The Grand Prix Midgets second show at Nyora Raceway for the season concluded with a entertaining feature event where Jason Crawford made it two from two at the track for the year finishing ahead of Australian Champion Trevor Perry in a entertaining feature event, that included, steward intervention, passing and even flames.

The Ballistic Performance Parts round doubled also as the first ever South Gippsland Classic in order to provide some prestige to the event moving forward into future seasons. With nobody yet a winner of the event, the drivers were all keen to be the first.

Getting the show started, Crawford and Travis Florimell (# 81 TM Lineboring & Engineering – Suzuki) started from the front row with Mark Blackeby, David Bacon, Chris Fowler, Trevor Perry, Lisa Chalcraft, Paul Perry, Sean Denning and Marty Job rounding out the field.

Florimell leapt to the front of the field on lap one with Crawford, Bacon (# 37 DB Kanga Hire and Cleaning – Yamaha), Trevor Perry, and Blackeby following across the start finish line, Perry moved past Bacon into third next time around and Paul Perry moved up to fourth. The top five remained the same from here through to the final lap.

Florimell defeated Crawford, Trevor Perry, Paul Perry, Bacon, Chalcraft, Denning then Fowler and Job.

Incredibly even though the chequered flag had been dropped, in turn one as soon as he passed the chequered flag Perry stalled the car in turn one, the steward then penalised the driver and put them at the rear of the lead lap as a finisher. Results changed to Perry behind Denning in seventh. The circumstances sent drivers scurrying for rule books, that’s for sure.

The exact reason of the penalty is up for conjecture since there is a couple of versions, dangerous stoppage on track due to being hard on the brakes and losing control of the car in front of other competitors still competing to the line could be one reason that would fit.

Blackeby (# 10 Kyabram Steel & Fabrication – Yamaha) blew a huge hole in his engine and didn’t finish the race; Mark Shiells commented that the temperature of the engine is now perfect.

Trevor Perry started in pole position in heat two with Chalcraft (# 15 Jacobson Transport – Suzuki), Paul Perry, Denning, Job, Crawford, Florimell, Fowler and Bacon the line up.

The Australian champion Trev Perry, went straight to the lead with Chalcraft his nearest Ballistic Performance Parts challenger right behind and Florimell taking quick steps to towards the pointy end of the field moving into third.

It took until lap five for Florimell to move into second with Crawford following through into third on the same lap. At the drop of the chequered flag Trev Perry had won from Florimell, Crawford, Paul Perry (# 6 JDS Motorsport – Suzuki), Chalcraft, Fowler, Denning and Job with Bacon a non finisher after connecting with the concrete wall after pushing through turn three on a watered track.

In the final qualifier team mates Job and Fowler started alongside each other with Denning (# 52 AR Suburban Fencing – Yamaha), Paul Perry, Chalcraft, Florimell, Trev Perry and Crawford the order.

Paul Perry the former Australian champion assumed the lead with Fowler, Crawford, Trev Perry ( # 1 Perry Bros Chassis – Suzuki) and Job chasing. Crawford moved to second on lap two with Trevor Perry following through into third. Through to the finish and the order remained the same with Fowler finishing fourth, Denning, Chalcraft and Job completing the order.

Trev Perry again suffered the wrath of the steward though. On lap two it was deemed Perry made contact with Fowler’s front end with an inside pass in between turn three and four. At the end of the race he was put back a spot to finish behind Fowler (# 13 Castrol – Suzuki) in fourth. Florimell didn’t finish due to sustaining a crack in his chassis due to getting too much drive, his night was over.

The first ever South Gippsland Classic final was up next with low qualifiers starting from the front of the field. Job (# 31 Wilko’s Waterslide Hire Geelong – Suzuki) started from pole with Denning, Chalcraft, Fowler, Trev Perry, Crawford and Paul Perry the order.

Fowler jumped to the lead at the drop of the green and led into turn one and then picked up a flat tyre putting him out of the race, this left Denning at the front leading Crawford (# 50 Pitstop Mowers – Yamaha) and Chalcraft on lap one. Crawford moved to the lead the next lap with Trev Perry moving past Chalcraft into third on the same lap. Another pass on Denning the next lap seen Perry in second.

Chalcraft was trying to keep close to Perry with regards to the season points and moved into third on lap four, the top three would remained the same right through to the end accept for a brief moment.
Crawford and Perry put on a great race for the crowd with Perry trying everything to find a way past and into the lead.

On lap ten, Perry passed Crawford in turn four and then moved cut down according to the stewards on Crawford in turn one causing Crawford to spin brining on the caution lights. Perry was put back a spot at the restart putting Chalcraft into second.

Perry got passed straight away and set about chasing Crawford again. Crawford drove the way that was required and took the win from Trev Perry, Chalcraft, Paul Perry, Denning and Job. After the race Fowler felt the need to provide some extra entertainment for the crowd by letting his race car catch fire as he started it to go back to the pit enclosure, fire crews made short work of the flames much to the amusement of the crowd waiting for the concluding race meeting Demolition Derby to start.

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

Jason Crawford won at Nyora for a second time this year (C) CBM Photography