LEA IS LAKE LIDDELL GP MIDGET WINNER

Feature photo by: Tony’s Fotos…Tyler Lee (#9) PICTURED WITH Riley Bowyer

Grand Prix Midget star Anthony Lea watched as a proud father when his sixteen-year-old son Tyler won the opening round of the Gulf Western Oil Series at Lake Liddell Speedbowl (NSW).

The GP Midget club made its first appearance at the venue, watched by a big crowd.

After Riley Bowyer and Adam Buckley were the respective heat winners, a twenty-lap feature event closed out the day’s racing with highest point scorers starting from the rear of the field in line with club rules. Once again Andrew Walkerden began from pole position with Tyler Lea, Allan Black, Gary Bowyer, Riley Bowyer and Buckley.

The track became slicker at both ends and set up was going to be crucial to get drive for passing. Unfortunately for Walkerden, his car popped a clutch cable while entering the track for the final after it looked like the battery issues were resolved with a new backup power supply.

This was just really hard luck for Walkerden (NSW # 25 – White Ant Racing), who was loving the chance to get out and have a skid in a Grand Prix Midget in competition for the first time. Walkerden’s misfortune meant that Lea and Bowyer Jnr would form up on the front row of the start grid, with Black and Buckley off row two and Bowyer Snr on his own off the rear row, according to the track stewards’ instructions.

The green flag waved the field off and this saw Bowyer Jnr take an early lead on the high line, from Lea in second, followed by Buckley who was also taking his chances up high. Black settled into fourth with Bowyer Snr at the rear in fifth. The next five laps saw no change in the order, with Bowyer Snr taking fourth position away from Black at the end of lap five.

Bowyer Jnr continued up front in the lead while running high on the fence, while Lea continued to persevere down low in second closely watched in third place by Buckley who at this moment also moved down on the pole line. On lap eight after remaining patient, Lea moved ahead up the inside of Bowyer Jnr and three laps later, an equally patient Buckley also held the inside line to squeeze past Bowyer Jnr (NSW # 50 – White Ant Racing/Arjan Motors) to take second position through turn four on lap eleven.

The top four now, Lea, Buckley, Bowyer Jnr, and Bowyer Snr, then cleared out, racing tightly nose to tail, striving to gain any drive available from the track surface to make a move. On lap seventeen, the caution lights came on, then the red lights for race stoppage due to an unfortunate incident in the pits that required urgent medical assistance.

During a twenty-minute delay and whilst the Grand Prix Midgets sat on track, the commentary team had time to come out onto the track and interview race leader Tyler Lea, who thanked his dad, family, and everyone in the NSW GP Midget Club for giving him the opportunity to race.

Buckley (NSW # 67 – Shore Hire/Beesafe Travel) was also interviewed speaking about the club’s sponsors, Gulf Western Oil & Arjan Motors and also let the crowd and everyone watching on the free YouTube stream know that White Ant Racing has some Midgets available for hire.

Eventually the caution lights reappeared, engines fired up again and the field formed up for a single file restart with the order being Lea (NSW # 9 – White Ant Racing), Buckley, Bowyer Jnr, Bowyer Snr and Black. The green flag saw young Lea hold his nerve and his line for the remaining laps, with Buckley applying all the pressure he could to no avail. Lea passed the chequered flag in first place, followed by Buckley, Bowyer Jnr, Bowyer Snr and Black. Adam Buckley set the fastest lap time of the feature Race of 12.087 seconds.

Top Three from left:  Riley Bowyer, Tyler Lea and Adam Buckley (courtesy of Tony’s Fotos)

The New South Wales Grand Prix Midget Racing Association unanimously offer a huge thanks to Mitch Biner and the crew at Lake Liddell Speedbowl for providing the opportunity to compete.

Special thanks to New South Wales Grand Prix Midget Racing Association supporters;

Gulf Western Oil Arjan Motors, White Ant Racing, Beesafe Travel, AOK Trophies, West Sydney 4WD and Panther Prestige Smash Repairs.

Written by Adam Buckley from New South Wales Grand Prix Midget Racing Association

Edited and distributed by DMT Sports Media