All Stars Round 3 Wrap Up

by Luke Dickson and Steve Polak - full results on mylaps HERE

Round three of the 2009 Victorian All Star Series took place on the 18th & 19th of July. Commentators Dicko and Donuts were there to call the action and provide some highlights of the finals racing.

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au - MORE PHOTOS BELOW

In a first for some time this meeting saw many classes have a runaway winner and not the usual close tight racing we have come to expect at VACC Park. The meeting also provided a good shakedown and form indication for next month’s City of Melbourne titles where Clubman Light and Junior National Light will be the feature classes as a result of the All Japan Qualifier where the winners of each class will win a trip to race in Japan.

MIDGETS
The mighty midgets kicked off the finals action and young Echuca driver Reece Sidebottom continued in his dominant way for this year, stretching the field early and then cruising home to another convincing victory.  With Sidebottom vanishing off into the distance the battle for second was the one to watch with Jordan Rae, Danny Carrol and Blake Graham trading places until Graham retired at the end of lap 10. From here Rae consolidated second place ahead of Carrol.

CLUBMAN HEAVY
Clubman Heavy is continuing to attract all the big names and this weekend was no different. Come finals time Lee Mitchener joined Australian Champion Matt Wall on the front row of the grid, both made an exceptional start and began to gap the field with Wall leading the way. By mid race Jason Hryniuk was reeling the two leaders in. At this point Mitchener made a move to take the lead but he was unable to pull away. Hryniuk kept coming and in the process set the fastest lap and managed to pass both Wall and Mitchener to take the win. Kayne Hughes had a solid result to come home in fourth place.

JMAX
Arrow pilot Luke Rochford was dominant all weekend, with the only real challenge coming late in the race by CC Racing stable mate Josh De Maio. Josh was fast but didn’t quite have enough to pass Rochford. Brittany Hall continued her good form of 2009 with a third place finish. The race was somewhat processional, but plenty of skill was on display.

ROTAX HEAVY
A small but quality field of Rotax Heavy drivers took to the circuit to do battle, but nobody was going to catch Kosmic driver Daniel Richert. After making a great start Richert drove away from VACC Park Pro Tour round winner Paul Rodgers and CRG pilot Rick Pringle. Luc Price and Brad Wyatt rounded out the top five for the weekend.

ROOKIES
The Rookies final was all about Jake Dixon, after grabbing an early gap whilst the rest of the field scrambled for the minor positions Dixon was able to punch out smooth consistent laps to take a strong win. An enthralling battle took place for second between Jake Klein and Jordan Boys with many positional changes occurring, Boys emerging as the victor on this occasion.
 
JUNIOR CLUBMAN
Top Kart pilot Jay Baxter made a terrific start and had great pace early to really gap the field. By mid race Australian Champion Chris Hays was on the move, catching and passing Baxter to then go on take the victory. Baxter finished strongly managing to hold down second place ahead of Jordan Ford, Travis Kodric and Anton De Pasquale. Jarrod Egan drove to sixth place after starting from the rear of the field.

SENIOR NATIONAL PRO
Senior National saw much of the same competitive action we have come to see at these large race meetings. The racing was close and entertaining. Local drivers Richard Muscat, Glenn Riddell and James May battled hard early with many positional changes taking place. By the end of the race Bendigo driver Tyler Cramer was on song and with May pushed away from the rest of the field to take the win. With Muscat out on the last lap Glenn Riddell recovered from an incident earlier in the race to claim third place.

F100
For a contrast to the Senior Js we were privileged to next see the screaming F100 machines around VACC Park with a large combined field of lights and heavies and there was action aplenty. Matt Hayes had one of those weekends you would rather forget and after making a strong start had a spark plug tip break forcing him to watch the final from the sidelines. This left the Kosmic duo of Daniel Richert and Sarron Caddy to battle it out with long time Arrow pilot Aaron Ivermee. Caddy had some incredible pace jumping to the lead only to moments later run wide and drop back. Richert capitalised and took off to take the win, Caddy recovering to take second place ahead of Aaron Ivermee.

Lachie Frampton headed the heavy train ahead of Bobby Bourke and Sam Webb but it was Matthew Mills that grabbed the points, making a pass on Frampton on the last lap. With such a large field it was difficult to monitor the progress of the heavy drivers.................but there was plenty of action.

JNH
Junior National Heavy saw Victorian Champion Aaron Johnstone go head to head with Ashley Quiddington all race long. Quiddington was wise to sit behind Johnstone for the majority of the race, the two driving away from the field before “Quidda” mounted a challenge late in the race. Johnstone’s experience proved too much, the drag race to the line being in Johnstone’s favour by a slender margin of 0.002 seconds. It was a truly sensational finish. Local driver Anton De Pasquale had a quiet race and sealed third position. Further down the road Travis Kodric, Tony Marakis, Nick Ellen and Hayden Barnes had a ripper of a battle for fourth place.

LL
In Leopard Light nobody was going to catch Adam Hughes aboard his Komsic in the final. After some mechanical dramas in the heats the Victorian Champion recovered come finals time to drive away from James Sera and the Tony Kart pair of Grant Smith and Adam Willison. Sera was later disqualified on the in grid after losing his airbox with only a handful of laps remaining.

CSH
Phil Straughen annihilated the field in Canteen Super Heavy. With the exception of the first heat, Straughen was never challenged for the weekend leading home Simon Cuzens and Rhys Baxter by some margin. Ian McPherson looked to be in contention for a strong result until contact resulted in a DNF at turn one.

JNL
With a trip to Japan on offer next month Liam Morey has one hand firmly on the plane ticket after another exceptional driving display. The recent Queensland State Champion drove a faultless race, set the fastest lap in the process and won by an incredible 15 seconds. Brad Jenner and Jordan Nicolauo started at the rear of the grid, but still made it on to the podium by race end after carving through the field.

CL
Clubman Light never fails to disappoint and this race was definitely one that was not to be missed. James Sera was quick all weekend and had great speed in the final, continually battling with Ryan Sanderson and Aaron Ivermee, preferring to lead the pack. David Sera is making a regular habit of making his way to the front after some form of Pre Final incident, after starting in 19th by the time the chequered flag was waived Sera crossed the line 0.092 behind cousin James.
Pass of the weekend also went to James Sera, passing (Sanderson we I think??) at the right hand turn of the flip flop after braking super late on the very last lap. This move washed speed of both karts and allowed David Sera to slide into second place.

All in all another fantastic weekend of racing was provided, the All Star Series will conclude at Puckapunyal on the 17th and 18th of October – See you there.

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

all star series
pic - Ash Budd, photowagon.com.au

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