Daryl Atkinson, front, in action during the Street Stock Showdown at Drouin Speedway.
THE Outlaw final at the final speedway meeting of the season at Drouin was well-named.
Australian champion Brad King was disqualified for an obscene gesture – hand outside the confines of the vehicle – to another driver during the race.
And then Sarah Walker was disqualified from the KT final for excessive protest flags, signifying over aggressive and rough racing. Obviously, she wanted to do well in what may be a “one-off” appearance at Drouin.
The visiting Street Stocks thrilled the locals during the running of the annual ‘Street Stock Shakedown’, including current Australian champion Brad McClure, there to defend his title.
Challengers had come from as far as Warrnambool and Colac.
With three heats to determine the starting positions for the 20-lap ten-each-way final, victories were shared by Shane Roycroft, Daryl Atkinson and McClure while McClure could have won the second heat but was penalised for a below-the-pole line passing move and still qualified top points scorer anyway.
McClure, Atkinson, Shane Roycroft and dad John were followed by Des Robinson and Chris Hay as the top six on the final grid. In the first 10 laps running clockwise on the race track McClure jumped out to a large lead while it looked like Atkinson was doing just enough to stay second and conserve some energy for when it mattered for the last 10 laps.
When the field flipped around to go anti-clockwise McClure had Atkinson and Shane Roycroft on the attack and Atkinson right up close.
On lap 15 of the race overall McClure’s right rear tyre let go and he drifted off into the infield while Atkinson assumed the lead and marched on to a win in front of John Roycroft and the ‘Silver Fox’ Des Robinson.
The Nelson family from Woori-Yallock had another fantastic day as brothers Wayne and Darren won features while Wayne’s wife Sonia and son Matt also took feature wins, an extraordinary accomplishment which the family has achieved more than once this season.
Darren won the Open Sedan final defeating Kim Montague and Sonia Nelson, Sonia won the Ladies Standard Saloons from Debbie Donaldson and Tegan Bullard. In the Open Standard Saloon final Wayne Nelson took victory from Jason Leonard and Cameron Dike while Matt Nelson defeated Andrew Miles and Brodie Montague.
The Yarra Valley Karts also visited Drouin Speedway again yesterday with Dan Carrigy winning the KT Kart final from rookie Wayne Bould and Amy Phillips and then John Kemp won the Outlaw Karts from Queenslander Sarah Walker and Jack King was third.
It was a Hobson quinella in Junior Karts with Todd defeating new Australian champion and his older sister Ebony while Ben Hodge was third. and in rookie Juniors Amber Ghent took the win from Luke Whalebone and Chris Temby.
