’s feature class of the day was the Standard Saloons competing for cash and prizes valued over $1500.
Around 15 competitors put in a great day’s racing with Portland’s Cody McCabe coming out on top.
Darren Fitzgerald of Portland, Dean Pedersen (Daylesford) and Ballarat’s Patrick Walsh, Lachie Chivers, Cody McCabe and Austin Chivers claimed the six heat race wins.
A 20-lap feature event was led by McCabe, with Pedersen putting on early pressure.
At the halfway mark and after starting in 10th, Luke King was up to fifth place in the race with McCabe leading Pedersen, Austin Chivers, Patrick Walsh then King.
When the chequered flag unfurled, McCabe had what is considered a big lead at the tiny bullring venue as he crossed the finish line almost two seconds in front of Pedersen, King, Austin Chivers and Aaron Meakins to claim the ‘Golden Helmet’.
Racing for the Mortlake club returns on Saturday May 13 with the Hanna Memorial for street stock in memory of local Mortlake racer Brendon Hannabury.
Also on the program will be the Col Grist Memorial to honour the super rod-aligned Grist family, along with formula 500s in seniors and juniors.
