Under beautiful sky on Sunday January the 17th, Drouin Speedway entertained Gippsland revheads with the running of the ‘Victorian Crane Trucks’ Cup for Open Sedans with Nar Nar Goon racer Jaedn Alberni the big winner as he defeated Morwell’s Daniel Stewart & Michael Suckling from Inverloch in the main race, elsewhere Mark Miles won the Standard Saloon final and Jack Yeomans the Junior Sedans.
The Victorian Speedway Council Open Sedan rules allow drivers with various log books to compete against each other & Drouin was delighted when its very own club member Alberni came out on top in the big feature event to pocket the $500 winner’s prize.
Four heat races were run with Rob Bushell from the South Gippsland based Nyora club taking a win in the first heat whilst both Wayne Alberni & sponsor of the event Jeff Blencowe smashed their cars beyond repair & didn’t see the track again for the rest of the day.
Whilst Stewart crossed the line first in the second heat he was penalised by stewards for a passing move that gave the win to Alberni whilst Bass based racer Wayne Hurford won the third heat race before Stewart finally took a legitimate win in the final heat race.
Alberni started from the front with Hurford for the twenty five lap final that the club prepared very wet for the initial stages of the final. Drivers needed to drive to conditions & the driver to do that the best before the track settled about ten laps in was Alberni.
Hurford lost position, Suckling was second for some time before Stewart who slid off the track and then fought his way through to second place. Hurford was driving under protest after some contact that the stewards deemed impeded another competitor & was later penalised.
Alberni won from Stewart, Suckling & Hans Lovski who was elevated to fourth ahead of Hurford.
After the race Alberni shared his delight. “I am stoked with this result. Thank you to dad so very much for everything he does for my racing. My family & supporters also thank you for everything you do for us also. It was great to win the race with such great competition & to Drouin Speedway & its volunteers well done on giving us a track that we could do so many laps on. I can’t forget the sponsor Victorian Crane Trucks either.”
The Standard Saloons also held four heats with drivers holding Drouin memberships running for club championship points, Mitchell Blencowe, Matt Nelson, Ben Randall & Travis Evans all won heat races whilst the eventual feature race winner was second on three occasions.
Miles then took a great fifteen lap feature win from Chris Charles, Evans, Leigh Gooding & Randall. Jack Yeomans won the Junior Standard Saloon final after AJ Lawrence who won all three heat races agreed to start half a lap behind in the final to give the others a head start. Lawrence unfortunately crashed and Yeomans won ahead of Rhys Lansdown.
Ace of Spades Vintage Speedway Sedan club & the Victorian Speedway Council Super Modifieds performed demonstration runs that were entertaining for the spectators with cars from back in the 1930s to the 1980s having four runs each.
Drouin Speedway returns on the 14th of February with a national Junior Sedan feature event slated to headline along with club classes supporting.
Drouin Speedway Club thanks the following for their support:
Alberni Engineering
Amp Works
Berwick Legal
Bob Jane T Mart – Traralgon
Boost 2 Drive
Inaction Photos
JA Signs
Keena Fencing
Laser Electrical
Latrobe Waste Recycling
Leigh & Anne Gooding
Longwarry Meat Safe
Miles Mechanical
Mixalis Machinez
Monckton Concrete
Polish & Shine
Ramsdale Wreckers
TNT Auto Parts
Victorian Crane Trucks
Victory Lane Racegear
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media
For Drouin Speedway Club Inc