Paddy Ward (Castrol Mustang) has taken out his
second consecutive round of the VSSA series at
Leetons Brobenah raceway on Saturday night. Once
again it was a all N.S.W podium, with Tony
Barklimore (Parkes Toyota Dodge) again finishing
runner up to Ward with local Wayne Aylett
(Riverina Machinery Monaro) grabbing third.
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The night started with a few words from Super
sedan legend Neville Harper, who was grand
Marshall for the event talking to all in the
pits. He then followed this up with a few laps
of the 900 meter Leeton circuit, in Paddy Wards
Bullet race car thrilling the huge crowd that
was in attendance.
It was then on to hot laps where Tasmanian
driver Mick Borgorski (Borgorski mobile
mechanical Dodge) connected with a pack of
infield tyres that had made there way on to the
track. This damage ended the night
disappointingly for Mick who worked all week on
solving a fuel pressure problem to get to this
round.
The heats got under way with newly crowned South
Australian title winner Brad Smith, (Littles
Transport Pontiac) starting off pole with Ward
out of two. It was Ward who got the jump at the
start catching the Tasmanian napping, and
leading into turn one with Smith hot on his
heels followed by Lachlan Onley (Glenavy
Quarries Mustang. George Napier (Reidy & G Train
Promotions Intrepid)was holding down fourth spot
under immense pressure from Craig Lappin
(Skilled Grand Prix), while Lucas Roberts (Ultra
Z springs Pontiac) made his move from sixth spot
going around Lappin and then Napier into fourth
spot. Soon after Napier retired to the infield
with a screw coming loose inside his distributor
causing his motor to stop. Up front it was Ward
who took the win from Smith and Onley.
The second heat saw Aylett beat Barklimore off
the line with Andrew Katz (Fireguard plumbing
Camaro) going to third ahead of Michael Ardley
(Mornington motors Camaro) in fourth. This was
the way they finished with the only casualty off
the heat being James Petch, (YGP Grain &
Hardware Mustang) who made contact with Katz on
the first lap bending a spindle and steering arm
ending his heat without completing a lap.
In the second round off heats Roberts lead into
turn one, ahead of current series champion
Lappin. Roberts quickly pulled away leaving
Lappin to deal with pressure from Ward and
Barklimore. Despite the pressure Lappin was able
to hang on for most off the race but washed high
on the last lap allowing Barklimore and ward to
slip underneath to finish in second and third
respectively behind Roberts.
In heat four, Petch was unable to take his place
on the grid after finding a shredded oil pump
drive belt, while repairing damage from the
first heat which was to end his night. This
allowed Onley to start from pole where he led
from start to from start to finished followed by
Aylett and fast finishing Smith in third in a
incident free heat.
With the point score close the third round of
heats got underway with Victorian champion
Roberts, taking the lead from position two on
the grid, jumping Barklimore on the start.
Roberts ran high on the exit to turn two on the
second lap allowing Barklimore to take the lead
where he was never headed and Smith going to
second passing Roberts on the last lap, with
Onley and Aylett rounding out the field
The last heat of the evening it was Lappin who
came from position three to go to the lead from
Napier and Ward. Ward made his move on lap two
passing Napier and then Lappin to take the lead,
and pulled away for a comfortable win from
Lappin and Katz. With a wounded Napier who was
hit in the left door by Ardley who later made
contact with the unforgiving front straight wall
ending his night.
With $1000 dollars up for the Riverina Machinery
pole shuffle winner it was Katz versus Lappin
who were first on track with Lappin taking the
honours. He went to take on fellow bullet
competitor Lachlan Onley, with Onley getting the
all important start and leading all the way.
Onley the took on Roberts with the Victorian
leading into turn one but once again Roberts was
unable to stay low on the track in turn two and
Onley took the advantage and the win. Onley was
then defeated by Aylett in the next round who in
turn was knocked out by Smith. Barklimore then
took on Smith for the right to challenge Ward
for the cash but once again it was the inside
starter that was able to take a lead into turn
one. Smith charged hard off turn four but was
unable to make a passing move which left
Barklimore and Ward to fight it out. With the
$1000 up for grabs the two gave it everything
into the first turn, with Ward entering first
and Barklimore miss judging his speed rocketing
up the back of Wards car spinning them both in
spectacular fashion. The restart saw Ward once
again jump away with Barklimore showing a little
less enthusiasm on the entry to turn on this
occasion, leaving Ward to take the the cash and
the pole for the nights feature race.
The starting line up for the final was Ward,
Barklimore, Smith, Aylett, Onley, Roberts,
Lappin, Katz and Napier.
As in the pole shuffle, Ward got to the lead
ahead of Barklimore and Smith. On lap four Katz
retired to the infield after putting a conrod
through the side of the engine block, ending his
night and most likely his season. Back at the
front of the field Ward continued to lead
comfortably from Barklimore with Smith looking
for a way past from third position. But it was
the local Aylett who ventured high first gaining
no assistance from the track washing high and
allowing Onley through to fourth position. On
lap eleven while passing the lapped car Napier,
Smith spun high in turn three coming to rest
with Aylett parked door to door with Smith.
Deemed a racing incident all were put back in
their positions where once again Ward led the
field away with Barklimore now under pressure
from Smith, Onley and Aylett. Smith went high
trying to make a move on Barklimore giving up
his position to Onley with Aylett also getting
by the South Australian Champion. Onley then
tried the same move as Smith on the next lap, in
an attempt to pass Barklimore and also dropped
back two spots allowing Aylett into third. On
lap sixteen Smith pulled infield after his oil
pressure warning light came on parking his car
on the infield at the pit end, where his car
started a small fire underneath his car which
brought on a yellow light so the flames could be
doused.
With only few laps to go Ward was able to hold
on to take the win from Barklimore, Aylett,
Onley, Roberts, Lappin and Napier rounding out
the field.
The Super sedans now move on to Wangaratta
Speedway for the final round of the VSSA series
on the 10 May 2008. With Ward, Barklimore,
Smith, Onley, Borgorski and Aylett all returning
to take on the Victorians and the series point’s
still wide open it promises to be a memorable
finale.
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