VSC Sprintcar Association

Saturday night January 15th at Rosedale Speedway the VSC Sprintcars finest hit the dirt once more for a action packed event with Dennis Jones in the # 7 ‘DJE’ sponsored 335ci Mopar finding the finish line first in a dominate display ahead of Mal Siely and Mick Cook.
Drama plagued a number of drivers through the night not the least Dave Barker who slammed the wall coming out of turn four in his # 18 ‘Supaspray Smash Repairs’ Chev leaving him in an ambulance and on the way to hospital!

With four heat’s and then a feature racing got underway with Cook leading away the field in heat one with Barker and Peter Logue the chasing drivers. Darren Painter was charging early from 7th to 4th by lap three. Barker took command of the race on lap 5 by passing Cook in turn 3 underneath Cook and Logue soon roared past Cook (# 77 Trans All Motors – 327 Chev) down the back straight on the 6th lap. Barker marched on to win from Logue, Cook, Painter, Andrew Hughes, Shane Fisher, Rob Hunter and Mark Fitzpatrick (# 96 Pro- Ma Performance Products – 330ci Chev).

Siely and Jones began heat two on the front row and Siely began the better of the two as he led lap one from Jones, Cook and Logue (# 6 Morwell Cheap Tyres – 337ci Ford).  Jones worked hard to get past and by lap 3 managed to get the lead and scoot away. Logue wound up and moved ahead of Cook on the back straight on lap 6 before passing Siely in turn 2 on lap 7. Jones was too far in front and went on to win by some distance from Logue, Siely, Cook, Barker, Rod Bowman and Fisher. After two races new club member Ken Hutchins (# 49 Modern Stainless Steel – Chev 327ci) hadn’t finished either of his first two heats as he tried to work out mechanical issues in the engine bay.

Heat 3 started messy with a couple restarts before Painter blew a motor. It was only on the fourth restart that the field really got going with Jones leading the ‘Hughes Plant Machinery’ 336ci Chev of Hughes and Barker. Cook was showing strong form and passed Barker on the back straight then pole sitter Hughes who dropped back allowing Barker to pass him also, Jones took his second heat win from Cook, Barker, Hughes and Bairnsdale race driver Bowman driving the # 35 WestPoint Motor Company 330ci Chev.

The final qualifying heat gave the front row of Fisher (# 12 Sheppard’s Smash Repairs – 331ci Ford) and Hunter and from back in the pack in 6th spot Jones quickly assumed command of the field leading Logue and Hughes. Jones and Logue cleared away from the pack by some distance ahead of Hughes, Fisher and Bowman before Hughes spun and rejoined the field at the back of the pack without causing a stoppage. Bowman and Siely pushed forward and whilst the leaders were long gone they enjoyed their own stoush. Jones took the win with Logue, Bowman, Siely, Fisher, Hughes and Hunter (Hennessey Transport # 88 327 Chev) rounding out the field.

The grid lined up for the feature with Jones, Logue, Barker, Cook, Bowman, Hughes, Fisher, Siely (EastCoast Plumbtec # 87 327 Chev), Hunter and Allan Pitcher hitting the race track and Hutchins, Painter and Fitzpatrick all missing out due various mechanical concerns with their cars. When the green dropped lap one was dominated by Jones with Logue, Barker and Cook in tow. Pitcher who himself had been having engine issues that stopped him from completing any heat race pulled out of the feature on lap 2. By lap 4 Jones was pulling away from the field whilst Siely started to swave a path through the field.

Fisher spun and on the same lap Logue pulled infield leaving Barker in second and Cook, Siely and Hunter behind him. Towards the end of the race the guys at the back of the field started to shuffle around whilst Hughes just couldn’t get his car firing and languished at the tail of the field. With two laps to go Barker came out of turn four and collected the concrete wall with a decent clout. Enough of a clout that the ambulance took him for observation at the hospital. The race was declared and Jones announced as the winner with Siely, Cook, Bowman, Hunter, Fisher and Hughes all completing the race.

After the race Jones spoke about the win. “I’m really pleased with the effort of the whole team tonight, We won all 3 heats and the final and that’s a stark contrast to the roll-over we suffered last time we were here. To Barker I hope that he is ok and back at the track next meeting and to Siely and Cook it is great to see you both in podium positions, well done. We have some big events now with the SRA (Sprintcar Racers Association) in Melbourne to get through but look forward to being back soon to race against the guys here.”

Top five in the series points currently sits at Logue, Hughes, Jones, Bowman and Barker.

This season the VSC Sprintcars thank their current supporters including association point score sponsors:

Supaspray Smash Repairs – Dandenong

Westpoint Motor Company – Bairnsdale

Hennessy Transport – Langwarrin

Associate sponsors include:

Dennis Jones Engineering

Lucas Oil Products

Moe Engines

Victory Lane Racegear

Market Street Automotive

Torque gas

M & JM Cook Concreting

Trans All Motors

Modern Stainless Fabrications

U Pick Wreckers

Written By

Dean Thompson

VSC Sprintcar Media Rep

dmtmedia@speedway.net.au