Fan Favourites Win Simpson Opener
Albury’s Grant Anderson negotiated his way to victory in the 2022 South West Conveyancing Cup at Heytesbury Stockfeeds Simpson Speedway early Wednesday morning.
The seasoned campaigner was coming off a third placing the previous evening at Avalon Raceway and resisted all challenges to eventually win the fifth round of the SRA defeating Brock Hallett and Corey McCullagh.
Grant Anderson won the fifth round of the SRA series
The 30-lap A-Main commenced near 1am after a severe power outage cut power to most of the region after a sweltering day that peaked near 40 degrees and it was a hot Jake Smith and Brett Milburn off the front row then followed Hallett and Anderson.
Milburn assumed an early lead as Anderson gave chase and would clear out from McCullagh and Hallett until the first stoppage when Portland’s Adam King spun during lap nine.
Six laps later Anderson swept under Milburn for the lead as McCullagh raced into second as did Hallett while Milburn dropped to fourth.
The big mover was Hallett who raced the previous night at Murray Bridge, took the lead with nine to run but another stoppage allowed Anderson back in front.
The run to the chequered flag loomed and saw Anderson home first from Hallett, McCullagh and Milburn.
The sprintcar podium of Brock Hallett of Portland, Grant Anderson of Albury and Warrnambool’s Corey McCullagh
Brayden Parr won the B-Main and charged through the A-Main to finish sixth in a return to form for him and his hard working team.
Anderson in the Brad and Kristine-owned car felt some redemption from his previous night’s efforts.
“It was good to move higher up the podium from Avalon,” Anderson said.
“We’re consistently at the front and I’m just rapt to get the win. It’s been a long night of racing but was worth the wait. We came out with the gold.”
Final placings: Grant Anderson, Brock Hallett, Corey McCullagh, Brett Milburn, Jordan Rae, Brayden Parr, Matthew Reed, Terry Rankin, Jordyn Charge, Chris Solomon.
The opening round of the Formula 500 Speedweek sponsored by Preston Rowe Paterson attracted 68 teams and was won by fan favourite Dylan Willsher of Warrnambool who led all 20 laps in a dominating display of driving.
Dylan Willsher celebrates his win at Simpson Speedway
The former national champion scored two wins in qualifying and blasted from his pole position start, was never headed winning from Jordan Rae and Kayden Iverson.
Such was the speed from Willsher he won his second feature at the venue by nearly nine seconds and a heat race by seven seconds in his third season driving for Johnnie and Kylie Butler of Warrnambool.
Dylan Willsher led all 20 laps to win the Formula 500 feature
“It was good tonight to get the win as I’ve struggled a bit here over the years,” Willsher said after pocketing the $1000 winner’s cheque.
“I had no brakes with five laps to go as I’d just cooked them. It made an interesting finish with the green, white, chequered flag after that final stoppage.”
Willsher will miss the remaining four rounds of the series as he assumes pit crew duties with the James McFadden sprintcar.
Other notable drives came from Max Owen who was second in B-Main 2 to finish sixth and Jake Hose was 10th after winning the same B-Main.
Final placings: Dylan Willsher, Jordan Rae, Kayden Iverson, Dylan Beveridge, Jac Laneyrie, Max Owen, Brodie Davis, Hayden Pascoe, Dale Sinclair, Jake Hose.
It was a flag-to-flag win for Charlie Bowen in round one of the Junior Formula 500s Speedweek sponsored by Gibbtrans.
Charlie Bowen was the winner of Junior Formula 500 feature
With 21 cars entered it would be Bowen that led all 20 laps from pole position to win from Mitch Saunderson and Kobi Wright rounded out the podium in third after starting from 17th.
Final placings: Charlie Bowen, Mitch Saunderson, Kobi Wright, Zoe Pearce, Rusty Ponting, Mikey Green, Caleb Langdon, Chevette Muir, Aston Rodrigues, Cooper Norman.
The next meeting at Heytesbury Stockfeeds Simpson Speedway will be held on January 7, 2023 with the 77th Victorian Speedcar Championship sponsored by Aidan Freeman Photography, Wingless Sprints Summer Slam round and the Formula 500 Dash for Cash.
Photos taken by Geoff Rounds
