Sprintcar Season Heating Up

By Phil Michell 15-10-06

After a low key event last weekend, that saw only four cars at the opening practice event of the year, the action stepped up a gear with ten Sprintcar competitors making the trip to Murray Bridge on Saturday night (October 14). A total of six open and four 360ci cars took to the track with Wayne Rowett and young Lee Dillon looking the most impressive.

Having already taken in several events this season in the Northern Territory Rowett looked extremely comfortable aboard his Monaghan Pakers / Pennzoil #41 Maxim and it was clear to see that his fourth outright in NT Trail had given him a lot of confidence going into his third season of Sprintcar racing.

Lee Dillon, who was supporting his familiar number 82 on his Northstar Ute Campers J&J, also recorded a series of impressive laps as he attempted to find the right balance and set up before embarking on his maiden World Series Sprintcars campaign.

For the second week in a roe Justin Sloan was also in attendance and just as he did last weekend showed that he slowly coming to grips with his new Eagle and it won’t be long before his Gawler Custom Cabinet Makers #25 will battling with his more experienced rivals at the front.

The final two open cars to hot lap the 360 metre venue were Darryl Wright and debutante Matt Egel. After campaigning his 360ci car at the opening practice night Wright stepped up into his brand new Murray Machining and Sheds Eagle (372ci) and was fast straight out of the box but a spin late in the night saw the all black machine towed infield after it jammed in gear.

Current South Australian V6 Sprint Champion Matt Egel finally made his much anticipated Sprintcar debut behind the wheel of the Ultra Tune #75 Eagle owned by former racer Tony Bartlett. During his opening run of the night it appeared that it could possibly be his last as the car went up in a big cloud of smoke but after pulling the car to a stop it was revealed that the smoke was caused by a slight oil leak. Egel then went on to have two further runs on the track with his only other problem being a spin to avoid Wright who was stationary on the racetrack.

Unfortunately second season racer Ricky Maiolo had a terrible night as in his own words “the car just wouldn’t play” as he only completed a handful of laps but the new paint scheme on the Port Gawler Off Road Park #24  definitely attracted a lot of attention.

In the 360ci section Owen Pitt returned to driving duties after his son Terry drove the Moorlands Tyre and Machinery #8 J&J last weekend while local Murray Bridge resident Ryan Jones put his Oz Signs / PM Engines #63 Maxim through its paces. Both of the Lightning Karts Racing machines of Michael and Dennis Burford were also present with Dennis making the most of the opportunity to come to grips with his new Adelaide manufactured Lightning Chassis.

The next run for the Sprintcars in South Australia will be on October 28 at Adelaide’s Speedway City as they once again undertake a series of hot laps with the first race meeting of the year being at the same venue on November 4, with the running of the annual Australian Sprintcar Masters