LISMORE SPEEDWAY: MARCUS DUMESNY IS $10,000 RICHER AFTER LIL’ AUSSIE OPEN WIN 

Media release by: Dennis Newlyn.

Feature photo by: Tony Powell…Lil’ Aussie Open winner Marcus Dumesny (centre) pictured with runner-up Harry Stewart (left) and third-placed Luke Oldfield.

Marcus Dumesny’s 410 Sprintcar victory in the $10,000-to-win Lil’ Aussie Open at Castrol Lismore Speedway, Wednesday January 8, carried greater significance than just getting to the chequered flag first.

It was a personal triumph over back injuries that stalled his career with a stint on the sidelines which also put his seasonal campaigns on hold for sometime – in fact his last victory was the New South Wales Sprintcar Championship on April 1, 2023 at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Speedway.

Back in Victory Lane for the first time in close to two years, an elated Marcus Dumesny summed it best with just a few words:  “It’s been a long road back.”

Dumesny showed all his familiar speed , typified when he put down the fastest lap of the Lil’ Aussie Open at mid-distance with a time of 11.309 seconds for a speed of 127.332 km/h around the tight confines of the Lismore Showground bull ring.

Harry Stewart filled the runner-up position on the podium, while the drive of the night came from Luke Oldfield who started from the back and charged from position 17 into third position!

Late afternoon – early evening rain delayed the start of the meeting, watched by a big crowd including City of Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg.

Several attempts were made to get the first lap of the main event completed in incidents that took out one of the pre-race favourites Alex Attard.

When the 25-lap feature settled down, Dumesny commanded the role of pacemaker, chased hard by Stewart, while Mitch Randell was right with Stewart.

Further into the race, Brodie Davis gained ground on Randall. Randall became one of the hard luck stories of the race when he rode a wheel and crashed into the fence with 18 laps remaining.

Oldfield was a man on the move as he threaded his way through the field. American Andy Pake ran in fifth as Oldfield loomed into contention. Oldfield passed Pake, then Mitch Gowland in a superb drive into the top three.

It was not an easy night for Oldfield who had an incident in an earlier heat and finished in the fence. Without a heat result it meant he started at the back in the feature race and what followed from Oldfield was one of the highlights of the night.

The top ten finishing order was Marcus Dumesny, Harry Stewart, Luke Oldfield, Mitch Gowland, Andy Pake, Callum Walker, Nash Morris, Tony Bridge, Daniel Bridge and Bradi Owen.

Heat wins went to Dumesny and Stewart.

The main focus of the pre-meeting publicity and mainstream media coverage was the appearance of Americans Pake and Chase Randall. However Randall was an unfortunate late withdrawal from the fixture.

Other feature race winners on what was a very successful and entertaining night of racing were Jacob Jolley (LS 360 Sprintcars),  Matt O’Neill (Compact Speedcars), Lindsay Clapham (Production Sedans) and Mitchell Haynes (Wingless Sprints).