Sprintcars & Sedans headlined Drouin Speedway’s latest race meeting on January the 19th with the annual 6 Cylinder Standard Saloon ‘Robin Hood Cup’ feature the co-major event with the ‘LV Core & Saw’ Junior Standard Saloon series round whilst the Victorian Speedway Council Vintage Sprintcars and Super Modifieds put smiles on the faces of many with amongst them an ex Brooke Tatnell & ex Max Dumesny race cars driven by their proud
The ‘Robin Hood Cup’ ran four heats before the field for the feature was set in starting order. Local Drouin youngster Travis Evans would get his day under way with a win in the first heat before Dale Morrison won the next two heats. Morrison was due to compete in the final heat of the day however his car was trashed during a heat of the Junior Standards when his daughter Ally Morrison was involved in a crash that sent the car into the wall front on, the car didn’t race the rest of the day. Evans won the last heat.
With no Morrison in the final Evans and Daniel Stewart began at the front of the field for the final and Stewart hit the lead straight away and despite all sorts of action going on behind him, was never caught or passed. Evans and Mark Miles whilst second and third were sent to the rear of the field after an on track incident deemed Miles the cause of a Evans spin and Evans pinged for unsafe re-entry onto the race track. Stewart cruised to his win with Miles and Evans both working their back into second and third places followed by Andrew Suckling & Bunyips Jeff Blencowe in his debut race finishing fifth.
In the Junior Standard Saloon ‘LV Core & Saw’ series round a healthy field of fourteen made their way to Drouin to contest round three of a four round series around Gippsland. In the first of four heats after having the front end of his car written off at the last race meeting at Drouin, Josh Thomas returned to take victory in the first heat of the day. Steve Danks then won his first heat in the second heat with Victorian Champion Tyson Cull rounding out the heats by returning after damage to his car stopped him from finishing his first heat to win the third and fourth heats.
With a cracking field of talented youngsters up the front of the field including Thomas, Danks & Cull and with Michael Suckling, Ty Hutton, AJ Lawrence & Cooper Cappellari all at the front end of the field the race could have gone any way however it was Rosedale tearaway Danks that asserted his authority on the tricky Drouin venue as he hit the lead and never looked like being passed. Danks held firm for the win over Cull, Traralgon’s Thomas, Inverloch racer Suckling and Lawrence.
The Drouin Speedway Classic for 1200cc Junior Sedans attracted a few Alexandra Speedway Club members keen for a run since their venue is closed due to fire season. Caleb Lincoln was able to take all three heat victories with Grantville’s Seth Bent challenging in every one before Lincoln went on to win the Classic from Bent, Wayne Furmston, Ricky Cornwell & Zoe Young.
In the Classic Sprintcar demonstrations it doesn’t really matter who crosses the finish line first. Watching the classic 1988 Sprintcar that Brooke Tatnell used to run in the hands of Queenslander Leigh Drennan and the 1982 John Sidney Racing ex Max Dumesny car being driven by Brett Howe & Tom Chandler both of New South Wales was an absolute thrill. Drennan especially gave the machine a fair old squirt especially in the first demonstration and proved once and for all that Drouin Speedway does handle Sprintcars.
Gary Hamblin who crossed the finish line first in the final demonstration in his ex Roy Wright owned and driven race car along with Drennan, Howe, Chandler & Paul Woodgate in his imported American former champ race car all thrilled the spectators in their spectacular machines.
In Vintage Super Modifieds the forerunner to the Sprintcars it was a bit of a mixed bag for the likes of Graeme Briggs and Jim Duggan on track whilst Howard Colwell continued his love of racing at Drouin by crossing the finish line in the final demonstration first and in one piece. John Watson & Bob Noonan were two others who had fun on the day with Watson really getting stuck into things no matter where he started.
The next race meeting at Drouin Speedway is February the 9th and will include the Vic Mini Sprints Gold Cup series round, the Vintage club once again, the third and final round of the Open Standard Saloon track championship series and tentatively the Ladies Sedans, Open Sedans, Junior 1200 Sedans & Junior Standard Saloons.
Drouin Speedway thanks the following for their support:
Ampworks
Robin Hood Hotel
Drysdale Chaff Mills
Brimstone Fire
Polish N Shine
Victory Lane Race Gear
Ramsdale Wreckers
Laser Electrical
Inaction Photos
Drouin Waste Recyclers
TNT Autos
Monckton Concrete
Latrobe Waste & Recycling
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media
For Drouin Speedway Club