Aussie Champ Wins Silver Sash

 

Fans at Bartercard Lismore Speedway on Saturday were witness to one of the most bizarre openings to a Speedway season on record when only two cars finished the Neumann Petroleum Modified Silver Sash feature race. 

Current Australian Champ Stuart Herne took the win as his rivals all fell by the wayside. 

Paul Booker failed to complete a lap when his rear axle snapped and left him stranded on the edge of the track. Stuart Herne was involved in the melee and had to call for "two minutes" to change a wheel punctured in the incident. 

Newcastle's Tony Sneddon started on pole and led them away at the restart but he was soon forced out with heating problems. 

That started the domino effect as one by one they fell by the wayside. Shawn Mortimer, Latimer, Rodgie, etc soon joined him on the infield.

Mullumbimby's Wayne Reynolds who moved into the lead when Sneddon retired looked to be on track to make it back-to-back wins in the coveted Silver Sash as the infield started to resemble a parking lot. 

But the gremlins weren't finished and a suspension bolt forced Reynolds to join the ever-growing line up on the infield. 

That allowed Herne to take the lead with thirteen laps to run in the twenty five-lap Feature race. 

But the rate of attrition continued until there was on only Herne, Brisbane's Audi Malt and Arron Suffolk left to take the checkered flag. 

But the drama didn't finish with the final flag; Suffolk was disqualified leaving only two cars to officially cross the line. 

Final placing's were Stuart Herne first, Audi Malt second and Darren Mazzer who had retired placed third on a count back.

Casino's seventeen-year-old Scott Owen who raced Juniors last season made the step up into the seniors even more memorable by winning his Feature race in only his second race in the open division.

Scott showed maturity beyond his years to hold at bay the wily veteran Steve Cox and take the win with Cox second and Luke Chalk third in the Four-cylinder feature race. 

Grafton's John English took the win in the junior division with Paul Reeves second and Alan Jarvis third.

Grafton drivers filled all three places in the Stockers Feature race with Geoff Hayes first, Craig Murray second and Tony Blanch third. Mark Philp took the honours in the Streeters Feature with a fast finishing Leanne Rose second and Jamie Smith third. 

Andrew Masarik claimed the win in the Club Sedan feature with Allan Kratz second and Phil Jones third to wrap up the program. 

Speedway returns to Lismore when the Super Sedans make their season debut on November 23rd in the Northern Rivers Hotel Super Sedan Stampede!