Drouin Speedway on Sunday May the 5th ended well for the ‘Stewart Racing’ team once gain this time with Daniel Stewart taking a win in the Victorian Speedway Council Gippsland Zone title for Division 2 Hot Rods on the same program the Vintage Sedans from ‘Ace of Spades’ Club and Mark Miles entertained.
In the Division 2 Hot Rods three heat races determined where the drivers would begin the feature race and the first heat was very entertaining with Ricky Mills and Stewart in a great battle catching up to a backmarker and both needing to decide who was going to pass on the pole line and who was going outside and as Mills would later say at presentation it was Stewart whom had the bigger ‘Cohuna’s’ and he went high and took the lead and the first heat win from Mill’s & Scotty Laidlaw.
In heat two Mills manage to lock in a win ahead of Stewart and Laidlaw before Laidlaw took a win in the third heat ahead of Stewart and Mills with those three drivers securing the top three in all three heat races.
Stewart began the final at the front of the field and had a terrible start, it looked like he was testing his steering as the green flag came out and was caught behind. Again in the feature another move requiring Stewart to run high paid off as Stewart ripped past Mills to take the win in a fifteen lap final. Laidlaw once again was third with Jeff Smith and Ricky Low rounding out the top five.
Stewart was kind in his words after the win at presentation. “The Drouin Club have done well today. It was a great track with passing room up high which the crowd witnessed. I thank Shane (brother) and my supporters and family. It was great to race with Ricky & Scotty today, it was clean and fast. I hope we as a Division come back here again soon.”
In Standard Saloons Pakenham’s Mark Miles seemed to have his car sorted out and despite a heat race over zealous move on Mitch Bowyer, Miles had a great finish to the day and took a win over Ben Randall who was having a ripper stoush with Nar Nar Goon resident Victor ‘The Inflictor’ Benson.
In Vintage Sedan’s a demonstration group of racers in machines from the fantastic 50’s & 60’s with names to boot it would be the ‘Aggravator’ who would lead to the finish line the ‘Gnome’ & ‘Burnout’. For those not knowing who these names are related to it was Peter Quaife, Bob Maloney & Billy O’Neill. A new edition Gippsland ‘hired gun’ Alan ‘The Monster’ McKinnon debuted in Col Chadwick’s ‘Herman’s Hearse’ and complete with coffin handles on the side of the race car, McKinnon had an absolute ball and finished strongly amongst the group.
In SSA Junior Sedans Donald Young from Langwarrin won all three heat races and the final with Shona Bent chasing in second place in all four races. Josh Stewart was much improved and finished the day in third place whilst Rochelle Hill & rookie of the day Zoe Young despite a little bingle in the feature race finished the final also. Zoe Young finished all three heats and the final in her first days racing which was an outstanding result. Donald Young was very strong in winning both he and Shona Bent look ready for the big events still to come for the season.
In Ladies Standard Saloon’s Melissa Tatterson and Karen Halliday were the strong performers of the day with Tatterson victorious in a shoot out feature for the two. Michael Suckling in Junior Standards further developed his race driving skills in readiness for next seasons potential VSC Juniors Gippsland Series & Russell Hill won the Open Sedan final ahead of Aaron Price and Michael Knight.
Drouin Speedway thanks its supporters:
Wayson Oil’s
Ampworks
Robin Hood Hotel
Drysdale Chaff Mills
Kouda Signs
Brimstone Fire
Viking Rentals
Polish N Shine
Victory Lane Race gear
Ramsdale Wreckers
Moe Grain & Farm
Laser Electrical
Sensations Adult Store
Southern Star Automotive
Pakenham Automatics
Pakenham 4 x 4 Wreckers
B.O.C Tyres
Densu Group Promotions
Inaction Photos
Written by DMT Media’s Dean Thompson
on behalf of Drouin Speedway club