Post by magilla on Mar 8, 2009 13:18:11 GMT 12
Sydney speedcar star Mark Brown continued his successful season when he took out the 67th NSW Speedcar Championship at Lismore Speedway on Saturday night.
The race was one of the best in the long and illustrious history of the event as Brown led fellow Sydneysider – and defending titleholder – Nathan Smee and Perth's Dene McAllan to the chequered flag.
Brown, who previously took out the NSW Speedcar Championship in 2007, is enjoying one of his best-ever seasons in national speedcar racing. Last month he raced to victory in the time-honoured Australian Speedcar Grand Prix at Geelong's Avalon Raceway and also retained his Super Super Series national tournament crown.
“We are certainly enjoying this season, it has been very good for us and it was great to win the state title,” Brown said from Victory Lane.
Hard luck man of the night was Kiwi Stevie Walsh who entered the championship a hot favourite after dominating the earlier events.
His heat race victories were followed up with success in the pole shuffle which determined the upfront starting positions in the final.
Walsh and Brown figured in an exciting battle in the early laps of the 30-lap title final.
Walsh was the early leader before Brown took over the front running after a yellow light caution period.
Then Walsh regained the lead with a spectacular outside pass as the race settled down to a thrilling battle between the two front runners.
It all came to an unfortunate end in the latter stages for Walsh after he spun in turn four.
With that incident, his title chances vanished.
The 2008 state champion Smee also came into calculations during the middle stages of the race and worked his way up to third before Walsh exited the event.
With only five laps remaining Smee chased hard after Brown, while further back McAllan moved into third with a good pass on Queensland's Brendan Palmer.
Brown raced to the chequered flag to win the 67th NSW Speedcar Championship – ironically in a car numbered 67 from the Sydney-based Mike Rinkin Racing Team.
While Smee lost his crown, he went down fighting and was a creditable runner-up, while WA's McAllan drove to an impressive third placing.
The race was one of the best in the long and illustrious history of the event as Brown led fellow Sydneysider – and defending titleholder – Nathan Smee and Perth's Dene McAllan to the chequered flag.
Brown, who previously took out the NSW Speedcar Championship in 2007, is enjoying one of his best-ever seasons in national speedcar racing. Last month he raced to victory in the time-honoured Australian Speedcar Grand Prix at Geelong's Avalon Raceway and also retained his Super Super Series national tournament crown.
“We are certainly enjoying this season, it has been very good for us and it was great to win the state title,” Brown said from Victory Lane.
Hard luck man of the night was Kiwi Stevie Walsh who entered the championship a hot favourite after dominating the earlier events.
His heat race victories were followed up with success in the pole shuffle which determined the upfront starting positions in the final.
Walsh and Brown figured in an exciting battle in the early laps of the 30-lap title final.
Walsh was the early leader before Brown took over the front running after a yellow light caution period.
Then Walsh regained the lead with a spectacular outside pass as the race settled down to a thrilling battle between the two front runners.
It all came to an unfortunate end in the latter stages for Walsh after he spun in turn four.
With that incident, his title chances vanished.
The 2008 state champion Smee also came into calculations during the middle stages of the race and worked his way up to third before Walsh exited the event.
With only five laps remaining Smee chased hard after Brown, while further back McAllan moved into third with a good pass on Queensland's Brendan Palmer.
Brown raced to the chequered flag to win the 67th NSW Speedcar Championship – ironically in a car numbered 67 from the Sydney-based Mike Rinkin Racing Team.
While Smee lost his crown, he went down fighting and was a creditable runner-up, while WA's McAllan drove to an impressive third placing.
