Trevor Perry and the cast of the 2016/17 Australian Grand Prix Midget title put on a great nights entertainment when they ran the Australian title on April the 22nd at Wahgunyah Speedway, with Trevor dethroning his brother Paul as Australian Champion for the next twelve months.

Grand Prix Midgets drivers came in from Melbourne, Geelong, Goulburn in New South Wales and around the Goulburn Valley and it would be the pre-event favourite Trevor Perry who would go on to take the win with Travis Florimell the runner up throwing everything at him accept a crow bar as he tried to win the race.

Competitors raced three qualifying events each with Jason Crawford, Perry, Travis Florimell and Trevor Perry’s brother and defending Australian Champion Paul Perry, then Trevor Perry (# 55 Perry Bros Chassis – Suzuki) and Florimell again taking out the six wins.

Starting from pole position in the first heat, Crawford who has had a couple of feature race wins leading up to the title lead into the first turn from Chalcraft, Paul Perry and Dennis Myers (# 11 Super Balance Automotive – Suzuki). Myers would later pass by Chalcraft and Paul Perry would drop out of the race as Crawford took the win from Myers, Chalcraft, Janelle Saville (# 59 Perry Bros Chassis – Suzuki) and Marty Job. David Bacon and Paul Perry non finishers.

Florimell then converted a front row start in heat two to lead over the recent New South Wales title winning Trevor Perry. Florimell on this occasion proved difficult to defeat as Perry trailed in second spot until lap four. From there Perry led with Florimell second then Sean Denning (# 52 A & R Suburban Fencing – Yamaha) and Chris Fowler struggling with clutch issues whilst Mark Blackeby, Mark Cecil the Victorian champion and Kieran Macklyn didn’t finish.

Florimell made quick work of rounding up Bacon and Fowler in heat three as he took the lead and then ultimately the win over Cecil and Myers. Bacon had a great run in fourth against the three very quick cars ahead of him with Saville coming to grips with the new car she was piloting in fifth. Job finished at the back of the field whilst Fowler (# 13 Ballistics Performance Parts – Suzuki) failed to finish with steering and clutch concerns.

The ‘Battle of Perry’ was up next as Trevor and Paul assumed the front row starts. Trevor led lap one and then broke down as a chain come off rendering him powerless and exited to the infield leaving Paul to take the lead and the win. Crawford moved into second and broke down on the last lap leaving Chalcraft to finish second with Blackeby (# 10 Kyabram Steel & Fabrication – Yamaha) finishing in third and Denning fourth.

Myers a veteran of the sport and two times former national champion then got a great start in the fifth heat to lead Trevor Perry and Paul Perry ( # 1 JDS Motorsport – Suzuki) on the first lap then continue that for four more. Trevor Perry eventually wore him down and took the lead with Myers finishing in second then Paul Perry, Cecil, Saville, Bacon (# 37 DB’s Cleaning & Kanga Hire – Yamaha) and Fowler at the back of the pack.

Finally to round out qualifying Florimell had the win over Chalcraft (# 15 Oil Hydraulics – Suzuki) and Crawford who had a exciting battle to the very end of the ten lap heat. Florimell, Chalcraft, Crawford, Denning, Blackeby and Job (# 31 Wilko’s Waterslide – Suzuki)was the order.

Up next was a massive twenty lap final with competitors clocked on Police Radar doing 145 to 150 kmph just as they buttoned off to make a full speed 80 metre sideways slide as they entered turn three.

Florimell (# 81 LM Lineboring – Yamaha) greeted the green flag and the start line first with Trevor Perry in tow then Myers, Crawford and Chalcraft.

Bacon pulled out of the race on lap three as Perry hit the lead. At the half way mark Perry still led from Florimell, however Myers left the track after breaking down. Crawford (# 50 Pitstop Mowers – Yamaha) moved into third Paul Perry, Cecil and Chalcraft were all on the lead lap.

Cecil (# 7 Total Tools Shepparton – Yamaha) dropped out of the race on lap fourteen of twenty, Florimell was chasing Perry hard and when they came up to lap Chalcraft in turn three, they split to go past her with Florimell going low running out of room and contact with Chalcraft pushed Florimell up towards the concrete wall, Perry would go on to take the win from Florimell, Crawford, Paul Perry and Chalcraft.

The Victorian Grand Prix Midgets association thank Club Supporters:
Ballistic Performance Parts
Oil Hydraulics
Jacobson Transport
Automotive Super Balance Shepparton
Pitstop Mowers
Rock Solid Productions

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media
For Victorian Grand Prix Midgets Association

Trevor Perry won his first Australian title at Wahgunyah (C) Di Griffith Photography

Paul Perry finished fourth trying to defend his championship (C) Di Griffith Photography