The Victorian Grand Prix Midget Club headed to Wangaratta for their first event since the recent Victorian title round 4 of the Ballistic Performance Parts Masters series and a handy field of cars battled fast and hard in a great fifteen lap feature with the win going to way of Trevor Perry after Lisa Chalcraft fought hard to stay out in front almost all the way.

Paul Perry returned to Victorian action after a bit of an absence and so did Dennis Myers, both in their Perry Brothers Chassis. There is no doubt the Perry Bros and their Chassis has injected life into the class both in Victoria and New South Wales and five competing cars were on hand with both the Perry boys, Myers, Rod Saville and David Bacon all competing in cars made by Paul and Trevor.

In the field also were a few Stinger Chassis machines and good news from the manufacturer Travis Florimell is that he has done some further development and come up with new ideas for his Chassis and is looking to build for other competitors also.

With these two regular manufacturers investing in the class, it is hoped the current growth continues with New South Wales increasing each and every weekend and Victoria’s numbers set to be added to with other cars on their way to the track soon.

On to the racing at Wangaratta, competitors had three heat races in which to qualify for the final earning club points all the way towards their end of season point score. Sean Denning (# 52 AR Suburban Fencing – Yamaha) and Paul Perry began at the front of the field with Chris Fowler, Jason Crawford, David Bacon, Trevor Perry, Dennis Myers, Lisa Chalcraft, Shawn Ward, Travis Florimell and Rod Saville completing the line-up order.

Lap one of heat one and Crawford (# 50 Pitstop Mowers – Yamaha) shot to the lead with Trev Perry behind him and ahead of his brother Paul then Florimell and Rod Saville from New South Wales who had started last. Florimell passed Paul Perry on lap two to move into third whilst deeper in the field Myers passed Chalcraft (# 15 Jacobson’s Transport – Suzuki) to move to sixth.

Trev Perry took over the lead on lap five as his brother Paul dropped down the field. Perry was leading Crawford, Florimell, Saville (# 59 Perry Bros Chassic – Suzuki) and Myers with Florimell taking second on lap seven as he passed Crawford. At the chequers Trev Perry had the win from Florimell, Crawford, Saville, Myers, Chalcraft, Paul Perry, Denning, Fowler (# 13 Castrol – Suzuki) and Ward.

Myers brand new car is a beautiful looking machine and with the distinctive colours of the Shepparton Super Balance Automotive support the car carries it began on the front row alongside the Australian champion Trev Perry. Chalcraft and Ward(# 88 Fry’s Service & Repairs – Suzuki) on row two, Florimell and Saville on the third row, then Paul Perry, Denning, Fowler, Crawford and Bacon (# 36 DB Kanga Hire – Yamaha) to complete the order.

Myers took the lead on lap one with Trev Perry and Florimell following then came Chalcraft and Paul Perry. Saville moved into fifth on the second lap passing Paul Perry and on lap three Trev Perry took the lead from Myers. Saville then dropped back through the field on lap six with Paul Perry moving back to fifth and then a lap later into fourth passing Chalcraft. The chequers dropped with Trev Perry defeating Myers, Florimell (# 81 TM Lineboring & Engineering – Suzuki), Paul Perry, Chalcraft, Crawford, Saville, Denning, Fowler, Bacon and Ward.

Saville and Bacon were the front row starters in heat three with Florimell, Crawford, Ward, Chalcraft, Denning, Myers, Trev and Paul Perry completing the line up for the third heat whilst Team Fowler put their car on the trailer with engine concerns ending their night and the debut of their new car could not come sooner for the team, however another meeting in the current car with this engine is required before they swap the gear over.

Florimell led Ward, Myers, Crawford and Chalcraft passed the flagman for a lap one lead in the third heat with the Perry brothers making moves on lap two shuffling the order to be Florimell, Myers, Trev Perry, Crawford and Paul Perry.

Myers moved to the front briefly before Trev Perry took the lead on lap seven with Myers, Florimell, Crawford and Paul Perry chasing. Crawford moved into third on the next circuit and as the flag dropped Trev Perry had crossed ahead of Myers, Crawford, Florimell, Paul Perry (# 6 Phantom Graphics and Stickers – Yamaha), Saville, Chalcraft, Ward, Bacon and Denning.

A funny moment during the third heat was that Saville at the start of the race jumped the start and the steward called the race to a halt and put Saville to the rear of the field. Unfortunately Crawford forgot to clean the wax out of his ears that morning and he thought he was getting penalised and he too went to the rear of the field. After the race of course the ‘Pitstop Mowers’ crew let Crawford have it and wryly Crawford just said “I was giving the crowd some entertainment.”

The feature race as is always the case with the Victorian Grand Prix Midget during series rounds began with the grid draw reversed to put the faster cars to the rear of the field. Bacon and Ward moved to the front of the field then Denning and Chalcraft, Saville and Paul Perry, Crawford, Florimell, Myers and Trev Perry (# 1 Perry Brothers Chassis – Suzuki) completed the line-up.

Ward got off to a flyer and led lap one much to the delight of the GP crew with Chalcraft in second then Bacon, Florimell and Paul Perry. Chalcraft moved to the front on lap two with Bacon, Ward, Trev Perry and Paul Perry behind her. Saville moved into the top five ahead of Paul Perry on lap three and on lap four a spin by Ward and then contact with another competitor in the process of this spin put his car out of the race with damage to the rear end.

Crossing the start line to complete lap four Chalcraft led Trev Perry, Bacon, Saville and Crawford before Crawford moved up another spot on lap five. Myers had what seemed to be fuel issues and he limped into the infield early in the race whilst at lap six Chalcraft still held the lead and Florimell moved into the top five passing Saville.

Crawford moved into third ahead of Bacon on lap seven and at lap eleven Trev Perry finally got passed a gallant Chalcraft and into the lead. Crawford then passed Chalcraft the very next lap and moved into second and then a lap later Florimell moved into third passing Chalcraft and a lap after that Saville passed Chalcraft and Bacon moving into fourth.

The chequered flag dropped as fifteen laps went into the record book and Trev Perry had finished ahead of Crawford, Florimell, Saville, Bacon, Paul Perry, Chalcraft and Denning.

 

The Victorian Grand Prix Midgets association thank Club Supporters:
Ballistic Performance Parts – Anchorage Boarding Kennels & Cattery – ABBA Boarding Kennels & Cattery – Oil Hydraulics – Jacobson Transport – Super Balance Automotive Shepparton – Pitstop Mowers – Rock Solid Productions – Vern & Jackie Parker Photography

 

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media

For Victorian Grand Prix Midget Association