by DMT Sports Media
Lara, VIC Australia | Nov. 14, 2013 - The Parr Motorsports Victorian Wingless Sprint Series got under way last Saturday at Avalon Raceway with no less than four race records being broken as an exceptional field battled an extremely hooked up race venue to start the series season.
With six race heats, a B Main and the A Main feature run the teams really put it on for the race fans in a marvellous display of fast and close open wheel racing in which last season’s series winner James Wren (# 45 KJ & CM Wren Earthmoving – Maxim) came out on top despite a last gasp effort from Cobden’s Rhys Baxter to steal the win as the leaders threaded through traffic during the last couple of feature laps.
The final result as they crossed the line in the final were James Wren ahead of Baxter, Sam Wren, Pete Green (# 61 Active Electrical Distributors – J & J) & Traralgon’s Adrian Densley rounding out the top five finishers.
The first of six heats gave fans the first new record with Baxter setting a new ten lap race time of 2.33.762 as he marched to a seven second win ahead of South Australian Jody Baldwin # SA 9 Neale & Nulty Transport – JEI), Marlin Walsh, Wayne Hurford & Kevin Reeves, Densley, Kelvin Toogood and three rookies John Agosta (# 105 JW Autogas – OTR), Karl Mathie & Daniel Ellis.
After taking the record Baxter spoke to media and shared this quote. “Awesome feeling, the new car in its first race felt good, green all the way baby (referring to the paint scheme).”
Defending series champion Wren from Delacombe then took a win in the second ahead of Ross Jarred (# 49 Prism Powder Coaters – J & J), cousin Sam Wren, Troy Small & Dayn Bentvelzen, Andy Hibbert, Stephen Spark, David Alford, Haydn Reeves & Renae Eastham ( # 88 Lucas Oil Products – J & J) before Brett Neylan closed out the first round of heats with victory over Geelong racer Green, Jason Langdon ( # 78 McNaughton Excavations – XXX), Mark Balcombe, Luke Cole, Leigh Balcombe, Paul Adams ( # 51 Bruno Body Repairs – Maxim), Travis Millar, Robert Lake & Daniel Evans (# 60 Essendon Ford –J & J) in the smallest of first round win margins by .233 of a second.
With the heat fields mixed a little and reversed for the second round Hibbert (# 17 Torquay Newsagency – Eagle) set a new ten lap race record in heat four with a 2 minutes 32.310 result in a win over Sam Wren also from Delacombe, Baldwin, Baxter, Spark, Kevin Reeves (# 63 Truck Bra’s Maxim), Agosta, Mathie & Eastham whilst Small (# 2 Pomodoro Bros – J & J) was unable to finish with a busted torque ball.
After Hibbert broke the ten lap record he shared the following. “Track is super quick, Very hooked up & tricky conditions to adjust too. Tough field tonight going to be a cracking final.”
For the final time in the evening the ten lap record was reset again when Densley locked in a 2 minute 31.114 second race time on the super fast race track as he led home Walsh, Leigh Balcombe, Hurford, Travis Millar ( # 93 Millar Motors – Maxim), Langdon, Adams, Toogood & Evans.
Densley spoke of his new record time. “Track is superb & along with the track the hard work, preparation & engineering have earns us this result, I’m pumped!”
Finally the qualification rounds were finished with a victory to Cole (# 12 DC Thomas & Co – Maxim) just shy of the new ten lap record by .5 of a second as he held at bay James Wren, Green, Bentvelzen, Mark Balcombe, Alford ( Alfies Excavation & Plant Hire – Cool), Neylan, Jarred, Haydn Reeves & Lake ( # 64 Kevin’s Transport – Eagle).
With a thirty car field starting the evening some talented race drivers found themselves in the B main event trying to secure a final four places in the A Main. Jarred, Millar, Hurford (# 73 Bass Concreting – J & J) & Spark took those transfer spots whilst a unlucky David Alford who held fourth place much of the twelve laps gave it up to Spark just prior to race completion. Kevin Reeves finished sixth with Toogood, Agosta, Evans, Mathie & Lake all on the lead lap and Adams & Eastham rounding out the field.
The twenty lap distance Parr Motorsports round 1 feature race began with James Wren on pole with Baxter (# 81 Webber & Chivell –Cool) alongside, Walsh & Sam Wren on the second row, Green & Baldwin then Cole & Densley to name the top ten whilst back in the pack were drivers such as Hibbert, Neylan (# 20 D & F Racing Products – Neylan), Langdon & Mark Balcombe that all had a lot of work to do to move forward.
Early in the race Walsh (# 72 South West Car Carriers – Cool) spun out of turn two on the back straight and rejoined the field at the tail of the race whilst the two Wren’s and Baxter started to put some space between themselves and the chasing pack.
James Wren was proving tough to stay with whilst early on Baldwin who previously wrecked his car at Avalon back in October raced in fourth place with Green & Densley ( # 32 Chickenwing Industries – Maxim) putting the pressure on him.
The eighteen car field were flying around the venue mostly in a pack with the top three out on their own. By the time the top three hit the pack they encounted two and three wide racing ten deep to negotiate presenting an opportunity for Baxter to challenge for the lead.
With a couple laps to go the Baxter snatched the lead in traffic only to be caught up behind some battling for position whilst James Wren chose a clear path to snatch it back and hit the line ahead of Baxter by .297 of a second with a new twenty lap race record of 5 minutes and 2.886 seconds.
Sam Wren (# 19 Wren Diesel – Maxim) finished in third with Green, Densley, Neylan, Hibbert, Cole, Mark Balcombe, Langdon, Bentvelzen (# 9 Inverloch Motor Body – Maxim), Leigh Balcombe (# 27 Colac Body Works – Maxim), Hurford, Millar, Walsh all on the lead lap and Spark ( # 47 Leemark Fire –J & J), Jarred & Baldwin completing the field.
After the race media had time to speak to the race winner James Wren who commented. “Great, Great track, opened up the race. Lots of differing race lines allowing passing. Our car was real nice and I thank the crew for their great work tonight. Lapping the traffic at the end of the race was fun and racing with Baxter and Sam was a blast.”
Both James and Sam Wren consolidated positions at the head of the Avalon track championship for Wingless supported by Salt Electrical whilst also scoring valuable results in the season long Max Dumesny Motorsport supported club aggregate.
In race night contingency awards the Modern Stainless rear nerf bar prizes were won by fourth placed Green & ninth placed Mark Balcombe.
Victorian Wingless Sprints thank their Parr Motorsport series supporters
Parr Motorsports
Modern Stainless
Lock Shocks
Caruana Motorsports
Written by
Dean Thompson Squarepusher
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