Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe

Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe
Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:44 - Last Updated Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:57
Written by Martin Agatyn (Tas-Link Media Services)
Images (C) Angryman Photography
Late race pile-ups changed the complexion of the two major events on last night’s speedway
programme at the Bendigo Bank Arena at Latrobe.
Both the Gowans Motor Group Sprintcar Classic and the Tasmanian Modified Production Sedan
Championship handed victory to surprised winners after the leaders crashed out almost within
sight of the chequered flag.
In the Gowans Motor Group Sprintcar Classic, victory went to reigning Tasmanian champion
Jason Redpath, of Moriarty, who was in fourth place with two laps to go.
Redpath has initially qualified on grid four but slotted into third place early in the race and a
battle with his brother Adrian Redpath, of Latrobe.
Top qualifier, former four-times State champion and former Devonport racer, David Murcott,
now of Melbourne, qualified on pole position for the 35-lap final, with Hobart’s Shaun Dobson
joining him on the front row.
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Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe
Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:44 - Last Updated Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:57
However, Dobson was deemed to have jumped the start by officials and sent to the rear for a
re-start.
This elevated Jason Redpath to the front row, but Murcott blasted away at the start, followed by
Adrian Redpath, who had qualified third and started directly behind him.
Jason Redpath wrestled second place from his brother on lap nine, only to be baulked by
lapped traffic on the same lap with Adrian taking the spot back and then the lead as Murcott
also spun in lapped traffic on the same lap.
Meanwhile, Dobson was on a charge from the rear and rounded up Jason Redpath on lap 19,
followed shortly afterwards by Murcott, who had also recovered well.
With two laps to go, Adrian Redpath seemed assured of victory, but he tangled with the lapped
car of Victorian James Hennessey, resulting in a four-car pile-up which also bought Dobson and
Murcott unstuck.
While Hennessey, Murcott and Dobson all retired their damaged cars to the infield, Adrian
Redpath was able to re-start, but had to do so from the rear of the grid for being involved in the
stoppage.
This elevated his surprised brother to the coveted number one spot with two laps to run, with
Jason Redpath making the most of his opportunity to claim the victory.
Devonport’s Curt Smith was also able to avoid the carnage and finished second after starting
from grid 10, with former State champion “Tornado” Tim Hutchins, of Sassafras, also having a
clean run in the final to finish third after starting from grid 15 as a result of dramas in his heats.
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Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe
Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:44 - Last Updated Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:57
It was a similar story in the Tasmanian Modified Production Sedan Championship, which was
won by Launceston’s Jake Taurian.
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Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe
Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:44 - Last Updated Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:57
Taurian started from grid seven in the final, but had steadily worked his way up to third in the
late stages of the 20-lap final.
Former six-times champion Craig Williams, qualified his Ford Falcon on pole position for the
final, with fellow Northerner Trent Quillerat, getting a better start from the outside of the front
row to take the early lead in his Falcon.
Quillerat opened a gap and looked set for victory until the right rear wheel of his Falcon parted
company with the car, ending his title hopes.
Williams took over the lead for the re-start and also looked well on the way for his seventh State
title.
However, Hobart’s Luke Gunn had other ideas and started to close down the gap in the dying
stages, challenging for the lead with three laps to go.
However, the pair came un-stuck in lapped traffic, sending Williams into a wild rollover, with
Gunn and the lapped car of Mark Rowlands also damaged and unable to continue.
This elevated Taurian’s Holden Commodore to the lead for the re-start with the youngster
untroubled in the remaining three laps to lead the depleted field to the chequered flag.
Paul Quillerat (Trent’s brother) regained some honour for the family by finishing second in his
Falcon, with former junior sedan driver and rookie modified production racer Brodie Piper
claiming a well-deserved third place in his Mitsubishi Magna.
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Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe
Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:44 - Last Updated Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:57
On
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re-start,
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Late crashes mar feature speedway events at Latrobe
Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:44 - Last Updated Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:57
RESULTS
–
Gowans
Heat
two:
Motor
T
Austin,
1;
Sprintcar
Jfinal
lG
Classic
–
Heat
one:
KHeat
Luttrell,
1;
S
Dobson,
2;
A
3.
Lee,
1;
Austin,
Murcott,
seven:
T
Hutchins,
2;
J3.
J3.
1;
Hennessey,
Redpath,
3.
Friday
J2;
Final
Redpath,
2;
night
J(35
Bricknell,
3.
1;
Heat
laps):
2;
S
Hoekstra,
three:
B
Dobson,
(20
Redpath,
Friday
laps):
JC
Hennessey,
3.
2;
night
Heat
S
J1;
Bricknell,
Dobson,
CKelly,
final
Smith,
six:
1;
A
Redpath,
(20
3.
Redpath,
1;
2;
TJackson,
laps):
Redpath,
Hutchins,
eight:
2;
1;
D
C
Murcott,
JQuillerat,
S
Bricknell,
Smith,
2;
3.
Robbins,
Lee,
1;
3.
2;
3.
Redpath,
1;
JHeat
Lee,
D
four:
Murcott,
five:
3.
D
2;
Heat
Murcott,
D
Tonly)
2;
A
Formula
Redpath,
500s
2;
M
B
-3.
Whitchurch,
Kelly,
Peter
Redpath
2;
N
Memorial
Kingston,
Elaps):
Dobson,
(Friday
3.
1;
N
night)
Kingston,
–Taurian,
Heat
2;
one:
M
Kelly,
BJE
3.
Final
(20
1;
laps):
M
Saturday
Broomhall,
night
K
-Group
Kelly,
Heat
one:
3.
Final
M
Kelly,
(15
1;
M
Dobson,
1;
2;
B
B
Whitchurch,
3.
Heat
2;
Dobson,
two:
B
Whitchurch,
3.Redpath,
1;A
Tasmanian
Price,
Quillerat,
2;1;
C
1;
Williams,
Modified
L
Gunn,
3.
2;
Production
Heat
Csixes,
Williams,
two:
Championship
3.
Williams,
Final
(30
1;
laps):
(Saturday
J–
Taurian,
JA
night
2;
T
only)
1;
P
Quillerat,
–Whitchurch,
Heat
Heat
2;
three:
B
J1;
Piper,
Howe,
T
3.
1;
JJ–
King
Briggs,
2;
DAMCAs
Sonners,
of
Latrobe
Heat
two:
(Tassie
C
Briggs,
1;
Friday
B
Price,
night
2;
only)
M
Cleary,
Heat
3.
one:
Final
M
(15
Cleary,
laps):
1;
C3.
D
Briggs,
Sonners,
1;
M
2;
Cleary,
C
Central
Heat
3.
Stephens,
Heat
one:
and
three:
A2;
Phoenix
Gilbert,
JRiley,
N
Crossin,
Russell,
1;
Steel
J2;
3.
Stephens,
1;
Junior
LJ3.
Saltmarsh,
Sedan
2;
JE
Crossin,
Championship
2;
N
Penno,
3.
Heat
3.
series
Final
two:
A
(15
Gilbert,
laps):
14,
1;
A
Saturday
Gilbert,
JJHeat
Crossin,
night
JM
2;
H
Croft,
V8
Ryder,
L
(Friday
Piper,
2;
night
R
Bassett,
only)
–
3.
Heat
Final
one:
J3.
laps):
Smith,
JAtkinson,
1;
Smith,
A
Bassett,
1;
M
Graham,
2;
2;
A
Ryder,
3.
Heat
3.
two:
Wingless
sprints H
McBain,
1;
C
Breen,
(Friday
night
T
Watson,
3.
–
Heat
Final
one:
(15
laps):
TBreitkopf,
Watson,
Breen,
1;
B
1;
Herbert,
B
Herbert,
Jone:
Rolls,
2;
T
Watson,
3.
Heat
3.
two:
Street
Riley
Jr,
R
stock
Riley,
1;
R
sedans
1;
TBakes,
Auton,
2;
(Friday)
A
Cooper,
–
JHeat
Riley,
Heat
3.
Heat
one:
3.
three:
A
Cooper,
M
1;
C
Bauld,
J(round
2;
Riley,
J1;
Sylvester,
2;
T
3.
Heat
3.
Final
two:
(15
D
Saturday
Williams,
laps):
J
Sylvester,
2;
Heat
A
Plumbridge,
one:
1;
C
A3.
Bauld,
Cooper,
3.
2;
1;
A
D
three:
Cooper,
Croft,
C
2;
Bauld,
3.
M
Atkinson,
1;
G
Kubsch,
3.
Heat
2;
two:
JM
Sylvester,
Jand
Sylvester,
3.
Final
1;
LTy
(20
Sidecars
Bakes,
Whish-Wilson,
Broomhall
(Saturday
M
and
Munday
2;
D
R
Waters
night
and
2.
only)
K2;
Heat
and
Whish-Wilson,
–only)
JM
Heat
three:
Sheahan,
one:
N(15
Broomhall
R
3.
Heat
Waters
Final
two:
(4
and
and
laps):
R
D
JBianca
Waters
Bakes,
Sheahan,
R
Waters
and
M
1;
JGraham,
Munday
Sheahan,
N
Broomhall
J1;
Sheahan,
and
1;
K
and
1;
D
N
Speedway
karts
(Saturday
night
only)
–
Heat
one:
Ben
Boun,
1;
Bianca
Boun,
B
Tyler,
3. at
Heat
Brooks,
2;
1;
3.
two:
K
125cc
Scott,
four:
J2;
3.
Claridge,
final
Tim
Heat
3;
2;
Heat
Z
(10
Auton,
Scott,
six:
laps):
1;
eight:
S
Tim
1;
Crack,
Tim
Modified
R
Tim
Auton,
Aitken,
Auton,
1;
Auton,
2;
clubman
2;
Jordan,
M
1;
1;
R
Jordan,
R
Chatwin,
R
Aitken,
Chatwin,
2;
final
Joe
3.
(10
2;
Heat
3.
R
2;
Heat
laps):
Chatwin,
R
three:
Aitken,
five:
3.
Ty
Bianca
3.
Heat
3.
Auton,
Boun,
Junior
seven:
Boun,
1;
1;
final
KM
JAuton,
Tyler,
Beard,
Jordan,
(8
J2;
Bryan,
laps):
2;
1;
KN
2;
Scott,
Z
2;
CScott,
Auton,
D
Abel,
He
3.
6/6