• On Easter Saturday night at Bairnsdale Speedway four race divisions competed on the final show of the clubs season with two feature events for Wingless Sprints and Standard Saloons supported by Sprintcar and Limited Sportsman competition. The Gary Bowden Memorial Cup for Wingless Sprints would be won in emphatic fashion by Travis Millar whilst in Standard Saloon competition the Easter Classic was won by Glen Pendlebury.

    Alistair Bastian was sensational on his way to a LS Sprintcar feature event win whilst Tim McKenzie won the Limited Sportsman final.

    Wingless Sprintcar entrants were honouring the late Bairnsdale man Gary Bowden who was heavily involved with Bairnsdale Speedway, the Wingless Sprints and local business before passing away a few years ago. It meant more to others to win the event and in the end, working his way from ninth spot on the grid Travis Millar who was racing when Bowden was involved with Wingless Sprints went on to storm his way to the front and go on to the win.

    Millar had to pass eight other drivers on his way to the win that included Kim-Loong Gosling, Michael Lovell, Viv Rockliff, Daniel Mayson, Brad Foster, Jamie Mills, Steve Loader and Travis Evans.

    Evans led the first seven laps before losing the front running position to Loader. By lap nine Millar was in third spot chasing Evans and Loader and he had the lead by lap thirteen of thirty. From there he was never headed and went on to win from Mills, Loader, Evans and Brad Foster with Millar at times half a second per lap faster than others.

    In qualifying events Morwell racer Darryl Logue had a big crash in turn one finishing his night, shaken and a little stirred.

    Millar was delighted with the importance of the race win. “Bowden was an important piece of the Victorian and in particular the Gippsland Wingless Sprint puzzle when we were trying to solidify the class. It is important that we honour those that gave up so much time to establish this great class. I am proud to be the winner of the Gary Bowden Memorial Cup.”

    In the Easter Classic for Standard Saloons Glen Pendlebury was up against tough competition from another local Bairnsdale member Josh Thomas along with Jacob Vuillermin, Kane Gibson, Patrick Vuillermin and Matt Bowers amongst others.

    The twenty lap final event was led from the start by Pendlebury with Thomas chasing ahead of Jacob Vuillermin. It took until lap nineteen for there to be a change in second place with Vuillermin passing Thomas, however Pendlebury went on to an all the way win ahead of Jacob and Patrick Vuillermin, Bowers and Thomas rounding out the top five finishers.

    In the Sprintcar feature event following the Victorian title the night before at Rosedale Speedway, Alistair Bastian and Daniel Orr began from the front of the field after the qualifying heat runs. Bastian blew away from the field on lap one with Orr, Mark Laity, Adam Greenwood and Justin Bowen chasing.

    On lap three Bowen had a big crash between turns three and four leaving the first time driver out of the race. Until then he was quick and had shown enough to warrant another go in Sprintcar racing down the line. At the ten lap mark Bastian was still in command ahead of Orr, Greenwood, Peter Laity and Michael Evans and by lap thirteen new Victorian champion Mark Noonan moved into fourth as Peter Laity exited the race. At the chequered flags, Bastian had taken the win from Orr, Greenwood, Noonan and Evans.

    Another driver to suffer big damage earlier was Dillon Siely who had just made a sensational turn one and two pass around three other entrants before he slammed into the back straight concrete two thirds of the way down. That ended his night with the car severely damaged.

    Finally the Limited Sportsman put on some very good racing in a small field with Mark Both, Tim McKenzie and Chris Woeltjes giving Darren Adams a hard time. Both initially led the feature race from McKenzie, Woeltjes and Adams before Both’s car suffered front end breakage and Woeltjes slammed his car into the back straight concrete wall. McKenzie then worked his steering wheel hard to hold out Adams and at the drop of the chequered flag victory was his with Adams finishing second and Brett Maxwell back in third place.

    The Bairnsdale Speedway Club season is now over and the volunteers and drivers plan ahead for the presentation night and for next season.

    The Bairnsdale Speedway Clubs sponsors list includes:
    M & S Laity Hay Contractors – Wiseleigh
    W.G.I Earthmoving & Heavy Haulage – Bairnsdale
    East Gippsland Locks & Keys – Bairnsdale
    TRFM & Gold 1242
    Bridgestone Bairnsdale
    Bairnsdale Automotive & Transmissions - Bairnsdale
    Riviera Tyre Service – Bairnsdale
    Eyecare Plus – Bairnsdale
    Riviera Concrete – Bairnsdale
    Dennison Quality Roofing – Bairnsdale
    A1 Trailers – Bairnsdale
    Autobarn – Bairnsdale
    Phase Link Electrics – Paynesville
    Carpet World – Bairnsdale East
    Westpoint Motors – Bairnsdale
    Curtis Engineering – Bairnsdale
    Patties Foods – Australia
    Reece Plumbing – Bairnsdale
    East Gippsland Plumbing –Bairnsdale
    Tambo Waste – Bairnsdale
    U Pick Car Wreckers – Morwell
    Logues Auto Wreckers – Morwell
    Buchan Towing – Buchan
    Great Southern Kitchens – Bairnsdale
    Cheap Tyres – Morwell
    Apco – Bairnsdale
    Clifton Mobile Homes – Bairnsdale
    Zac’s Firewood Services – Bairnsdale
    Mitchell Valley Excavations – Lindenow
    ARB 4 x 4 – Bairnsdale
    Lakes Entrance Tyre Service
    Egee Printers – Bairnsdale
    SS Auto wholesalers – Bairnsdale
    Bristol Paint – Bairnsdale
    Dwyer’s Toyota – Bairnsdale
    Tim Bull MP - Member for Gippsland East

    Written by
    Dean Thompson
    DMT Sports Media
    For Bairnsdale Speedway Club



    Travis Millar won the Gary Bowden Memorial Cup for Wingless Sprints (C) Random Panda Photography




    The Easter Classic for Standard Saloons was won by Glen Pendlebury (C) Random Panda Photography




    Alistair Bastian won the LS Sprintcar final in convincing fashion (C) Random Panda Photography

New Page 2

Speedway Net Email

Email Login:
Password:
 
New users sign up
Speedway Net Email
Series Next Event Window

Upcoming Events

    Friday, March 29, 2024

  • Mildura Speedway
  • Avalon Raceway Lara
  • Quit Bunbury City Speedway
  • Saturday, March 30, 2024

  • Murray Bridge Speedway
  • Borderline Speedway
  • Perth Motorplex
  • Gladstone Speedway
  • Sunday, March 31, 2024

  • Gladstone Speedway
  • Premier Speedway
  • Mildura Speedway
  • Murray Bridge Speedway
  • Tuesday, April 2, 2024

  • Borderline Speedway
  • Saturday, April 6, 2024

  • Gunnedah Speedway
  • Southern 500 Speedway, Portland
  • Murray Bridge Speedway
  • Friday, April 12, 2024

  • Avalon Raceway Lara
  • Saturday, April 13, 2024

  • Hi Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway
  • Murray Bridge Speedway
  • Avalon Raceway Lara
  • Perth Motorplex
  • Saturday, April 20, 2024

  • Murray Bridge Speedway
  • Avalon Raceway Lara
  • Sunday, April 21, 2024

  • Simpson Speedway
  • Saturday, April 27, 2024

  • Murray Bridge Speedway
  • Sunline Speedway Waikerie
  • Monday, April 29, 2024

  • Mildura Speedway
  • Saturday, May 4, 2024

  • Maryborough Speedway
  • Sunday, May 5, 2024

  • Maryborough Speedway
  • Saturday, May 11, 2024

  • Northline Speedway
  • Redline Speedway (Ballarat)