A big day of entertainment excited motorsport fans at Drouin Speedway on Sunday the 18th of December when Morwell’s Daniel Stewart held off Geelong’s Scott Whittle and Moe’s Leigh Gooding in the big paying Standard Saloon feature on a day where the Standard’s shared top billing with Open Sedans and Vintage Sedans.
In Standard Saloons each driver competed in 3 heats to determine their starting position for the feature where after the initial 8 laps the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th place cars are eliminated before the field starts again for another 8 laps before eliminating 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th place cars leaving 8 drivers to battle the last twelve laps to win the money.
Shane Ardley got the day started with a win before Chris Stewart won the second heat of the day. Daniel Stewart and Jacob Vuillerman won the second round heats before Chris Stewart and Gooding closed out the qualifying by winning the last couple heats.
Daniel Stewart then led each section of the feature race initially with his brother Chris Stewart and Leigh Gooding close behind before Whittle got past Gooding and Chris Stewart dropped out. Dan Stewart had Whittle closer to him in the final 12 lap section of the 28 lap feature yet got away when he needed to a popular win from Whittle, Gooding, Jacob Vuillerman, Patrick Vuillerman, Matt Nelson, Alan Danks and Andrew Miles who were the last 8 men standing.
In Sports Sedans Matt Nelson took out the win in the first heat and the second before Brad Lunn snatched the final heat of the day. Nelson was the stand out driver and lead easily for much of the feature before beating his father Wayne to the finish line with David Cherry in third place.
The Vintage Sedans thrilled the crowd especially Bob ‘The Gnome’ Maloney in his 1936 Chev Sloper who won his first heat from the front and then roared through the pack in the other two heats finishing second before winning the feature after starting from the rear of the pack in front of Pete ‘The Aggravator’ Quaife in his 1934 Ford Coupe and Johnny ‘B Good’ Watson.
Debbie Donaldson won the ladies in front of Kellie Garlick and Sonia Nelson whilst Ryan Thomson was too strong for Brodie Montague and Steven Danks in Junior Standard Saloons. Bob Tatterson won all three heats and the feature for Division 2 Hot Rods with Wes Jasper finishing second and no other car finishing the feature.
Racing returns over two days in January to the venue with the Yarra Valley Speedway Kart Club taking charge of the venue on the 7th whilst the Drouin Speedway Club operate the venue on the 8th with the Goulburn Ovens Sports Sedan Victorian Championship, Wingless Sprint 500 & Victorian Mini Sprintcars to spice up the program that will have all the clubs regular classes.
Drouin Speedway would like to thank the following for their wonderful support:
Ramsdale Wreckers
Moe Grain & Farm
Victory Lane Race gear
Keena Fencing
Wayson Waste Oil Collection
Active Graphics
Drysdale Chaff Mills
Migwell Australia
Robin Hood Hotel
Glen Comrie Caravan Park
Inaction Photos
Kincrome
Brimstone Fire Protection
Written by
Dean Thompson
Drouin Media Representative