The Grand Prix Midget competitors are getting in plenty of racing right now and another trip up the Hume Highway to Wangaratta has ended with a Trevor Perry victory fresh on the back of a previous start win just around the corner at Wahgunyah.

Nine racers were able to make the show with a number of cars out of action for one reason or another as drivers reach the middle of the season with the Australian title fast approaching. Janelle Saville made the trip into Victoria from New South Wales to compete in the Hayden Bacon owned ‘DB Kanga Hire & Cleaning’ supported #37 race car.

Heat one action began with Chris Fowler and Saville from the front row of the field and Sean Denning along with Travis Florimell (#81 ‘TM Line Boring’ – Yamaha) behind them. Fowler led the entry to turn one with Florimell working his way past Denning into second spot. Denning looked strong on lap one still crossing the line in third chasing Fowler and Florimell whilst the Perry brothers Trev and Paul rounded the top five on lap one.

Fowler’s race come undone on lap three when his car stopped on track coming through turn three and Florimell moved to the lead. On the caution laps to move Fowler’s car off track his team mate Marty Job (#31 ‘147 Snooker Supplies’ – Suzuki) also came to a halt.

At the restart Trevor Perry moved into the lead as Florimell had a dose of his own problems. Paul Perry moved into second, Florimell headed infield and Crawford moved into third. At the end of eight laps Trevor Perry had won from Paul Perry, Crawford, Denning (#52 ‘AR Suburban Fencing’ – Suzuki) and Chalcraft.

It turned out that Fowler and Job both had broken chains, Florimell broke his drive shaft and Saville didn’t finish due to fuel filter issues.

With Florimell out the pole position for the second heat became Paul Perry’s (#6 ‘Phantom Stickers and Signs’ – Suzuki) and Chalcraft moved up alongside Paul for the start of heat two. From eighth spot though, Trevor Perry had the courage to go right around the top of the field with the boot firmly planted in deep and he took the lead on lap one with Crawford settled into second spot and Paul Perry into third.

Saville didn’t make it past lap one and on lap two Job exited the race also. With Trev Perry at the front and Crawford, Paul Perry, Chalcraft (#15 ‘Hydraulic Oils’ – Suzuki), Fowler and Denning the order, that’s the way it stayed from lap three to eight. It turned out, Job ran out of tear off’s and headed infield because he could not see his way forward.

Competition in the third heat was a little feisty between Trev Perry and Crawford (#50 ‘Pitstop Mowers’ – Yamaha) with a touch of cars and at the attempted start and a penalty to Crawford to go to the rear, all this whilst Paul Perry slammed the Australia #1 car into the fence and out of competition with damage. Chalcraft moved onto the front row and she got the better of Trev Perry who was in pole position to go on and lead the field on lap one.

Chalcraft led Trev Perry, Fowler, Crawford and Job the top five. On lap six Fowler (#13 ‘Castrol/RMG Signs’ – Suzuki) ended up in the fence causing a restart. Crawford got past Trev Perry with two laps to go, however couldn’t hold on to second position as Chalcraft took the win over Trev Perry, then Crawford, Job, Saville, Fowler and Denning.

Job and Saville lined up at the front of the field for the final over ten laps with Fowler, Denning, Crawford, Chalcraft and Trev Perry (#55 ‘Perry Bros Chassis’ – Suzuki). Crawford and Chalcraft were equal on points and needed to toss for position with Chalcraft choosing the outside spot when she won the toss, in order to get some more room to make some passes early in the race.

Saville who has proven in the past that she can mix it up with the front runners back in the Saville Family race car days, got a terrific start and led Job, Fowler, Chalcraft and Trev Perry on lap one.

Trev Perry moved ahead of Chalcraft on lap two before rounding up Job and Fowler on lap three slotting into second. Saville had a handy lead and the chase from Trev Perry was on in earnest.

Reaching lap five of ten it was still possible that a win was on the cars for Saville, however in the course of the next two laps Trev Perry kicked into gear and set laps 1.5 to 2 seconds quicker than others and caught up to Saville before taking the lead on lap eight.

On lap nine Trev Perry was leading Saville, Fowler, Crawford and Chalcraft before both Crawford and Fowler took the second and third spots ahead of her as the car dropped away mechanically. Trev Perry took the win from Crawford, Fowler, Saville, Chalcraft, Job and Denning.

 

The Victorian Grand Prix Midgets association thank Club Supporters:
Ballistic Performance Parts – Oil Hydraulics – Jacobson Transport – Automotive Super Balance Shepparton – Pitstop Mowers – Rock Solid Productions

 

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media

For Victorian Grand Prix Midget Association