After winning on Saturday night at Wahgunyah Speedway, Travis Florrimell has set up a terrific final event of the season when the Grand Prix Midgets go to Rushworth for the Ironbark Classic with just 10 points separating first to third in the season long point score. 
Florrimell has had a terrific last few months and both he and Chris Fowler caught and passed the early season leaders to now sit first and third with Jason Crawford in between in second place after missing the Wahgunyah round.
The huge Wahgunyah track at over 610 metres on the pole line is a unique circuit for the GP Midgets to compete at, gear changes and set up is completely different to most other tracks. On this race night the small wheel based Midgets also had to dodge and weave through the big Late Model Sedan wheel tracks on a surface that had been affected by heavy rain leading into the event, around 100mm in a week!
For heat one Sean Denning (#52 Truck Moves – Yamaha R1) and Florrimell began on the front row with Mark Blackeby, Myers, Fowler and Buis completing the field. Florrimell led lap one from Blackeby and Denning before Florrimell spun in turn two when he got up into the loose track surface. He went to the rear of the field and Fowler got passed Blackeby as he exited the track with wiring damage to the fuel pump with Florrimell second again on lap three ahead of Denning. A six lap race at Wahgunyah is 3600 metres long and Fowler led the last four laps to defeat Florrimell, Denning, Myers (#11 Maxam Printing – Suzuki) and Buis.
Myers, Fowler (# 13 Ballistics Performance Parts– Yamaha R1), Denning, Florrimell, Blackeby and Buis was the start order for heat two and Fowler led Florrimell and Myers on lap one. Denning on lap four moved into third ahead of Myers and Fowler maintained his race control and won from Florrimell, Denning, Myers and Buis. Blackeby (#10 Spitfire Restaurant & Bar Rosebud – Yamaha R1) didn’t finish due to the chain coming off the bike engine his machine runs.
A ten lap final was programmed to end the night and Blackeby slotted into pole position, and having earned no points in the heats was drifting behind the AJ’s Motorcycle Parts and Apparel B Grade point score leader Denning and falling further behind in the Ballistic Performance Parts point score having been in equal fourth place recently. Buis, Denning, Florrimell and Fowler all started.
Florrimell made short work of the front row and was leading past the starter on lap one, Blackeby followed with Denning, Fowler and Buis in chase. Blackeby exited on lap two when his car stripped the spline on the torsion arms. It took four laps before Fowler could pass Denning and try to chase Florrimell. The chase was in vain as Florrimell claimed the win from Fowler and Denning.
Buis did not finish suffering the same fate as Blackeby. Florrimell’s win was convincing, a third of the lap ahead of Fowler. Whilst Myers did not start the feature event due his car suffering a clutch problem.
Going to the last event Fowler is the points leader for the first time in the season just five points in front of Crawford and another five ahead of Florrimell (#81 TM Lineboring & Engineering – Suzuki GSXR 1000) who sits third. Denning is in fourth place in the Ballistic Performance Parts Masters standings with Blackeby, Danny Stainer, Buis and Lisa Chalcraft completing the active competitors in the point score.
Denning has the AJ’s Motorcycle Parts and Apparel B Grade championship in the bag, more than 100 points ahead of second placed Blackeby with Buis (#5 S & H Pearson Mobile Butchers – Yamaha R1) third.
Everything is in place for an edge of your seat experience at the final round at Rushworth Speedway on May 25th.
The Victorian Grand Prix Midgets association thank Club Supporters:
Ballistic Performance Parts
TM Lineboring & Engineering
Super Balance Automotive Shepparton
Pitstop Mowers
Jacobson Transport
AJ’s Motorcycle Parts and Apparel Shepparton
Vern & Jackie Parker Photography
Rock Solid Productions
Ends Release.
