Shannon Meakins and Chloe Lamb have won the latest feature events at Rushworth Speedway on February the 24th when Meakins put his name on the perpetual Ray Welsh Memorial trophy for Hot Rod racing and Chloe Lamb won the ‘Total tools’ supported Ladies Saloons feature event.

The Hot Rod racing from the SDAV club was sensational with four heat races determining the starting line-up after Jamie May, Michael Coad and Shannon Meakins with two wins on the trot taking those four race wins.

A traditional grid draw by Elaine Welsh the wife of the late Ray Welsh determined the order for the twenty lap final with drivers being slotted in to a spot as their names were drawn by her. Russ Hovey and Vaughn Matthey were drawn on the front row with Meakins, Dean West, Stan Marco Snr, Phil Jenkins, Michael Lee, May, Coad, Glenn Lawless and Kali Hovey in that order.

May was unable to greet the starter as the car would not fire. Russ Hovey led the first lap from Meakins, Marco Snr, West and Matthey. Lawless past Matthey on lap two into fifth. Marco Snr past Meakins on lap four only to have Meakins whizz right past again on lap five.

On lap six Meakins and Marco Snr moved into first and second and Russ Hovey dropped back to third. Laps ran down for a while as the field hit lap twelve before Coad was able to move into the top five by passing Lawless. Coad then passed Russ Hovey on the next lap; Kali Hovey’s car had front end damage that had ended her night.

On lap seventeen in the last passing of the night Coad moved to third passing West and Meakins held on at the front of the field to finish off the twenty lap non-stop feature event with a victory over Marco Snr, Coad, West, Russ Hovey, Lawless, Jenkins, Matthey and Lee.

The hard working volunteers at Rushworth had done a terrific job with the track and the drivers drove sensationally to get through twenty laps with no stoppages.

The Ladies Saloon feature event was a hard fought affair with the girls all keen to pick up the sponsors spoils. Three qualifying races determined the starting positions for the final with both Chloe and Kelly Lamb along with Belinda Chalcraft featuring as the strongest competitors on the way to the feature race.

Chloe Lamb won the first heat by more than six seconds from Chelsea Hodge and Kelly Lamb before Chalcraft took a victory in the second heat by just .799 of a second from Chloe and Kelly. Chloe Lamb bounced back to victory in the last qualifier from Chalcraft and Kelly Lamb.

The girls put in a very quick feature race with battles through the field from start to finish. Chalcraft begun leading the first couple of laps, Roycroft from the back of the field moved forward quickly. Chloe Lamb was at her fastest in the final recording a one lap time of 19.794 in a twelve second victory moving into the lead on lap three and Roycroft moved into second by lap five and Lamb’s victory was over Felicity Roycroft who finished in front of Chalcraft, Kelly Lamb and Chelsea Hodge.

Also taking a win for the Lamb family was Paul Lamb who won all three heat race events for the Open Saloons before winning the feature race. Lamb won the first two heat races by just over three seconds and then won the third by almost six seconds.

Setting a fast one lap time of 19.034 Lamb won by almost five seconds over Peter Fitzpatrick who had a great return to racing hustling Lamb in heat racing before finishing in front of Thomas Conboy in the feature race. Braiden Simmonds and Shaun Thompson rounded out the top five.

Production Sedan action had yet another new winner for the season with Mark Cecil coming out on top after great qualifying action. Cecil won the first qualifier before Shane Hutchins won the second by just .480 of a second then Cecil won the third.

Drivers were at their fastest in the final with Cecil recording a one lap best time of 19.939 as he went on to win from Leigh Jeffery, Shane Hutchins, Geoff Lee and Scott Smith.

In Junior competition after Tristan McGraw picked up the win at the previous race meeting Lachie Fitzpatrick returned to the winner’s podium on Saturday night. Fitzpatrick won the first heat race by almost ten seconds before gain winning the second by just 1.357 seconds. McGraw then took the in the third heat race.

Fitzpatrick stretched out a gap between he and McGraw to over four seconds in the final. Four of the competitors finished and Fitzpatrick took the win from McGraw, Luke Cecil and Daniel Smith.

 

Labour Day weekend is the next race meeting fans should come along to with the Fun City Entertainment Complex Shepparton supported Goldrush 10k event for Super Sedans. On the Saturday the Super Sedans are supported by the Victorian Mini Sprints and all club classes and on the Sunday night the Victorian Sprintcar Association and their winged V8 powered machines support the big event along with local club classes.

 

The Goulburn Valley Auto Club would like to thank the following supporters:
Super Balance Automotive, Shepparton – WG Panels, Rochester – Provac Poultry Services, Bendigo – Bourke Fencing, Bendigo – Kyabram Motor Wreckers, Kyabram – The Rushworth Hotel, Rushworth – Kyabram Bearings, Kyabram – Autobarn Shepparton – Marty Turpin Mechanical, Tatura – Ipta Fibreglass, Geelong – Ross Adams Cartage Contractor, Rochester – Rushworth Bakery, Rushworth – Maxam Printing, Shepparton – Pearce Concrete, Golden Square – Michel Signs, Shepparton – Sonaray Lighting, Melbourne – The McIvor, Bendigo – Superior Concrete & Construction, Bendigo – A1 Water Supplies, Tatura

 

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media

For Goulburn Valley Auto Club