ANTHONY BEARE WINS DRAMATIC NATIONAL TITLE

Official Release – March 5, 2023

Mount Gambier’s Anthony Beare has claimed a record seventh Speedway Sedans Australia National Street Stock Championship at Bunbury Speedway in Western Australia after a dramatic and controversial ending to the title..

Western Australian Jamie Oldfield crossed the line first at the end of the forty laps after making a last lap, last corner pass on Beare.

The two would make contact in the final corner with Oldfield relegated two positions after the race to be officially third.

It would be what happened after the chequered flag that was the major talking point, as Beare and Oldfield drove into each other on the back straight with Oldfield rolling his Holden Commodore in turn three.

Both drivers emerged from their damaged race cars with Oldfield and Beare showing discontent for each other as their cars were eventually brought to the front straight for presentations.

The second night of the 2023 SSA Inc National Street Stock Championship presented by East Pilbara Tyre Service commenced in front of a big Sunday night crowd as one hundred and four cars returned for the second night of competition.

Northern Territory’s Jack Yates bounced back from a disappointing opening night to win heat thirty one from Jace Kempton and a smoking Bradley Roberts.

Two Time National Champion Mick Hamon wrapped up a second row starting position for the A Main with a win in heat thirty two as Kalgoorlie pair Jack Barnewall and Hamish Macalpine rounded out the top three.

South Australian Champion Bailey Heinrich moved from position nine to win heat thirty three as he drove around the outside of both Clint Hadley and David Fall.

Victorian Ricky Cornwall led all the way in heat thirty four after starting on the front row with Warren Oldfield second and Western Australian Champion Damon Lyall officially third.

Lenny Bates hit the lead on lap two of heat thirty five to claim victory but not before Josh Stewart found the concrete wall heavily in pits corner after contact with Matt Hammond.

The thirty six points belonged to Bates as Morris Ahearn and Justin Brumfield rounded out the top three.

Victorian Mick Dann lead all the way in heat thirty six as Jack Favero finished second from Zane Humphrys and Jayden Blomeley.

Heat Thirty Seven was the domain of South Australian Sam Brumfield as he lead all ten laps from Andy Maxwell Jnr, with Jamie Oldfield moving from position nine to finish third.

The third last heat of the weekend saw Craig Clayton and James Hunt together with both drivers from the Pilbara region of Western Australia out of the race with suspension damage after contact on lap one.

Victorian Champion Matt Nelson would lead all the way to take the thirty six points with Clayton Blee second from Alex Williams third with just seven cars finishing the race.

Jake Hoath had the local Western Australian crowd cheering in heat thirty nine as he drove around the outside of Anthony Beare to take the victory with Shane Roycroft officially third.

The 2018 Western Australian Champion Hayden Norman led all ten laps in the final heat race to claim pole position for the forty lap decider.

Josh Martinelli and Josh Stewart both advanced out of the first C Main as the race was plagued with stoppages in the second half of the event as Bradley Oldfield stole the second C main victory from Kryan Bridges in the final laps.

Just eight cars completed the distance in the first of the B Mains as early race leader Lenny Bates succumbed to a flat tyre on lap eight.

Trent Lyall claimed victory as both Zane Humphrys and Ricky Cornwall transferred into the national title.

The weekend for Matt Hammond was over on lap five of the second B Main as he found the concrete wall on the back straight.

Eighteen year old Kayne Dellar claimed the win but not before Matt Nelson slowed on the main straight with two laps remaining which also ended the chances of Linton Dickerson at the same time.

Kayne Dellar, Northern Territory champion Justin Brumfield and Jack Barnewall all advanced into the main event.

The twenty two finalists paraded four wide for the crowd on hand who witnessed a memorable forty lap main event in Bunbury.

Hayden Norman and reigning National Champion Anthony Beare shared the front row for the finale with Beare taking the lead in the early stages.

Fourth starting Jamie Oldfield was soon into third as both Norman and Oldfield began to mount a challenge on the race leader.

The top three cleared out from the rest of the field in the first ten laps as Mick Dann and a smoking Shane Roycroft rounded out the top five.

Oldfield hit the lead on lap eighteen as Dann began to slow on the top side of the race track bringing the yellows light on for the first time as the race hit the midway point.

Hayden Norman’s race was over at the same point as the TLC Contracting Ford Falcon headed infield with damaged steering with Ethan Genev, Shane Roycroft and Jayden Blomeley also retiring on lap twenty.

After the re-start Oldfield and Beare cleared away from the field as Mick Hamon found himself in third place from tenth starting Ben Norman and Jack Barnewall who started in position twenty two.

Hamon slowed on the back straight on lap thirty two with Kayne Dellar unfortunately running into the back end of the stricken Hamon Tyre & Exhaust Holden Commodore.

The race ended for Dellar and Hamon setting up an eight lap run to the chequered flag with Oldfield still the leader.

Oldfield and Beare, with eight national titles between them prior to the 2023 event, would again clear out from the field and run side by side in what would be another classic battle between two of the all time greats of Australian Street Stock racing.

The lead changed on lap thirty seven as Beare took back the front running from Oldfield leaving Ben Norman with third place all to himself.

Anthony Beare greeted the white flag with Oldfield right on his tail as the two headed off into turn one for the final time.

Heading into the final corner Oldfield would have a big lunge on the inside of Beare with the two making contact on the exit of the final corner.

Oldfield crossed the line first from Beare, Ben Norman, Jack Barnewall and Ricky Cornwall in the top five.

After the race is when the fireworks really began as Oldfield and Beare began to retaliate with one another before Oldfield would roll in turn three.

A lengthy deliberation then occurred between the stewards of the race meeting with Jamie Oldfield relegated two positions.

South Aussie Beare became the National Street Stock Champion for the seventh time as he emerged from his damaged race car to a mixed reception from the home state crowd.

Ben Norman would be officially second in what was a remarkable performance from the driver of the Prestige Installations Ford Falcon.

A obviously dejected Jamie Oldfield was disappointed with the result but still thanked his sponsors and car owners Luke & Rose Novel for the opportunity to race for their team in the event.

Anthony Beare acknowledged his backers and supporters over the course of his racing career as he continues to mount a claim as one of the all time greats of Australian Speedway.

OFFICIAL RESULT OF THE 2023 SSA INC NATIONAL STREET STOCK TITLE PRESENTED BY EAST PILBARA TYRE SERVICE

A Main, 40 Laps- 1. S46 Anthony Beare, 2. W66 Ben Norman, 3. W0 Jamie Oldfield, 4. WA16 Jack Barnewall, 5. V15 Ricky Cornwall, 6. S32 Steve Gartner, 7. W29 Jake Hoath, 8. W39 Zane Humphrys, 9. W2 Shane Whild, 10. S86 Bailey Heinrich (39), 11. NT5 Justin Brumfield (39). DNF: WA7 Mick Hamon (32), WA9 Kayne Dellar (32), V4 Morris Ahearn (28), W3 Trent Lyall (22), S132 Andy Maxwell Jnr (21), V62 Jayden Blomeley (20), W4 Ethan Genev (20), V23 Mick Dann (20), W6 Hayden Norman (20), V82 Shane Roycroft (16), W27 Damon Lyall (6). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: Fastest Lap: 20.999 W0 Jamie Oldfield.