The Goulburn Valley Auto Club will host the final round of the Ballistic Performance Parts Masters Series for Grand Prix Midgets and another visit from the VSSA Super Sedans to Rushworth Speedway for their final meeting of the 2015/2016 season, the GVAC’s 50th Anniversary year.

Returning to what is rapidly becoming known as their unofficial home track, this will be the Super Sedans’ third visit this year following highly successful “Goldrush” and Victorian Championship events earlier in the season. Bendigo’s Michael Wicks will be fresh from a win in the feature at Wahgunyah last weekend.

Other drivers to watch for will also include Mick Nicola Jr, Ben Faulkhead, Wayne Aylett, Lionel West and Scotty Whittle.

In the GP Midgets, it is impossible to improve on the list of top drivers who are expected to compete. These will feature Australian Champion Paul Perry, Aus #2 Trevor Perry, Aus #3 Lisa Chalcraft, Victorian Champion Jason Crawford, and Vic #2 Travis Florimell.

This will be the “Ironbark Classic” and the final round of the Ballistic Performance Parts Masters Series which Crawford currently leads from Chalcraft, Chris Fowler & Trevor Perry. Chalcraft won last year. Can she overtake Crawford to make it two in a row?

Crawford recently celebrated his Victorian Title win at Redline Raceway a few weeks ago where he led all the way to take victory. Trevor Perry took out three heats and the final of the Wangaratta Cup from Fowler and Crawford on May 7th, with those three drivers looking in great form.

Local classes of GV Open Saloons, GV Production Sedans, GV Ladies and GV Juniors are also on the program and the action in all of these classes is hotting up significantly. These classes are proving a major attraction in their own right, with fans supporting their favorites with increasing enthusiasm.

There are over fifty local entries for this meeting and with May 28th being the final event for this season, spectators can expect desperation racing as the drivers attempt to win valuable points for the end of season’s trophies. If the cars get bent, then there’s the whole off-season to fix them!

In the GV Open Saloons it is clear that GVAC President, Bendigo’s Phil Lamb will once again take the end-of season trophy following an almost complete domination of the class this year. The big question remains: who will take the minor placings?

Adam Box has had some great results, as has Keith Simmonds. Wayne Gilsenan has been consistent, Peter Welch doing well recently, but missed most of the early part of the season due to injury. Jay Nicolaisen from Kyabram, Club Champion for 2013/4 joins the field for this week. In summary, minor placings are pretty well wide open. With nineteen entries, this is the biggest field yet for the GV Opens
Another racer who has generally dominated in the GV Production Sedans for the latter part of the season is Echuca’s Rachel Pratt, but will that be sufficient to make up for several missed meetings earlier?

Consider Leigh Jeffery, travelling from Melton to race at Rushworth, Warren Alexander, Scotty Smith, Wayne O’Keefe, and the Hutchins boys. Ricky Rodda is a starter in the Valiant, and Stevo McDonald is back. With fifteen nominations, the overall winner of this class just may be determined this weekend.

GV Ladies is another extremely competitive class. Chloe Lamb is rarely out of the placings, as is Jacquie Fitzpatrick. From there, most lady racers have been both competitive and consistent – these being qualities which tend to pay off at presentation night. Look for Amy Eade, Leanne Hodge, Natalie Thompson and others. Difficult to predict an overall points winner here. Again a big field, with twelve starters greeting the green flag.

Lastly, no doubts exist that Thomas Conboy will take the “Big Trophy” come end of year for the GV Juniors. Lachie Fitzpatrick has done well and whilst not really a threat to Conboy, may well have accumulated enough points to score the runner-up prize. Josh Cecil, always there and improving with practice. Issiah Hodge and Kodye Bastin will vie for a trophy as well.

Gate prices: Adult $20.00, kids 12 - 16 $10.00, kids under 12 free. Aged pensioners $15.00. Family ticket (2 adults, 2 kids) $50.00. Club members: $10.00 Adult, kids 12 -16 $5.00.
Racing at Rushworth Speedway starts at 4pm on Saturday May 28th with gates open from 12 noon.

GVAC Club contact number for further information is 0409 386805.

GVAC thank the following supporters:
Super Balance – Shepparton ( Dennis Myers)
WG Panels – Rochester (Wayne Gilsenan)
Goulburn Valley Oil Supplies – Shepparton (Russell Pell)
Provac – Bendigo (Nigel Box) (Juniors all season sponsor)
Bourke Fencing – Bendigo (Pat Bourke)
CleanAway – Shepparton
R.Collie Earthmoving P/L – Kyabram ( Rob Collie)
Kyabram Motor Wreckers – Kyabram (Bernie Duncan)
The Rushworth Hotel – Rushworth (Andy & Maz McCallum)
Kyabram Bearings – Kyabram
Autobarn – Shepparton
IPTA Fibreglass – Geelong ( Scott Whittle)
Gary Smith Auto Care – Echuca (Kane Chapman)
Ross Adams Cartage Contractor – Rochester (Ross Adams)
Rushworth Bakery – Rushworth (Dave & Nicky Chillingsworth)
Maxam Printing – Shepparton
Michel Signs – (Chris Mann) –Shepparton

GRAND PRIX MIDGETS ‘IRONBARK CLASSIC’ – Ballistic Performance Parts Series
A1 – Paul Perry
5 – Sean Denning
10 – Nathan Caddy
13 – Chris Fowler
15 – Lisa Chalcraft
31 – Marty Job
36 – David Bacon
37 – Hayden Bacon
50 – Jason Crawford
55 – Trevor Perry
81 – Travis Florimell

Super Sedans FUN CITY SHEPPARTON series
V4 – Sean Lister
V5 – Michael Wicks
V7 – Trent Susol
V8 – Scott Whittle
V23 – Mick Nicola Jnr
V41 – Ben Faulkhead
NQ44 – Trent Wilson
V56 – Neil Witnish
V71 – Lionel West
V72 – Ian Page

GV OPENS SALOONS
1 PHIL LAMB
6 MARK CECIL
8 PETER WELCH
13 GAVIN COOPER
15 JAY NICOLAISEN
25 DARREN HODGE
27 ADAM BOX
30 CORY BICE
32 KEITH SIMMONDS
33 CALLAN MADILL
39 BRAD SIMMONDS
41 TROY BRITTON
45 SHAUN THOMPSON
52 ROD BURCHETT
53 WAYNE GILSENAN
65 TEEJAY POLLARD
71 STEVE SHEPHARD
83 LUKE BASTEN
84 GARRY GAPES

GV PRODUCTIONS SEDANS
9 WAYNE O'KEEFE
10 SHANE HUTCHINS
12 CRAIG BAYLISS
16 BRENDAN BREWER
18 BEVAN HUTCHINS
29 LEIGH JEFFERY
31 MARK BERGMAN
43 RICKY RODDA
50 STEPHEN HOPKINS
57 COREY GREGSON
58 SCOTT SMITH
64 WARREN ALEXANDER
72 STEVO MCDONALD
93 RACHEL PRATT
98 SHANNON PRIME

GV LADIES SALOONS
11 JACQUIE FITZPATRICK
15 BELINDA CHALCRAFT
21 AMY EADE
25 CHELSEA HODGE
26 ALLY MOORE
35 MADDIE NAISMITH
45 NATALIE THOMPSON
51 LEEANNE HODGE
54 PAULINE MARTIN
74 CHLOE LAMB
77 KELLY NADORT
84 NICOLE GAPES

GV JUNIOR SEDANS
5 THOMAS CONBOY
6 JOSH CECIL
11 LACHIE FITZPATRICK
51 ISSIAH HODGE
83 KODYE BASTEN

Written by
Ray Read
DMT Sports Media
For G.V.A.C t/a Rushworth Speedway

Paul Perry will compete in the IRONBARK CLASSIC (c) Mark Cowin Photography

Michael Wicks will be in Super Sedans fresh off a win last week (c) Mark Cowin Photography