Last Sunday night the South Australian Speedway season began in hot conditions at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway with an all sections extravaganza that was headlined by Round 1 of the JD Couriers Super Series and a healthy field of Formula 500’s and Street Stocks.



The event was conducted in front of a sizable Sunday night crowd despite the warm conditions and they were treated to some competitive on track action.



In the Super Sedans Penola’s Dave Gartner continued on from where he left off last season with the current South Australian champion remaining undefeated all night. Last season Gartner went through the entire season without losing a single race in five appearances and he never looked like being beaten until Michael Miller threw out a massive challenge for the lead in the 15 lap final with two laps remaining. Despite the late race pressure Gartner held on to defeat Miller, Paul Blenkiron and Graham Stewart. Unfortunately Ryan Alexander was unable to start the final after hearing an engine vibration during the final heat.



The Formula 500’s saw a field of 15 drivers front for action including Australian Champion Dylan Willsher, who was a late nomination therefore he started both heat races from the back. Following the heat races that were won by Ross Miller and Jarrod Moore, it was Moore who dominated the 20 lap final in his first race back for over 2 years. Second went to Whyalla racer Angelo Karoussis with Miller having one of his best ever results securing third ahead of Brad Stell, Patrick Merritt, Willsher and Hayden Kendrick.



The Street Stocks also had good numbers present with Nigel Reichstein bouncing back to win the final over Neville Nitschke and Matt Maynard while in the AMCA Nationals Wayne Vickers stole the win away from Steve Letts with a last lap pass with Jake Armstrong completing the top three.



In the Junior Sedans Trae Ballantyne was declared the A-Grade winner ahead of Zac Walters and Mac Caldecott with Kye Richardson winning B-Grade.



The V6 Sprints only had a small field present with Brock Webster winning the final easily from Jed Bell and Kym Simon.



The final classes in action were the Wingless Sprints and Sprintcars with Robert Heard winning the 20 lap feature ahead of Anthony Tapley and Brett Ireland in what was a dramatic finish. Renee Pestka was unlucky not to finish on the podium as he produced a career best with rookies Spencer Taylor and Jaime-Lee Andrews completing the finishers.



The night proved to be a dramatic one for the Wingless brigade with Jay Brown collecting the newly installed infield barriers, Jason Bolitho destroying a power plant in a massive cloud of smoke and Roydn Bailey and Michael Spoljaric riding out a big two car barrel roll in turn two of the 20 lap final.



The Sprintcars conducted a series of pre-season hot laps with only a small number of cars on hand including Brad Keller, who was having his first drive back since he suffered a back injury at the Classic earlier this year. Other drivers on hand in their 410ci Sprintcars included Jamie Cobby, Brendan Quinn, Jake Tranter, Aidan Hall and Jamie Matherson.



Unfortunately the only 360ci competitor on hand, Nicole Hill, ended her night upside down after collecting the turn two wall.



The next event on the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway calendar will be the prestigious Bill Wigzell Battle of the Bridge for 410ci Sprintcars on October 17, 2015.