Busy Schedule Produces New Winners
By Phil Michell Motorsport Media
The South Australian Wingless Sprint competitors have had a busy start to the year with events right across the state covering three different venues with the feature events providing several new A-Main winners. In addition to the local racing several competitors have also raced interstate during the Summer Slam Series therefore the tow vehicles have also been clocking up the kilometres on the highways.
Prior to the new year the final event of 2021 was staged on Boxing Night at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway with a non-points show in support of the Sprintcar Speedweek. With 17 cars in the pit area the field was split into two heats with Rylan Furler winning both of his heats and then he continued his winning form with an all the way win in the 20-lap final. Rhys Heinrich secured the runner-up finish while Melissa Crouch recorded her best career finish as she finished an impressive third. Robert Heard, Chris James, Hayden Vickers, Anthony Tapley, Nicole Southby, Corey Brougham and James Rodda completed the top 10. Jesse Alexander and Rhys Heinrich also enjoyed a heat win.
The following weekend saw a double header with the opening night of the Summer Slam at the Borderline Speedway on Friday (Jan 7), which unfortunately would be rained out before the final was conducted. The following night a majority of the local teams headed back to Murray Bridge for a non-points club show with a strong line-up on hand despite a number of locals crossing the border for the final two nights of the Summer Slam.
31 drivers would sign in for action at Murray Bridge on January 8 and at the end of the night another new winner was crowned as Ben Cartwright claimed his first Murray Bridge feature win leading throughout the 20-lap journey after starting from the pole. Second place went to Ryan Alexander, who fought back late after falling back as low as fifth while Hayden Vickers had a welcomed return to form edging out Melissa Crouch for the third position. Matthew Kennedy. Joel Heinrich, who stormed to sixth via the B-Main, was next in line ahead of William Caruso, Harley Alexander, Brent Fox and Rhys Heinrich.
Rhys Heinrich, Joel Heinrich, who dropped a heat after the fuel tap shut off, Harley Alexander and Matthew Tyler transferred into the A-Main via the B-Main.
The heat winners included impressive rookie Jenna Kervers, Hayden Vickers, Jesse Alexander, Nate Trewin, Rhys Heinrich, Corey Brougham, Joel Heinrich and Anthony Tapley.
Congratulations must go to a couple of our local drivers who flew the South Aussie flag with distinction in the Summer Slam with Jack McCarthy recording a runner-up finish at Warrnambool while Rylan Furler also ended the night on the podium in third. Newly crowned South Australian Champion Tyson Martin also had a strong run finishing fifth while Joel Chadwick was sixth.
Last Saturday night (January 15) a small field headed to the Riverland Speedway in Renmark with the Renmark Speedway Club President Rhys Heinrich adding his name to the recent list of feature winners as he defeated Harley Alexander, Mildura pairing of Anthony and Melissa McMillan, Sharni Pitcher and Nicole Southby. Earlier the heat wins went to Heinrich (2) and regular Sprintcar racer Keke Falland, who was making his first Wingless start of the season.
The racing will continue this Thursday and Saturday nights with the Wingless Sprints being the main support category at the Kings Sprintcar Challenge with the SA V Victoria State of Origin Series at the Borderline Speedway on Thursday January 20. Following this meeting the racing will resume at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway on Saturday night (January 22) with a Club Show, which will feature a field of 36 drivers.
Ends Release….
Release By Phil Michell Motorsport Media
For Wingless Sprints of SA.