Front Running Drew Falls Short In Ballarat
18/02/2010 9:31:06 PM - Dean Thompson

In a short trip from Geelong to Ballarat, Team Drew Motorsport were very much looking forward to round 3 of the ‘Bass Highway Waste’ Victorian Modified Production Sedan series having been consistent in recent weeks with a number of podium finishes.

Being the last round winner of the series back in December at Horsham Drew and his team were keen to extend what could be calculated as a likely series lead with another victory at Ballarat’s Redline Raceway, however they needed to do it without crew chief Damian Smith who was unavailable.

The teams first hit out of the night was in heat two starting from pole. Drew led Graham West and Peter McCarthy from start to finish and sent an ominous warning through the field that the team was on its game and nothing had changed.

The second heat for the # 7 VZ Commodore had the team starting in eleventh spot with Andrew Blackwell (Victoria # 1) and Mark Carlin (Australia # 1) and Martin Hawson amongst the drivers starting in front. The heat had a cracking pace and everybody was on an even pace and Drew couldn’t capitalise on potential passing points and crossed the line in ninth..

As the seventh place car on points after two heats, Drew got to start from 4th spot after a position inversion. Graham West began well and it took around 5 laps of bumper to bumper racing and eventually Drew launched off turn two faster and got past West and stormed to a second heat win for the evening, this also gave Drew the pole position in the feature and $100 care of ‘Northern Auto Recyclers’ being the reward for being the top point score.

Starting the final with Hawson alongside and Blackwell and Russell Hill behind after West made the heartbreaking decision to start rear of field when he realised the track had been prepared and was wet and he had slicks.

Drew led away with Hawson right there in the initial stages of the final. Gradually Drew started to open a gap over Hawson whilst Blackwell tried to get past him. Eventually Blackwell got past Hawson only for the fans to be robbed of a potential head to head battle between Drew and Blackwell when Drew’s car blew a rocker cover gasket. This left Drew infield with at least 20 laps to go. Blackwell won and Drew was left wondering what might have been.

Sitting infield is always hard as Drew explained. “When I pulled infield I could see Blackwell come past as the race leader and I knew that he was going to go on and make the most of my bad luck. I didn’t want to get out of the car, I just knew Blackwell was making things tougher for us as far as the series goes. We will just need to re-group and go over to Tasmania to run the Australian and Tasmanian title, before coming back to do Mildura and Nyora to close out the series, Maryborough and then the New South Wales title at Lismore.”

TDM thanks its major commercial supporters:

Damian & Sandra @ Circletrack Racecraft – (Damian Smith)
John @ Colac Toyota
Stewart @ Cunningham Plumbing
Profire Pyrotechnics and Blasting P/L
Justin Drew Plumbing
Ray @ Archibald Builders
John @ M & W Engine Services
BKM Electrical
Phil @ PDR Differentials and Drive Shafts
McCann’s Plumbing Plus
Bob & Pat @ Ipta Fibreglass
Mark Haby Motors
Pete’s Paint and Panel
Wayne @ Smooth Suspension
Phil @ Geelong Tune Up Specialists
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Written by
DMT Media
Dean Thompson
0412061208
dmtmedia@speedway.net.au

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