Nyora Raceway’s opening event of the season beat persistent attempts by the rain to curtail the meeting when officials and competitors worked through four different showers to get the night done with winning results in the major events to Travis Millar in ‘Autobarn Eastern Challenge’ Wingless Sprints, Bailey Perkins in ‘Stephenson Transport’ Gippsland Junior Standard Saloon Series and Scott Laidlaw in the Division 2 Hot Rod Dave Maslen Memorial.
Travis Millar #93 and Ebony Hobson #89
Wingless Sprint action featured a large contingent of local Gippsland and South East Melbourne racers, however, after nine heat racequalifiers it came down to Bayswater racer Travis Millar and young Clyde based race driver Ebony Hobson in the twenty-five final with both drivers racing away from the chasers on a couple of occasions.
Early in the race, Millar led Hobson with Chris Halesworth then Travis Bergmeier, Peter Logue and Wayne Logue in a freight train. On lap seventeen a crash involving Marc Evans, Jaidyn Job and Nic Green resulted in all three being moved to the infield with damages.
Halesworth got swamped by Bergmeier and the Logues and dropped back and not long after, Bergmeier pulled infield with mechanical issues.
Millar who during heat racing run a 15.4 second lap and was the fastest driver on the night continued his march at the front of the field and beat Hobson by 3.666 seconds with Peter Logue from Inverloch finishing in front of his son Wayne from Morwell and Halesworth in fifth.
Earlier Halesworth, Pakenham racer Neil Grey, Peter Logue, Matthew Symons, Warrick Taylor in the race with the closest finish between first and second of just .097, Wayne Logue who won the fastest overall heat race for the night, Millar, Wayne Hurford and Michael Skene won the heat races.
Nyora member Bailey Perkins dominated the event for the Junior Stephenson Transport Standard Saloon Gippsland series when he won all three of the heat races before winning the feature event also. Perkins finished with Jack Yeomans in second, Ally Morrison third, Damon Ingram and then Lewis Williams in the Moe Recyclers supported round.
Division 2 Hot Rod competitors were encouraged to enter the Dave Maslen Memorial event for their class and due to low numbers the drivers combined with others to form Open Sedan racing for the night, Samuel Williams won the first heat of the evening with Division 2 Hot Rod driver Scott Laidlaw back in third place. Laidlaw then won the second heat and the third before starting on the front row for the final.
Amongst the drivers at the front end of the feature race with Laidlaw were Andrew Jordan, Williams, Jack Van Bremen and Broderick Stray. Jordan was challenged by Van Bremen and drifted wide and opened the door for second spot to Van Bremen. Laidlaw was cruising in the lead for much of the second half of the race before Van Bremen put in a late effort to catch up to the lead. Laidlaw won the final and took home a trophy for winning Open Sedans and a Division 2 Hot Rod trophy for winning the Dave Maslen Memorial.
Standard Saloon racing results were very interesting through the night with heat wins to Gary Charles, Ricky Connor and Brendan Miles before Miles went on to a win in the final with Charles and Williams filling the podium.
Ladies Standard Saloon racers were getting in important laps before their Victorian Standard Saloon title that will be occurring on the same track later in the season. Warragul woman Tracey Ingram won all three heat races then defeated Tegan Bullard and Allana Ardley in the final.
Nyora Raceway returns with action just after Christmas day with the 29th of December race meeting featuring the annual Open Sedan New Year Challenge Cup, V8 Dirt Modifieds, Speedcars and National Junior Sedans.
Nyora Raceway would like to thank their valuable club supporters:
Ramsdale Wreckers Pakenham – Miles Mechanical Pakenham – Total Autos Pakenham – Tooradin Sports Club – Moe Recyclers – ARP Earthworks – All Care Exhausts Pakenham – Bass Concreting – John Duff and CO – Shell – Omni Fluid Handling Solutions – Flatout Trailers and Fabrication – CBM Photography – Onsite Rental Group – Mornington Motors – Peninsula District Towing – Somerville Motor Body Works – EPH Construction – Fun City Sunshine – Yarra Valley Speedway Kart Club – Ultimate Awards – BAM Inspect and Build – Pakenham Accident Repairs – Phoenix Lubricants – BGN Auto Glass Pakenham – Cheap Tyres Morwell – GB Lubricants – Affordable Auto Salvage – Ripper Sticker – Kool Freighters – Taylor’d Fabrications – Russell Steel – Polish N Shine – Heartfelt Candles – Dandenong Pest Control
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media
For Nyora Raceway Inc