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Speedway comes alive

20 Oct, 2009 10:00 AM

Whyalla drivers have put their southern counterparts on notice that Whyalla speedway is very much alive, following their driving display that was shown at Westline on Saturday Night.

Young guns Angelo Karoussis driving a formula 500 and Michael Brown in a junior sedan, both meant business from the outset of the meeting by winning their respective feature finals.

The formula 500s relished the smooth fast track surface, and in doing so set some fast lap times.

No more impressive was Angelo Karoussis, who was only having his second meeting in his stylish new car, with the more laps he did his confidence also grew.

Karoussis had two seconds and a third placing in the heats, and coming from the "pole" position in the feature led all the way for an easy, accomplished win.

I feel that as the season progresses and Karoussis spends more time in the drivers seat, he will gain more experience and he will win some major races during the season.

The heat winners' honours were shared between Kym Gower, Simon Richards and Ross Miller.

Unfortunately Miller suffered a "check" near the end of the feature race, resulting in a spectacular spin out, which was the only major casualty for the night in what turned out to be a good night of racing.

Coincidently the formula 500s heats and final feature were generously sponsored by MJM Abrasive Blasting of Whyalla, which is owned by Angelo's father John Karoussis.

Michael Brown, whose new car still had the new paint smell, finally had a meeting in which things went his way.

Brown won heat three and was runner up to Joel Chadwick in heat two.

Chadwick also won a heat, but in the feature final Brown led and set a fast pace out in front.

Despite his car's engine discharging smoke towards the end of the race, Brown held on to win easily from Chadwick with Jack Pickert coming third.

Michael Karoussis, driving his brother's former car, drove confidently for his first meeting and despite starting from the rear of the field in each heat, still managed to beat half of the cars home and finished a creditable fourth in the feature final.

Jack Pickert had a good night behind the wheel and also finished next to Michael Karoussis in the heats, and had to come from number eight grid position in the feature and put up a great effort to finish third.

The AMCA Nationals put on another fine display of good clean tight racing with the heat winners being Cory Fox and David Hartman (two), with the feature won by Brian Chadwick from Hartman and Fox.

Local driver Travis Litterini would have been satisfied with his efforts in the heats and gaining more confidence as the night went on, but sideswiped the fence during the feature race and badly damaged the front of the car, which will give Litterini some more work to do until the next meeting in January.

Jack McCarthy won the modified section feature after winning two heats, with Tony Schmidt winner of the other heat.

Only a small field lined up in street stocks, with Jamie Rainsford making a clean sweep on the night winning all three heats and the Des's Cabs sponsored feature final, with Jason Demaine and Scott Perett filling the minor placings.

As an added bonus for race fans, Mat Crimmins from Adelaide did some hot laps in his new immaculately-presented late model sedan.

The 430 CI Chevy engine sounded awesome circulating around the track, and the late models are scheduled to race at Whyalla in April next year with a possible five cars racing.

Just a note to speedway bike fans that the meeting set for November 21 has been cancelled, as has the five meeting Australian tour due to the fact the promoter Ivan Mager - International Rider's Equipment hasn't arrived in Australia as yet.

Westline promoter Rob Stevens said that he was disappointed about the cancellations, and is investigating the prospects of having a bike meeting this season.

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