Jacob Mills Racing headed across to Wangaratta City Raceway on January the 14th for the teams third race meeting of the season, the prestigious ‘Bob Bailey Memorial’, an event he has won twice previously and an event that means very much to him as he explains.
“Bob and dad raced for years against one another and when I came onto the scene he was always nice to me and once I started racing he continued to share advice. He was a racing driver I admired.
What many people do not know is whilst Bob had his friends over in Albury and had a little social group happening, it was only a week prior to his passing that he was with our family and then with myself and my media rep Dean socialising until 4am in the Mills Racing garage. So, his passing a week later, hits home every year. I love nothing more than winning that race or titles.” Shared Mills.
This year’s Bob Bailey Memorial was affected by threatening weather. Severe lightning especially with thunder and rain happening in surrounding areas. This started to occur around about round two of racing and the Wangaratta Club did a terrific job in getting through round two and then into the featured classes finals.
In Mill’s first heat race the track was very fast which made it tough to pass from the rear of the field with the field all getting around on song. Mill’s Ramsdale Wreckers Pakenham VS Commodore had steering issues and despite this Mills finished in fourth place before returning to the pits to change the power steering pump.
Mill’s engaged in great battle with Stephen Laidlaw in heat two and ran third behind him though as the finish flag came out. Mill’s started in fifth spot and the car was a little loose for the track conditions that presented themselves. As a result, Mill’s planned for and made some set up changes he thought might work for a third heat race prior to that race being cancelled.
With the final heat cancelled Mill’s took the set up they had put into the car out on track for the feature event after a lengthy thirty lap race prior to the Memorial could get on track.
Early in the feature event Mill’s felt he had something for the top two runners, one being his own father Trevor who was leading the race and the other being Laidlaw. As the race went on, the shocks Mill’s were running became very hot and they went away from the set-up that affected the handling and performance of the car.
After realising that the performance of the car could result in a win it or bin it scenario if he persisted in really going after the two leaders, Mills decided to do all he could to take the car to the finish line in one piece. Mills finished the twenty-five-lap race third whilst his father Trevor won the event for the fifth time.
After the event Mill’s major sponsor Russell Hill rang to discuss the race meeting, Jacob’s race team needs and just to enjoy a chat. It was agreed that the team would invest in a new shock and spring package and have that put into the car prior to the upcoming Victorian title. Russell the owner of Ramsdale Wreckers and his partner Sara have taken care of the Shocks and Springs and they are on their way into the Nyora 12 registered Commodore.
Jacob was proud of the conversation with Russell and shared the following. “Russell called me to acknowledge my driving knowing that I had car performance issues and the decisions I made to finish the race instead of potentially wrecking. This makes me really proud to know that my major supporter is recognising my decision-making. We both agreed that we think that the shock package is the missing link to bring our car up to the speed that Trevor and Stephen are both showing at Wangaratta, as this is where our Victorian title race is at.”
Jacob personally wishes to thank Joel Dunkley and his partner Lilly for their help at Wangaratta, Bec his own partner for her help in the days leading up to and on race day, making his life a whole lot easier. The Hawkins brothers Scott and Justin for assisting on race night also and Chris Fitzgerald of Kore Concreting for helping after our race trailer broke on the way home from Wangaratta giving us a place to leave our race car for the morning until we could sort ourselves out with a trailer.
Jacob Mills would like to thank the following supporters:
Ramsdale Wreckers
Mills Racing Engines & Dyno Tuning
Dunkley Panels & Towing
Stewart’s Contracting Solutions
Jaru Transport
Brody Automotive
DMT Sports Media
Ends Release.
Written media by DMT Sports Media – Dean Thompson
