GP MIDGETS AT TAMWORTH’S OAKBURN PARK

Feature photo by CH Images… Gary Bowyer (#5) and Adam Buckley (#67) at Tamworth.

Media release by Dean Thompson

In another first for the NSW Grand Prix Midget Racing Association, five GP Midgets made their way up to Tamworth’s Oakburn Park Speedway recently for a one-off race meeting, to do battle for a new event, the ‘Western Stampede.’ 

Gary Bowyer, Wally Kermond, Gavin Black, and Adam Buckley made the trip along with Bowyer’s ‘White Ant Racing’ loan and development car, which was made available to a local Karting racer, Michael Barnes to have a run and match himself up against the city Midget posse.

With $1,000 prize money up for grabs, courtesy of Club sponsor ‘Arjan Motors’ the action was always going to be furious even though there were no association points on offer.

The official line-up for the feature race went as followers, Kermond from pole position with Barnes the local alongside in a great opportunity for him to make the most of his guest drive. Black began off row two alone with the two state champions Bowyer and Buckley off the back of the field.

There was not going to be any time wasting at the start of the feature race with a $1,000 bounty on offer, and as expected Bowyer and Buckley both flew from the rear of the pack to the front on lap one. Black was having pushing issues with his steering and this was affecting his desire to keep pace with Bowyer and Buckley. Buckley’s (# 67 – Infinity Finance Solutions) race car seemed to be powering along better and was keeping pace with Bowyer who was holding a consistent thirty metre lead through the race.

Unfortunately, Kermond’s car did not make it out for the feature and then on lap eight, Barnes, who was in fourth at the time, encountered a broken front shock top mount and was called infield by the race stewards bringing on a yellow. The restart saw Bowyer lead from Buckley and Black with four laps to run. Buckley seemingly found some extra drive and began gaining ground on Bowyer and on the white flag lap, they both came up behind Black on the front straight.

Earlier in the night, Michael Barnes scored two heat wins, while the other was taken out by Gary Bower.