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Vic Country Series Round 2


by Andrew Hayes 18 April 2013
 

Warrnambool Kart Club has hosted a successful round 2 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series, incorporating the Wolf Gottlewski Memorial.140 competitors took to the Lake Gillear circuit in the changing and very challenging conditions. Saturday saw rain interrupt practice, and while many took to the damp circuit, most walked away with plenty of unanswered questions. The rain was to be a precursor for the early running on Sunday, with slicks appearing on the grid in the later races of the opening round.


Above: Craig Arnett ahead of Glenn Henley and Leon Forrest in Clubman Over 40s
pic - Paul Feely, VCS

JUNIOR NATIONAL HEAVY
Lady racer Jaymi MacKay opened proceedings with an impressive opening heat win, Jack Woodfall the only driver to get close in second. From there, SA driver Conor Williams took over the class, proving too good in the second heat and final. Another great drive from MacKay to finish second in the final following a second race DNF, whilst hard charging Brad Marsh-Stepney finished third.
1 Conor Williams (GKCSA), 2 Jaymi MacKay (SWKC) 3 Brad Marsh-Stepney (GKCV)


Above: Jnr National Heavy, Conor Williams leads Jaymi Mackay and Bradley Marsh-Stepney
pic - Paul Feely, VCS

SPORTSMAN RESTRICTED LIGHT
Brock Rae comfortably won the first heat, a 5 second gap to Shaun Lyness stamping his authority on the class. But from then on in, the class belonged to Jett Speed, and second place to Rae. Speed would set fastest laps in the remaining races to take a solid win in the final. Speed and Rae were to be joined on the podium by Sam Rofe in heat 2, but Leigh Johnson Crowley took the final podium spot in the final.
1 Jett Speed (SWKC), 2 Brock Rae (Geelong), 3 Leigh Johnson Crowley (Bairnsdale)

TAG LIGHT
Three races and three different winners in this class. Harley Benson took first blood with a win in a wet heat one, Ash Lear held on for a deserved win in heat two. But when the final come around, it was Kyle Rethus who rose to the top. Rethus won by almost 2 seconds over local star Corey McCullagh, Benson on his bumper in third.
1 Kyle Rethus (SWKC), 2 Corey McCullagh (Warrnambool), Harley Benson (Hamilton)


Above: Kyle Rethus (4) goes side by side with Harley Benson
pic - Paul Feely, VCS

SPORTSMAN RESTRICTED HEAVY
Another class to have three different winners, with Chris Rodda recording a first up win. He would be joined by John Owen as winner of race 2. But it was to be Anthony Warner, second in both heats, who would win the final. Warner would lose the lead mid race to Rodda, but steal it back on the second last lap. Rodda and Court Griffiths would fill the podium.
1 Anthony Warner (Geelong), 2 Chris Rodda (Warrnambool), 3 Court Griffiths (Geelong)

TAG HEAVY
Current Blue and Black Plate Holder Scott King split the heat wins with local hotshot Daniel McKean, with Corey McCullagh the man to watch despite being DQ’d in race 2 for a weight infringement. McCullagh would again set the fastest lap of the final, but it would be Scott King who would pip him to take the win by 6 hundredths of a second. McKean capped off a fine weekend in third.
1 Scott King (Portland), Corey McCullagh (Warrnambool), Daniel McKean (Warrnambool)


Above: Warrnambool circuit and club house
pic - Garry Shiells

JUNIOR NATIONAL LIGHT
A big field of seventeen Junior Lights faced the starter, Australia 2 Dylan Hollis didn’t disappoint with his opening heat win over Mitch McKay. SA’s Morgan Feast took the honours over Thomas Hughes in race two. Hollis would win the final, but wouldn’t have it all his own way, chased hard by Feast, Hughes and Riley Smith.
1 Dylan Hollis (Geelong), 2 Riley Smith (ELKC), 3 Thomas Hughes (Rochester)

ROOKIES
The event’s biggest class was Rookies, with 20 entries, and it was dominated by Michael Clemente. Clemente would remain undefeated all weekend, even after starting in fifteenth in heat 2. The minor placings would be shared in the races by Tyler O’Leary, Mathew Steel and Joshua Smith, before Brayden Souter and Nathan Williams filled the podium in the final.
1 Michael Clemente (Geelong), 2 Brayden Souter (Wimmera), 3 Nathan Williams (GKCV)


Above: Michael Clemente
pic - Paul Feely, VCS

CLUBMAN HEAVY
Clubman Heavy was again an arm wrestle between Chris Thomas and Michael Geist, with Geist getting first runs on the board in race one. Not to be outdone, Thomas bettered his second placing from heat 1 with a heat 2 win. The two were joined in the mix by Paul Feely, but Thomas would emerge the victor. Geist took second, Feely holding off Matt Crane for third.
1 Chris Thomas (Oakleigh), 2 Michael Geist (SWKC), 3 Paul Feely (Ballarat)

CADETS
Sean Larkin made a great start to his weekend in Cadets, winning his first heat ahead of Darcy Micallef and George Gower. Jonathon Cassar was on a charge in race one, and the race two victory would be his. Cassar was an excited winner of the final, Larkin and Gower reversing their heat 2 positions to complete the cadet podium.
1 Jonathon Cassar (GKCV), 2 Sean Larkin (ELKC), 3 George Gower (Geelong)


Above: Jonathon Cassar
pic - Paul Feely, VCS

CLUBMAN LIGHT
Like his younger brother, Maverick Benson mastered the drying conditions to record a race one win in Clubman Light, leaving Dean Monik and Kyle Rethus in hot pursuit. Rethus moved forward to win heat 2, with local challenger Anthony Magilton snaring second place. Pole man Rethus continued his winning form in the final, taking a comfortable victory over Benson and Magilton.
1 Kyle Rethus (SWKC), 2 Maverick Benson (Hamilton), 3 Anthony Magilton (Warrnambool)

CLUBMAN OVER 40’s
Craig Arnett turned on one of the best drives of the weekend to secure the heat one victory in over 40’s, having started from position 12. Arnett would also win heat 2 to put himself on pole for the final event. Leon Forrest, Craig Jelbart and Glenn Henley shared the minors in the opening stanzas. Arnett lead the opening laps before Henley and Forrest moved their duel to the lead of the race. Henley prevailed from a determined Forrest, leaving Arnett to fill the podium.
1 Glenn Henley (Mt.Gambier), 2 Leon Forrest (Wimmera), 3 Craig Arnett (Bendigo)


pic - Garry Shiells

Full results are available on the CM:S.

The Austrans Victorian Country Series continues in Cobden on May 19th, and is brought to you by valued sponsors Austrans, Remo Racing, All Star Graphics, Yes Optus Warrnambool-Portland-Hamilton, Shamick Racing and Yamaha Australia.


Above: Big field of Rookies on the grid
pic - Garry Shiells


Above: Part of the pits
pic - Garry Shiells

 

 

 

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