Drouin Speedway on December the 9th had a packed day of racing for fans with seven categories on the program including the Standard Saloons competing for the prestigious \u2018Moe Grain & Farm\u2019 Eliminator Cup with some of the top drivers in the area competing in the event supported by two of Gippsland\u2019s long time racer Leigh & Anne Gooding.<\/p>\n
Sprintcars & Vintage Super Modifieds were on the program to give fans a bit of the past and the now in Sprintcar racing and a big field of Open Sedans were on hand getting laps in before their state championship at the same venue in January.<\/p>\n
It was a day full of drama which all began when Colin Cull in the opening round for the Eliminator Cup clipped a infield tyre and rolled down part of the back straight, Cull was the only driver to make the mistake of running under the pole line for the rest of the day and he went looking for the photographers to organise purchase of the sequence of shots for his man shed\u2019s wall.<\/p>\n
In six heat results prior to determining the start field Ben Randall, Chris Stewart, Chris Stewart again, Leigh Gooding, then Stewart and Gooding both once more took the heat wins and put themselves on the front row with Stewart on pole for the feature race start.<\/p>\n
With three segments to the final and running clockwise first Gooding took the lead early and Stewart settled in to get the car across the line safely in the first segment. Other drivers were not so fortunate as the infield had a number of cars boiling the kettle so to speak.<\/p>\n
In segment two more of the same for Gooding and Stewart as they led the field comfortably to finish the eight lap segment at the front.<\/p>\n
In the third segment it all mattered and it was here that Stewart made is move whilst Gooding tried to hold his position at the front however was rounded up and left to play the cop in cops and robbers. Rosedale\u2019s Chris Stewart went on to take the win from Gooding, Matt Nelson, Alexandra\u2019s Nick Chrystie and Ash England from Wonthaggi.<\/p>\n
A delighted winner spoke to the track announcer afterwards. \u201cI am stoked to win. Money wise it\u2019s the highest paying feature in the state for our division. Prestige wise its right up there behind the state championship as two long time Standard Saloon competitors Leigh & Anne support this event. I am stoked to win ahead of Leigh and thank them and Drouin Speedway for putting the event on every season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keeping with Standards, Tegan Bullard won the ladies ahead of Charlene Dike and Darlene Parkinson whilst Adrian Lawrence took the win in the Junior Standards from Michael Suckling.<\/p>\n
In Vintage Super Modifieds Howard Colwell led home Jim Duggan & Bob Noonan as the forerunners to Sprintcars entertained with their tear drop wings and on the same program a group of local Sprintcar owners who just want to get their cars on track and racing at venues close to them that other competitors are not to keen to do, put on some entertaining drives with Darren Painter first across the line in all three heats and Wayne Hurford first in the final hit out ahead of Painter and Warrick Taylor.<\/p>\n
Junior SSA Sedans were also part of the program and with a cancellation of the previous nights racing at Alexandra a few extra cars made the trip to Drouin for the day. The Junior Sedans with their 1200cc engines and the power to weight ratio they have get around the venue pretty quick with times quicker than even the V8 Sedans.<\/p>\n
In heat one action between leader Donald Young and second placed Chevy Edwards heated up as they both rounded up lapped traffic. Connection between the two had Edwards up against the wall and not long later as Edwards tried to run underneath Young out of turn two it left Young hard up against the wall and out of the game.<\/p>\n
Medical attention was required for Young and he was transported off to hospital by ambulance where news since is that he is sore but not broken which the speedway world are pleased to hear. Both Young and Edwards were disqualified from race results by the steward for the incidents mentioned and this left Cameron Pearson to go on and win the heat.<\/p>\n
Edwards came back and won the second heat and then the third heat races. In the final a false start in which the steward pinged Edwards for being the cause seen Edwards sent to the back for the restart. Wit Edwards stuck behind developing drivers at the back, it allowed Pearson and Van Breman to get away and Edwards was never able to catch up. Pearson led all the way to win from Van Breman and the fast and entertaining Edwards.<\/p>\n
The last division on the program was the Open Sedans. With a big field of cars they all ran three out of four programmed heat races. Many cars were at Drouin to scout the venue before the state championship in January.<\/p>\n
In heat one a number of cars failed to finish due to damage or mechanical concerns including Tim McPherson, Matt Nelson the state champion, Wayne Nelson, Wayne Alberni and Steve Fawns. Les Feltham went on to win from Ray Gould and Aaron Price.<\/p>\n
Jaedn Alberni took the in from Feltham in the second with his dad in third place, Wayne Alberni and the Nathan Fawns and Tim McPherson. In the third heat it was a Feltham win again from Darren Nelson and Wayne Alberni, Nathan Fawns and Jaedn Alberni before the final heat settled starting positions for the final with Nathan Fawns holding out Darren Nelson and Ben McCoy with only one other finisher.<\/p>\n
The final race began with Feltham on pole and Nathan Fawns alongside. The first start was aborted as both drivers tangled at the start finish line as they greeted the green. The chief steward deemed both drivers at fault and sent them both to the rear of the field much to the disgust of both who blamed each other for the bad start and argued a warning a complete restart was in order.<\/p>\n
With the two top drivers of the day stuck behind traffic it left an open path for Darren Nelson who has a habit of winning at Drouin in Open Sedans, to fire his V8 powered machine on forward. Matt Nelson moved up in places and had a good battle with Jaedn Alberni.<\/p>\n
Official results were Darren Nelson, Matt Nelson &\u00a0Jaedn Alberni.<\/p>\n
Drouin Speedway returns after Christmas on January the 6th with the SDAV Hot Rods on the program, the Victorian championship for Open Sedans. The Sprintcars if six cars nominate and all club divisions including SSA Sedans, VSC Juniors, Standard Saloons & Ladies dependent on nominations.<\/p>\n
Drouin Speedway thanks its supporters:
\nWayson Oil\u2019s
\nAmpworks
\nRobin Hood Hotel
\nBrimstone Fire
\nPolish N Shine
\nVictory Lane Racegear
\nRamsdale Wreckers
\nMoe Grain & Farm
\nLaser Electrical
\nSensations Adult Store
\nSouthern Star Automotive
\nPakenham Automatics
\nPakenham 4 x 4 Wreckers
\nB.O.C Tyres
\nDensu Group Promotions
\nInaction Photos<\/p>\n
Written by DMT Media\u2019s Dean Thompson
\non behalf of Drouin Speedway club<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Drouin Speedway on December the 9th had a packed day of racing for fans with seven categories on the program including the Standard Saloons competing for the prestigious \u2018Moe Grain & Farm\u2019 Eliminator Cup with some of the top drivers in the area competing in the event supported by two of Gippsland\u2019s long time racer … <\/p>\n