David Murcott doesn’t get to Valvoline Raceway much but when he does he sure makes it count.

The Australian Sprintcar Champion recorded his first ever win in New South Wales (and naturally Valvoline Raceway) in tonight leading home a stellar field in the 30 lap main event.

Murcott is the second Victorian to score victory in Sydney this season joining Jamie Veal with three successes.

Sam Walsh is the only Sydneysider to win at this point.

“We don’t come here a lot but I’ve always loved racing here and obviously now I love it even more,” grinned the affable Murcott, “the track had a few different options that you could take and fortunately I was able to move the car around a bit to take whatever line we needed.”

Murcott lead home the first of the Parramatta Posse in Troy Little for second, Darwin’s Sydney racing resident Ben Atkinson in third, South Aussie “evergreen” Trevor Green fourth and Sydney hard charger James Thompson rounding out the top five.

“There’s a reason why there’s a number one on that fuel tank,” said Troy Little pointing to Murcott’s car, “that’s why it’s a pretty cool deal for us to run second to him with such a great crowd here tonight.”

Ben Atkinson was disappointed overall even though he made the podium.

“I’m frustrated,” he conceded, “my guys are doing a great job to give me what I need to win and I just can’t get the job done at my end. I’m pleased for our team that we finished on the podium but I know that I should be doing better.”

The hard luck stories of the night came thick and fast, including then race leader Darryl Campbell and rapidly closing Jamie Veal.

Rookie Tom Jeffrey spun coming out of turn four leaving Campbell and Veal nowhere to go with Campbell rolling over and Veal taken out with front-end damage.

At the time Veal had been on a massive charge from the fifth row of the grid and looked almost certain to be headed into the lead.

“You take these things on the chin I guess,” said a dejected Campbell, “we’ll get back in and put on a show as best we can but the car’s pretty beaten up.”

World Series Sprintcars champion Steven Lines was at times lively in the Halls Motorsport #3 KPC and wound up sixth ahead of Robbie Farr in seventh, Sam Walsh eighth, Marty Perovich ninth and Toby Bellbowen tenth.

Bellbowen and his elder brother Roddy were in the wars throughout the night with both rolling over in spectacular fashion in an earlier heat (Toby) and the B-Main (Roddy).

Adrian Maher was eleventh ahead of Max Dumesny, Jackson Delamont, Warren Ferguson Matt Young, Paul Laskaseski and Darryl Campbell the last classified finisher.

DNF’s were Jordyn Brazier, Kelly Linigen, Jamie Veal, Thomas Jeffrey, Jimmy Matchett, Max Johnston (who unfortunately rolled over in turn two) and Bryan Mann.

Jamie Veal convincingly won the B-Main from Toby Bellbowen (who set quick time in the Network Industries Qualifying) Max Johnston and Adrian Maher.

Maher managed to escape a major melee in the B-Main when he made contact with Jack Lee that saw Lee spin up track into the path of the hapless Ryan Davis with numerous cars being involved and DNF as a result.

Danny Reidy was desperately unlucky too being tagged by Lachlan Abbott in turn two of the opening lap, which saw Reidy spin into the path of a rapidly closing in Matt Thomas and Michael Matchett.
Thomas rolled heavily in the #45 car was fortunately unhurt.

Heat wins went to Ben Atkinson, Kelly Linigen (who qualified on the second tow for the A-Main) Steven Lines and Troy Little.

The Pole Shuffle was again a popular affair with some tremendous wing-to-wing action and Darryl Campbell emerging victorious to take pole position in the 30-lap main event.

Mark Attard claimed the C-Main from fellow transferee Guy Stanshall in second place.

The Time Target Late Model main event was a hum-dinger with Todd Bayley putting together a sizzling drive in the #19 car to claim a strong win over Ryan Fenech in second place and Nathan Disney rounding out the podium.

Finishing fourth in his first race back in several years was “The Cisco Kid” Clayton Pyne in Dad Ron’s #9 ahead of fellow second generation racer David Robertson in fifth.

Jeff Searle’s wild green machine was sixth ahead of 17 year old Daniel Cassidy in seventh, Ed Borg eighth, David Doherty ninth, Robert Carrig tenth and Michael Hickey the last placed finishing car.

DNF’s were Katelyn Hickey (who had a bruising night) Scott Haynes, Wade Carter (who was really in the wars tonight) Barry Kelleher and Liam Heaton.

The Late Models put on some stirring racing throughout the night and despite some big crashes entertained the fans with their unique combination of wild cornering and thunderous V8 sounds.

The Mittagong Smash Repairs Legend Car main event was one of the best races in any category in recent memory.

Consistently one of the most entertaining classes on the program each night at Valvoline Raceway the little pocket rockets raced their way into everyone’s hearts with a six-car battle for the lead that lasted for most of the 20-lap final.

James Duckworth brilliantly took out the nail-biting affair from a vastly improved Harley Smee over the always fast Mark Heaton in third, Rob Rawlings fourth, Glen Philpott fifth, Brett Mitchell sixth, Glen Arnold seventh, Warren Maybury eighth, Scott Keane ninth and Clinton McKenzie rounding out the top ten.

The biggest crowd of the season so far packed into the venue to see 59 Sprintcars, 24 Legend Cars, 17 Late Models and a Demolition Derby amongst an atmosphere that was festive to say the very least.

Next Saturday night at Valvoline Raceway the attention turns to the return of V8 Super Sedans and the NSW Wingless Championship, Litre Sprints, Street Stocks and Fender Benders.