Redline Raceway put on another stellar race meeting with yet another packed house from seated viewing areas up to the back fence parked sit in your car viewing spots with the annual Ern Overall Memorial for Modified Sedans, the Street Stock Jackpot, Super Sedan Association and Standard Saloons all giving the fans a reason to cheer.
Winners included Ballarat born and raised Darcy Wilson winning the Ern Overall Memorial, a race that means so much to his family with a long connection to Ern through their lives. Kye Walters won in the Super Sedans in his debut race meeting in the class for local Ballarat man Danny Amato, Jayden Blomeley another from Ballarat on the Street Stock Jackpot, whilst the King of Redline Standard Saloon action Scott Whittle, won again in the class with some stiff competition to deal with.
After hitting the front on lap two of heat one in the Modified Sedans, Darcy Wilson charged to an almost six second margin as he crossed the line first ahead of another Ballarat man John Baker Jnr. Stuey Robinson then won the second heat race after early leader Kye Walters cut down a tyre, Robinson defeated Walters partner Rachel Pratt by just .232 of a second in locking in victory. Chris Rieck who won the Victorian Sports Sedan title a month ago at Redline then won the third heat race with Pratt once again second, before Walters won the fourth and final heat race ahead of Ballarat’s Mick Rizzoli.
Twenty-five laps then awaited the sixteen feature race starters with Wilson and Pratt from the front of the field. Wilson hit the front from lap one with Pratt and Walters in tow. Walters moved into second by lap nine, however four laps later he would be out of the race. Pratt and Robinson had a great scrap however, they were interrupted later by John Baker. Wilson out front looked comfortable whilst not absolutely dominating. Baker moved ahead of Robinson and as the chequered unfurled, Wison beat Pratt, Baker who was on fire, literally as crash crew members rushed to put out the flames coming from his car, then came Robinson and Rieck to round out the top five.
Brad Wicks driving for Dave Mackenzie, set a new one lap and ten lap Super Sedan record in the first heat of the night for the class. Super Sedans in recent years have rarely competed at Redline, however they look set to be back every year with the current car counts of the class. Wicks set the new one lap record on lap one of the heat at 14/118 before winning in a race time of 2:26.366 setting a new ten lap mark for the class. Travis Ramsdale then won heat number two never in trouble and finishing two and half seconds out front of everybody else. Lucas Roberts then won the third and final qualifier before the fifteen-lap final. Kye Walters who was competing across two classes during the evening, had to wait until lap eight with Roberts out front of the field to claim the race lead. From there in his first foray into Super Sedan racing Walters raced to victory by almost three seconds finishing ahead of Dylan Barrow, Roberts, Lionel West and Peter Nicola.
Almost thirty cars went to battle in the Street Stock Jackpot feature with nine qualifying races held to determine the cars that would go into a last chance qualifier and those that would move straight into the feature event. Qualifying winners were, Dean Jenkins, Ballarat man Mick Clark, Bhoe Paterson another local whilst Mitch Viney’s car got grinded up badly against the concrete putting him out for the evening, Scott Purdie was next to win, then Jayden Blomeley also from Ballarat, Steven Watts, Clark and Blomeley both a second time and Josh Davey another from Ballarat.
With various incidents through the night eating into the evenings planned events, the finals for all classes were affected, in the Street Stock final a huge crash involving Bhoe Paterson and Zack Yeoman, seen Paterson tipped over in a huge dump of his Ford Sedan. Tyler Barton’s shmick looking car was banged up, all the while Jayden Blomeley led the race ahead of Watts. Mark Purdie and Tim Hutchinson were up the front as was Tasmanian Nathan Russell. Scott Purdie starting in eleventh worked through the field and by lap fourteen was in the top five before taking fourth spot on lap sixteen when Hutchinson suffered mechanical failure. The chequered flag dropped with Blomeley winning from Watts, Mark Purdie, Scott Purdie and Russell.
Standard Saloons also put on great racing with Wayne Sheerman winning an entertaining first heat battle over Mitch Foster, Victorian champion Jacob Vuillermin cruising to a win in the second heat race, Foster winning the third and Scott Whittle the last qualifier. A twelve-lap final then ran start to finish without a stoppage with Whittle from the second row moving into first on lap one and going on to defeat Sheerman, Foster, Jack Yeomans and Ballarat’s Austin Chivers in a strong showing with four of Victoria’s best ahead of him.
Belmont Speedway Drivers Club thank Sixt Car Rentals Ballarat, Norman Street Automotive and the Wilson family, Giacometti Excavations, United Forklift and Access Solutions Ballarat, and Wren Diesel Truck and Trailer Specialists for their extra support of the event.
Redline will hold racing one last time before the winter break with May the 17th the final show scheduled to include Ladies in their Queen of the Mount, Street Stocks in the Crabpot feature, Wingless Sprints, Standard Saloons and Sports Sedans. Belmont Speedway Drivers Club value and appreciate our commercial suppor