He came, he qualified, he conquered, yet again South Australian driver & Australian Street Stock Champion Anthony Beare conquered all on the Mountain, the scene of his famous Australian title win last season & in the process put his name down in history as back to back winner of the annual King of the Mountain feature at Redline Raceway.

Along with the sensational Street Stock racing, Sean Lister dominated the Unlimited Sedan show, Steve Hodder had a marvellous win in a hard thought feature race in the Thunder Sedans and Bradley Hill was clearly the top dog in Standard Saloons.

Street Stocks always support the big shows at Redline in large numbers, this time forty plus cars greeted the start of the night with plenty of drivers having a tough time of things including brothers Scott (Welsh plug drama) & Mark Purdie (a huge crash into the turn three wall), Chris Stewart a innocent victim of Mark’s crash and then flying upside down himself later in the B Main qualifier landing on top of Chris Hay, there was plenty more drama for others.

Fifteen heat races in which driver’s earnt points to qualify for the big race created a log jam at the top of the list with coin tosses deciding who would start where. Beare from Mount Gambier had two heat wins, as did, Mark Jennings also from Mount Gambier, Brad McClure from Geelong, Mick Clark from Ballarat & Matt Nelson from Woori Yallock whilst Stevie & Mark Gartner won a heat each, Jamie Lock, Brooke Ferguson & Lenny Bates also.

A top eight shoot out enthralled the crowd with some great action from Jennings who also found himself disqualified from an attempt to battle Beare after jumping the start according to the stewards after an earlier warning in another battle. Beare took poll with a win over McClure.

The King of the Mount involved running twenty laps one way before switching and running the other way. Beare assumed control at the front of the field early; McClure who later discovered a mechanical issue with his car found it tough to hold on and drifted back & out of contention. Bates, Nelson, Clark & Ferguson were all amongst a battle for minor placings.

Jennings was fast, he was noticeably fastest on the track; however Beare was awake to this and drove smart making it impossible for Jennings to find a way past. Jennings dug the front of his car in low trying to go under Beare in turn three and four numerous times in the second twenty lap segment. On the very last lap Jennings tried one more time, Beare was awake to the attempt & crossed the finish line just ahead of Jennings, Bates, Nelson & local girl Ferguson.

Unlimited Sedan action was dominated by Sean Lister; he won all three of the heat races before entering the final. The feature race was no different as Lister took off into the distance, however the battle for second to fifth was a tight fight with Tim McPherson having the better of Darren Nelson, Lucas Conder Craig Phillips & Cory Knox.

As the last laps caught up to the group Nelson made his passing move on McPherson, whilst Knox slammed the front of his Commodore into a pole line marker tearing the front left wheel off his car & putting him out of the race. Lister the winner from Nelson, McPherson, Conder & Phillips.

Steve Hodder the first winner in Thunder Sedan’s this season did it again, this time he came out on top after an enthralling feature race battle with Kieran Brennan Jnr. The two finished the race closely with Brennan Jnr putting the pressure on Hodder right to the end. Hodder from Brennan Jnr, Tim Williams in a car lent to him by Mick Rizzoli in his first start in the class, then Kieran Brennan Snr & Wally Hucker. Earlier Brennan Jnr won two of the three heats & Hodder the other.

Finally the Standard Saloons final was an all the way victory for the current number three ranked driver in Victoria, Bradley Hill. The battle for second was a great close battle between Dave Chivers and Allan Sinclair right to the end. Hill won from Chivers, Allan Sinclair, Patrick Walsh & Shell Sinclair.

Redline returns to action on December the 10th with the Open Sedan Masters for VSC registered Sedans, AMCA Nationals, Street Stocks, Grand Prix Midgets, Standard Saloons & Thunder Sedans.

 

Belmont Speedway Drivers Club thanks the following supporters:
Ipta Fibreglass – Spencer Race Engines – Trax Racewear – AV1 Electrical – Hennessy Transport – Dean Miller Photography – Bryant’s Sales & Service – I C Weeds & Gardening Geelong – Automotive Suspension Ballarat – Australian Racing Products -Whitehorse Truck Centre – United Forklift & Access Solutions – Lister Automotive – Revolution Racegear – SPW Engineering – Allsport Trophies – Steve Forte Metal Fabrications – S.D Canvas – Johnny Dyno Engines – Metowu Mechanical Services – Motorsport Hauler – Pedder’s Suspension – Norman Street Automotive – Duo Mobile – Burson Autoparts – BMS Automotive – UBC Web Design – Bulleen Towing – WBW Metal Fabrications – Dann’s Auto Wrecking – Jeff’s Auto Detailing – Autoparts Professionals – Leejay Trailers – IG & JL Greville – FMP Group – True Design Homes – Cylinder Head Shed – Natrad Ballarat – PP Designs – Power FM

 

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media

For Belmont Speedway Drivers Club t/a Redline Raceway