Queenslander Aidan Raymont is the new South Australian Modified Sedan Champion after winning an entertaining 30 lap finale at the Murray Machining and Sheds Speedway in the early evening on Sunday (April 23). After sharing the top of the points chart with former Champion Mark Carlin the pair started on the front row with Carlin getting the jump and leading for the opening 14 laps but a forceful move in turn two wrested the lead away with Raymont going on to win the decider ahead of current Australian Champion Brett Baxter and Victorian Kye Walters.

Over the past 12 years the South Australian Title has been won by a Victorian driver on 11 occasions therefore Raymont’s win ended the stranglehold that the Garden State competitors have had on the event.

Fourth across the line was local hope Chris Hayden who got the better of Brodie Boss in what was the battle of the race, with Matty Smith, David Head, Allan Mortimer (WA), Jason Gray (Qld) and David Jacobi rounding out the top 10.

After leading the early stages of the race Carlin was one of two hard luck stories as he failed to finish as he suffered a mechanical issue forced him to withdraw while running second while Justin Drew was another to retire while running inside the top three.

In what was a special Sunday afternoon twilight meeting the three rounds of heats were basically concluded before the sun had even set therefore only the final was held under the floodlights. Following nine heat races Carlin and Raymont headed the 24-car entry list with Geelong’s Justin Drew, Baxter, Brodie Boss (Qld), David Head (Qld), Matty Smith (Qld), Walters, David Jacobi (NSW) and Chris Hayden (SA) completing the top 10 in the points.

Of the 24 drivers on hand only 19 drivers took the green in the final with several notable drivers failing to compete including former South Australian Champions Martin Hawson and Terry Brown.

Earlier the nine heat races produced some exceptional sedan action with the heat winners being Raymont (2), Carlin (2), Hayden, Jacobi, Head, Drew and Walters.

In the Street Stocks Nigel Reichstein was victorious in the 20-lap finale while Austin McDonald won the V6 Sprint feature.

The next event at the Murray Machining and Sheds Speedway will be next Friday and Saturday night with the running of the 2017 Australian Modified Sedan Championship.