Collins and Bolton score big wins

Last Saturday night’s action at Leeton’s Brobenah Raceway resulted in the two major events on the program – Long Track Classic for Super Sedans and the Australian Title for Legend Cars – going the way of Jamie Collins and Troy Bolton respectively.

In what was the first time in nearly two years since speedway competition took place at the 940-metre Brobenah Raceway track, a large crowd gathered to witness a spectacular night of action.

The De Paoli Transport supported Long Track Classic resulted in Victorian visitor Collins coming out on top in impressive fashion. After qualifying on pole position for the feature race, Collins, who was visiting the Brobenah Raceway track for the first time, paced the field for the entire 20-lap distance and picked up what was the biggest win of his career in Super Sedans.

Collins scored the $5,000 to win event by defeating Steve Jordan (Qld), current Victorian Champion Mick Nicola Jnr (Vic), current Tasmanian Champion Callum Harper (Tas) and Paul Kranitis (NSW) to the chequered flag.

The Long Track Classic was marred by a spectacular crash during the third heat race, when three-time National Champion Mick Nicola Snr spun off the track in turn one. As a result of spinning off the track, he flipped over multiple times and then heavily collided with the pit wall. After the massive collision, Nicola Snr’s car burst into flames. Thankfully, the fire was extinguished quickly by the track crew, and, after a lengthy delay, Nicola Snr was removed from his heavily damaged race car. Nicola Snr was in good spirits, despite suffering burns to his legs and arms, as he was transported to the ambulance, where he was transported to a Sydney hospital. Nicola Snr remains in a stable condition and this morning reached out to the Leeton Motor Sports Club to thank them for all of their efforts on the night and that he will be ok, and he is now hopeful of being transported to a Melbourne-based hospital in the coming days.

To say the JL Diesel Repairs supported Australian Legend Cars Title was action-packed would be quite the understatement, but when it was all said and done, ACT-based racer Troy Bolton came away as the winner.

Bolton, who finished third in last season’s running of the Australian Title, took control of the lead of the 15-lap feature race on the final lap, after the leaders – defending Australian Champion Rob Rawlings Jnr and Sydney’s Tyson Williams – collided on the final lap after Williams had spun and hit the wall, which handed the win to Bolton. In what was a tough break, both Rawlings Jnr and Williams were unable to finish.

At the fall of the chequered flag, Bolton downed fellow ACT-based racer John Egan and New South Welshman Allen Leayr in second and third place respectively. Sydneysider Bray Jones and Queensland visitor Ian Jones rounded out the top-five finishers. For Egan, he had started from position two and was right up there battling at the front of the field up until lap 12 when he was sent ROF after he had contacted Rawlings Jnr as they fought for the lead. Egan then charged his way back through the field and was remarkably close to claiming the win, after he slowed to avoid the Rawlings Jnr and Williams incident on the final lap, and this allowed Bolton to pass him and go on to take the win. Egan has now finished second in the past two Australian Titles.

Apart from the Rawlings Jnr and Williams incident, other hard-luck stories were Queenslander Matt Gordon. Gordon had qualified on pole position for the feature race and was right up there in contention throughout most of the race, but on lap 12, he spun out and it unfortunately brought his run to a premature end. In the heat-race action, David Browne and Shane Anderson were victims in big crashes in separate incidents. While Browne wasn’t injured in his crash, Anderson wasn’t so lucky, after he sustained a broken rib and some soft tissue damage around the neck area that required hospital treatment.

Veteran Stephen Laidlaw (Vic) emerged the winner of the NH3 Refrigeration supported Graham Bourke Memorial for Production Sedans in impressive fashion. After qualifying on pole position for the feature race, Laidlaw scored an impressive victory by leading the entire 15-lap distance. Following Laidlaw to the chequered flag was Johnny Ralph in what was a career-best drive, while third place on the podium was filled by ACT-based racer Liam Heaton. Just outside the podium finishers was Craig McAlister in fourth and current ACT Champion Wes Barnes in fifth. The top-10 finishers were completed by Scott Hawkins, Wayne Bourke, Brett Norman, Sean Alessi and Queenslander Jim Cowley.

In the night’s support class action, Justin Brockley claimed the GOSA Sedans feature race ahead of Jamie Aitken and Steve McDonald, and Brad Wise came out on top in the RSA Unlimited Sedan feature race by outpacing Shane Murphy and Sam Richards to the chequered flag.

Unfortunately, due to low numbers after a few competitors were late withdrawals from the meeting, the Modified Sedans were a scratching from the night’s program.

For further information about Brobenah Raceway, you can FOLLOW them on Facebook by searching Leeton Motor Sports Club or by contacting club president.