AVALON RACEWAY: TERRY BROWN ‘S MAIDEN VICTORY IN WALLY AINSKATIS MEMORIAL

By Dean Thompson DMT Sports Media for Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association.

All photos by: Rock Solid Productions (Shane Sharrock)

Feature photo: from left: Paul Perry, Terry Brown and Lochy Robotham.

Terry Brown chose one of the biggest events on the Grand Prix Midget calendar for his recent maiden feature race victory when he took out the Wally Ainskatis Memorial at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway.

Grand Prix Midget Victorian competitors arrived for their annual Avalon Raceway excursion for the Wally Ainskatis Memorial. Whilst the race has been held in Wally’s name is more recent times, the annual January event date has been long standing, drawing on the strong bond Avalon Raceway has with the GP Midgets. The class has, for many years, competed at the Lara venue with many of the champions of yesteryear, former Geelong residents.

The big event attracted eleven drivers on a night that was headlined by the Formula 500 Speedweek and was a showcase of open wheelers with four classes competing.

Alex Myers (Vic #11 – GSXR Suzuki – PBR Chassis) took out the opening heat from from Lochy Robotham with Chris Fowler in third.

Grid positions for heat race number two were reversed with Paul Perry and Brown leading the field away with Alex Myers, Johnny Rouse, Daniel Meredith, Chris Fowler, Lochy Robotham, Travis Florrimell, Matt Kamolins included in the ten starting spots.

Leading lap one of the second heat race, Brown beat Florrimell off the line with Fowler slotting into second spot then Florrimell, Kamolins, and Robotham who began well back in seventh.

The order from lap five was Fowler, Brown, Kamolins, Robotham and Perry (Vic #33 – Kawasaki ZX12 – Paul Perry GHC Chassis – GB Powder Coating), for the rest of the race that’s how the top five remained with Blackeby in sixth followed by Rouse, and Meredith.

A fifteen-lap feature race awaited the competitors for the Wally Anskaitis Memorial. Fowler had topped the qualifying and as the race is a Blue-Ribbon event, starting positions are based on qualifying. Brown started second then Robotham (Vic #50 – Yamaha R1 – HMJ Chassis – Pitstop Mowers), Kamolins, Blackeby, Rouse, Perry, Florrimell, Meredith and Ward. With Myers not starting due to sustained chassis damage in the crash in the second heat.

With the race underway the field was led back to the line by Fowler, Brown, Robotham, Kamolins, and Rouse (Vic #32 – GSX 1100 Suzuki – Stinger – JF Racing Team) with Blackeby passed by Rouse and Florrimell on lap one losing two spots. With a third of the race distance completed at lap five, the top five remained exactly the same as the end of lap one.

Perry started a move forward on lap six and by lap seven had passed Rouse into fifth spot. Soon after Ward (Vic #44 – Yamaha R1 – Appleton Chassis – McPhee Rodeo Co) left the race with fuel issues on lap nine. Kamolins pinched third from Robotham, albeit for two laps before position changed with Perry slotting into fourth in between Robotham and Kamolins on lap twelve.

On lap thirteen disaster struck the race leader Fowler as the chain dropped on the motorbike engine that his car is powered by. Meredith (Vic #8 – Suzuki 1000 – Stinger – Melton Bolts and Industrial Supplies) also exited the race with a piston catching fire.

Brown went on to secure his maiden Grand Prix Midget feature race victory with Perry coming through for second on the very last lap of the race as he passed Robotham who claimed third. Kamolins finished in fourth with Rouse, Florrimell and Blackeby rounding out the finishers. The race was ran green to chequered also with a race time of 4:05.761 Chris Fowler set the fastest one lap time of the night in the feature race at 15.671.

Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association supporters:
Stinger Chassis; Melton Bolts & Industrial Supplies; Automotive Super Balance; Pitstop Mowers;
DMT Speedway Media; Jackie & Vern Parker DVD & Photography; Napier Photography.