Will Lamb from the Daylesford Speedway racing family took to the fast Mount Buninyong based Redline Raceway to win his fourth Victorian title in the 3 Litre Sedan category on a night where he had to find something in the feature race to contend with the top qualifier Kevin Clarke and the fastest driver of the night Lennie Clark, Lamb did and took victory in the 35 lap finale.

Rain was forecasted on race day and hit a the mountain top track two hours before the scheduled start of the show and again numerous times during the event to add to an already challenging event where crews and drivers have to be sharp for each and every race in order to finish the night with victory.

Drawing a first heat race with the likes of Michael Boyle, Kevin Clarke and Zac Swanson the at the time Victoria three driver, Lamb set about establishing some early dominance and brought his machine to the finish line some 3.5 seconds ahead of Boyle with Lamb running at around .3 of a lap faster than the rest of the field. Despite the win the car had a slight misfire and the crew got to work checking over the components, tightening the Carby and also loosened the car up as it was a little tight in the first run.

Starting with Clarke again in his second heat, Lamb also had Troy Simpson added to the stoush and Swanson again whilst local driver Lucas Conder was in the mix right up to the second last lap before his car broke down. Clarke ended up just that little bit faster and took the win by less than a second over Lamb with Simpson behind in third. The team loosened the car up further after the second heat and changed tyres in order to cycle the selection through in the heats before the final.

Continuing his consistency Lamb finished with another top two result in his third heat with Lennie Clark the current Victoria two racer taking the win also proving just that little bit faster than Lamb with Swanson finishing third. Again the crew loosened the car up further for the feature race about to begin and moved the panard bar to try and help the car come on stronger in the last fifteen to twenty laps of the title race.

Results in the qualifying races had Lamb qualifying on the outside front row position with Bendigo driver Kevin Clarke the top qualifier and another Bendigo driver Lennie Clark starting behind in third place with Simpson, Daniel Wilson, Boyle, Swanson, Andrew Ahearn, Jason Ahearn and Matt Gerlach the top ten starters.

Rain interfered with the start of the race one final time with competitors sitting infield waiting for the shower to pass before track crews brought the track back into race condition.

When the green flag dropped Lamb set about leading the challengers with the first big chance to upset Lamb and his quest for a fourth title to drop out of the event being Kevin Clarke on lap ten. Swanson reached lap nineteen before he to finished infield and Lamb continued to weave through traffic with Lennie Clark and Andrew Ahearn in tow.

Consistency lap after lap and decision making in passing competitors further back in the race held Lamb in good stead, as he took the field through 35 laps and onto his latest Victorian title victory. Clark, Ahearn, Boyle and Conder rounded out the top five results as Lamb reflected back on his victory at the presentation.

Lamb was delighted to win in front of a home crowd. “It is getting harder and harder to win these things, Lennie again so close and so fast. What an amazing job by the Redline volunteers to keep fighting back after rain, the track was the best ever that I have raced on here. Well done to everybody else, thank you to my family and crew, especially dad Albert who is just amazing with all his effort on the car, thank you for the best Chassis set up, it was a dream in the final, I was just a steering wheel attendant.”

Lamb thanked some people personal to the running of the team. “Thanks to David Mathieson and Sue Ellis from Daylesford Personal Training for their training input into the driver and team, Joe Sabo from Snap On Tools who has been a long time supporter, thank you. Also to Amanda, Hudson, Johnny & Mum I couldn’t do it with all of your support and assistance.”

The win was Lamb’s fourth in five years.

 

Howe Automotive Race Team thanks the sponsors of the team:
Howe Automotive Daylesford – Daylesford Personal Training – Snap on Tools Ballarat

The win was dedicated to Dwight Beare & the Beare Family ‘Living the Dream #26’

 

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media

For Howe Automotive Race Team