Despite his dad Adrian having raced for over two decades, a qualification into a Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic-deciding feature race is something that had never before been achieved by a member of the Parr family – until last weekend that is, when Brayden Parr managed to accomplish the feat.
Having been considered the toughest and most prestigious race on the Australian speedway calendar since its inception almost half a century ago, the Grand Annual Classic is an event that attracts the best in the business to the high banks of Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway each season.
With such a formidable field of drivers always in attendance, simply being able to make the feature race is an achievement in itself, but one that is evidently not so easy to attain. So when the 20-year-old racer won Sunday night’s B main to secure his transfer spot into the feature race during what was only his second ever attempt at the event, the entire Parr family had much to be proud of.
“Knowing how difficult it is to qualify for the feature race with over 100 of the country’s top drivers all trying to secure a spot, we couldn’t be happier that we were able to pull it off,” expressed Parr, who went on to experience a heartbreaking DNF just 10 laps into the race due to a crash aboard the Clint Baker-owned Vic # 77 Compass Powder Coating & Metalworx / TriTech Lubricants supported Triple X car.
“Even though the race didn’t go according as planned and we crashed out, we were thrilled just to be a part of it and it’s a big confidence boost heading into the rest of the season.”
Showing tremendous speed throughout his Grand Annual Classic campaign, the Eden Park, Vic-based driver got his night underway in encouraging fashion during Saturday night’s qualifying, timing fourth in his time trial group, placing second in his opening heat race and moving forward eight positions in heat-race two to come home in third.
This put him out of position four for the 30-lap preliminary feature race, which unfortunately turned out to be a preview of what was to come, with Parr experiencing a crash just 11 laps in and sustaining significant damage to the car.
After a herculean effort from the team to fix the machine, Parr returned to the track on Sunday night where he collected a seventh-place finish in his final heat race, before qualifying on pole for the B main and leading the race from start to finish to cement his place in the Grand Annual Classic-deciding feature race.
Currently sitting third in the Eureka Garages & Sheds Series point standings, Parr’s next event will be the eighth series round at Hamilton’s Western Speedway on February 16.
Parr would like to thank Warrnambool Crane Hire and Big Jocks Enterprises for coming on board to support him during the Grand Annual Classic, along with his 2018-19 season sponsors for their continued support: Compass Powder Coating & Metalworx, TriTech Lubricants, Parr Motorsports, Salt Electrical, Speakmans Auto Electrical, ABSS, KIS Corporate, Prestige Roof Tiling, and Parr Designs.
He would also like to give special thanks to his mum and dad (Kim and Adrian), his younger brother Liam, who is unable to attend Brayden’s races but he gives him a lot of inspiration to do well, and his pit crew Clint Baker, Marcus Green, Dennis (Pa) and Jake.
To find out more about Parr and his team, LIKE them on Facebook or FOLLOW them on Instagram by searching Brayden Parr Racing.
