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COBBY TOO GOOD AT MURRAY BRIDGE

By Phil Michell 28-11-06

Current Australian 360ci Sprintcar Champion Jamie Cobby claimed his third feature victory of the season as he emerged victorious in the action packed Murray Machinery and Sheds 360ci Sprintcar Feature on Saturday night (November 25) at the Murray Bridge Speedway. Second across the line in the drama filled 25 lap feature was pole sitter Chad Ely with local resident Darryl Wright completing the top three in the sixteen car field.

With 17 cars in the pit area the heat racing was fast and frenetic and it included a new 12 lap track record set in heat three by Jamie Cobby and a multi car pile up in heat four, that saw both Michael Burford and Chris Evan roll in turn one. Along with Cobby, Broken Hill resident Darryl Guerin, Ely and Wright each recorded a preliminary event win.

After winning his opening heat, and taking second in his final preliminary, Chad Ely driving his home constructed “Ely Built” chassis top qualified with Darryl Guerin sharing the front row. Local hero Darryl Wright, Cobby, Ryan Jones, Mark Caruso, Pitt and Shane Hendry completed the first half of the sixteen car line-up for the 25 lap finale.

On the start Guerin got the jump over the field with Cobby quickly moving into second ahead of Ely and Wright. The order remained this way until lap seven when Cobby moved by Guerin for the lead with a tremendous outside pass but it was quickly negated as Shane Hendry slammed the turn four wall and coming to a halt in turn two bringing out the yellow.

On the restart Guerin led away but the field would come to a stand still four laps later as Josh Ruhs tipped his car over in turn four after a spin. As the cars slowed in turn three Guerin and third placed Ely came together with the contact cutting Guerin’s right rear tyre. Guerin decided to change the tyre under the caution but once he was given the signal to go to the rear he parked his Eagle on the infield.

Therefore Cobby was now the race leader and he led away from Ely, Wright, Mark Caruso and Pitt and this is exactly how the tip five finished fourteen laps later. The only other incident of the main event occurred on lap fifteen when Ruhs and Murray Bridge veteran Ross Wright came together on the back straight taking both drivers out of the event.

The final results saw Cobby win ahead of Ely, who recorded a career best A-main result, Wright, Mark Caruso, Pitt, Jones, Evans, Michael and Dennis Burford, Steven Caruso and Lewiston’s Jamie Hendry.