THOMAS, SIELY JNR, AND LAIDLAW WIN AT BAIRNSDALEClosing out the Bairnsdale Speedway season, after a rain out a fortnight ago, fans settled in for some hot action on a cold night in Granite Rock. With lots of racing on elsewhere in the state, the committee settled for three club classes and providing them a little variation at how the races would be run by slotting in some Shuffles, Time Trials, and Dash events into the proceedings.
Bairnsdale members Josh Thomas in Standard Saloons and Dillon Siely in Limited Sportsman were winners, as was Rosedale club member Aaron Laidlaw in Division 2 Hot Rods.
Competing in a local feature the ‘Bairnsdale Bearings Standard Saloon Stampede’ with extra prize money up for grabs, Gus Argoon started the action with a win in heat one of four. Josh Thomas led every lap in heat two for an eight-lap distance beating Jack Braz, before Braz reversed that result in the very next heat race. Josh Kokshoorn had a massive ten second win in the last heat race before drivers went into preliminary finals to determine the inside and outside rows. Braz claimed the first of two prelim finals ahead of Jamie Curtis and Tyson Cull, with Thomas then victorious in the second in front of Nick Harnett and Argoon.
In a fifteen-lap final Thomas was never headed and chased all the way by Braz. In the minor placings Cull was able to get the better of Curtis and Argoon to round out the top five.
In heat one of the Division 2 Hot Rods, Sale racer Keven Stoopman new into Division 2 Hot Rods this season, started back on the fourth row working his way from seventh to second by lap four and into the lead by lap six in the first heat race before going on to win. In the second heat Trent Wilson was passed on the last lap by Ben Crittenden to win the race. Qualifying was wrapped up with Terry Crittenden leading every lap to win the last heat race before the final.
In a new opportunity for the drivers, they ran a pole shuffle before the feature and an inversion to determine starting order. This was won by Terry Crittenden with he, Trent Wilson and Keven Stoopman the top qualifiers all finding themselves starting at the rear of the field for the final. Aaron Laidlaw then took the opportunity with both hands to lead all fifteen laps of the final to defeat a determined Trent Wilson and his teammate Beau Stuchbery, then came Troy Wilson from Lakes Entrance, and Rob Tatterson from Trafalgar.
Limited Sportsman open wheelers started their racing with Time Trials and with each driver being scheduled two laps to set their fastest possible time, Dillon Siely put down an 18.190 time to better his father Mal Siely’s 18/419 time. Mark Both had a great lap making him third fastest in the run.
Siely Snr Mal, then defeated his son Dillon in heat one of two by just .171 in a cracker race before Siely Jnr started last in heat two and hit the front and defeated Siely Snr. In a twelve-lap feature race both Siely’s were at it again for the full race with Dillon Siely defeating Mal by four seconds when the chequered flag dropped. Darren Adams finished in third with Both and Jayden White rounding out the top five.
The Bairnsdale Speedway Association now is on a break from racing until the end of September, in the meantime committed volunteers and helpers will continue to maintain the facility with works on the grounds that include the new toilet block they are building and other required upgrades.
Bairnsdale Speedway Association would like to thank their Business Partners for their support.
A1 Building Designs
Active Sound Services
ARB Bairnsdale
Assist A Lift
Aussie Septic Solutions
Bairnsdale Autobarn
Bairnsdale Automotive and Transmissions
Bairnsdale Bearings and Industrial
Bairnsdale Radiator
Bairnsdale RSL
Bairnsdale Trophy Centre
Bridgestone Service Centre Bairnsdale
Buchan Towing
Club Eastwood
Cranes Civil and Surfacing
Dahlsens
Dennison Quality Roof Restorations
Eastern Signs and Designs
East Gippsland Lock and Keys
East Gippsland Plumbing and Drainage
East Gippsland Shire Council
East Vic Hydraulics / EG Printers
Eureka Garages and Sheds
Eye Care Plus / EZ Print
Gippsland Critical Mines
Gippsland Grain Store
Gippsland Treated Pine
Gippsland Truck Centre
Goodman’s
Granite Rock Quarries
Great Southern Kitchens
Hine Transport & Stock feeds
Kennedy Trailers
Lake Land Ice
Lakes Hydraulics
Lakes Tile and Carpet
M & S Laity Hay
Mitchell Valley Excavations
Paint Right Bairnsdale
Patties Food
Phaselink Electrics
Repco Bairnsdale
Riviera Automotive
Riviera Concrete
Riviera Trailers
Skidz Driver Training
SS Auto Wholesalers
SSM Asbestos
Tambo Waste
Tim Bull MP
Todd Plumbing Supplies
TRFM and GOLD 1242
Wayne Tinder Plumbing and Gasfitting
Westpoint Motors
WGI Earthmoving and Heavy Haulage
Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Speedway Media
For Bairnsdale Speedway Association