BUCKLEY CLAIMS 3RD FEATURE WIN OF THE SEASON AT GOULBURN
With a number of Grand Prix Midget race cars still unavailable due to engine rebuilds, six New South Wales teams attended Goulburn Speedway on March the 23rd to compete in Round eight of the Gulf Western Oil Super Series. A well-prepared racetrack surface greeted the teams, and during the night there were some extremely fast lap times with lap records broken over various divisions, including the Lightning Sprints who were running their Australian Title. The NSW GP Midget Associations 2024 sponsorship of Sydney Speedway Kart Club resulted in Ayden Boesel joining in the Grand Prix Midget action for his second of three race events.
Competitors lined up for heat one of the evening with Ayden Boesel driving the number nine car in pole position with Wally Kermond, Gavin Black, Jay Hall Adam Buckley, and the New South Wales champion Gary Bowyer completing the field.
When the green flag unfurled, Adam Buckley and Gary Bowyer ( # NSW 5 – Arjan Motors) charged to the front from the rear of the field on the very first circuit of Goulburn Speedway. They positioned themselves ahead of Black, Hall, Kermond and Boesel. With nicknames such as Grumpy (Buckley) and the Rockstar (Bowyer) the showmen lived up to their monikers as they set a blistering pace out front. Within a few laps the leaders began lapping the field.
A spin from Hall brought out the yellow light on lap five resulting in a single file restart. Bowyer sat right in behind Buckley and on the final lap, with Buckley leaving the inside line open Bowyer slipped in alongside in Buckley in turn one. With the two then drag racing side-by-side down the back straight and Bowyer getting the better drive in turns three and four to take the win by the slimmest of margins, Buckley finished in second, followed by Black ( # NSW 25 – White Ant Racing), Hall, Kermond and Boesel.
Jay Hall lined up in pole position for the second heat race with Bowyer alongside. Buckley, Boesel (# NSW 9 – White Ant Racing), Kermond and Black completed the lineup.
With the newest car in the country in the hands of Hall at the front of the field, the number six car sped into the lead whilst Buckley from the second row moved up past Bowyer on lap one followed by Black, Kermond and Boesel. It was fantastic seeing Hall in the Grizzly chassis showing some pure speed in the straights, however the crew chief and team are still tinkering with its weight distribution and set-up through the corners. Buckley was able to make an outside pass on lap two with Bowyer also passing Hall on the same lap. With Black, Kermond ( # NSW 14 – Central Coast Motor Group) and Boesel all battling for their own positions behind the leader trio, Buckley pinned the ears back out front and took the win this time from Bowyer and Hall.
Moving into the final heat race, Buckley drew the top spot with Black, Bowyer, Kermond, Hall (# NSW 6 – Grizzly Chassis) and Boesel completing the starters.
Buckley in the car affectionately called the ‘Green Machine’ fell asleep at the wheel as the entire field roared past him as the green flag dropped. Bowyer assumed the control of the race out in front with Hall and Black behind him. By lap three Buckley ( # NSW 67 – Infinity Finance Solutions) was wide awake and moving past Boesel, Kermond and then Black. Hall was next on Buckley’s tick list, and he moved into second soon after whilst Bowyer set a cracking pace up front. The race finished without incident with Bowyer taking the win in front of Buckley, Hall, Black, Kermond and Boesel.
A twelve-lap final for the drivers began lay ahead with top point scorers to the rear of the field. Boesel assumed the pole position with Kermond, Black, Hall, Buckley, and Bowyer in order of lowest points to top.
The flagman dropped the green and the first of the big moves came from the inside third row as Buckley was not caught napping this time around. He moved around the outside of Black, Kermond and Boesel into second behind hall who also moved forward quickly from fourth into the lead of the race, with Bowyer also moving quickly into third spot, all moves from the top three made within two turns of the first lap.
On lap two Buckley moved around the outside of Hall and into the race lead, whilst Bowyer also made the move past Hall. Black pulled infield and out of the race with fuel flow issues, leaving Boesel in fourth place and Kermond behind him.
The track was still very racy while testing the drivers with some ruts at both ends. Out in front, Buckley wasted no time in lapping Kermond and Boesel, along with Bowyer who was following less than a quarter lap behind with Hall still in third spot. In control and working through the final lap, Buckley took his third feature win of the season by a quarter lap over Bowyer, followed by Hal, Boesel in a great drive in just his second outing finished in fourth and Kermond followed him.
At the podium presentation on track, race winner Buckley thanked the track management and volunteers for prepping what he thought was the best Goulburn Speedway track surface he’d raced on, also thanking his sponsors and wife Angela & family sitting on the hill in the pits supporting him. Buckley also congratulated Bowyer and Hall, along with the other drivers and then thanked association sponsors Gulf Western Oil and Arjan Motors for their fantastic support of the NSW GP Midgets.
The New South Wales Grand Prix Midget Racing Association thanks also Photographer We Love Our Cars Photography.
Thanks to our NSW GP Midgets Club Sponsors and Supporters.
Main Sponsors.
Gulf Western Oil
Arjan Motors
Sponsors/Supporters.
Beesafe Travel
West Sydney 4X4
Infinity Finance Solutions
AOK Trophies
Full Throttle Publishing
Ends Release.