ABREU AND GOODYER CLAIM BOXING DAY SPOILS ACROSS AUSTRALIA

Feature photo: Rico Abreu 24 – Richard Hathaway Photography

 December 26, 2023

Two-time Chili Bowl Champion, Rico Abreu has convincingly claimed round one of the USA vs WA Sprintcar Speedweek at the Perth Motorplex, while reigning Australian Sprintcar Champion Jock Goodyer secured the opening night of the SA/VIC Sprintcar Speedweek at Murray Bridge Speedway.

Abreu had only seen the Perth Motorplex facility as he arrived on raceday and was full of praise for Australian fans and the venue, labelling the experience as “something really special.”

“You see so much passion in the racefans here and that’s why I really made a point to come here to Perth to one of the most beautiful facilities in the world. The atmosphere is something really special, and I’m really going to enjoy bringing this home to my family and telling them all about it.”

Geraldton based star Callum Williamson made a stunning return to racing, qualifying quickest along with a heat race win and Dash win to qualify him on pole position for the 30 lap Main event.

Gold Coaster Luke Oldfield shared the front row with Williamson and was completely unintimidated from the outset, leading the first ten circuits convincingly before Kye Scroop turned hard left on the exit of turn four to drive straight into the path of an innocent Jason Pryde who flipped violently down the front straight. Pryde exited the vehicle unharmed but confessed to likely having to build a new car to return for the second round on Thursday.

The restart triggered an amazing run of position changes as Americans Rico Abreu and Brock Zearfoss sparred with Willamson before Jason Kendrick’s early retirement caused a caution, regrouping the field and erasing Oldfield’s lead.

Meanwhile, Californian Cory Eliason had leaped from 21^st to 8^th by half race distance, and on the restart, Abreu stole the top spot from Oldfield and opened up a ten-car-length lead before glancing the wall to avoid a spinning Ken Sartori with just 9 laps remaining.

The close call wasn’t enough to bother Abreu however, surviving another caution plus the added relief of Oldfield retiring with just five laps remaining, opening the door for Williamson to claim the runner up spot and Kaiden Manders to hold down third after also winning the Speedcar main event. Brock Zearfoss collected fourth place ahead of Eliason who emphatically sealed the Hard Charger award climbing the order to fifth.

                          Jock Goodyer A1 – Picko’s Photos

Meanwhile at Murray Bridge, Jock Goodyer resumed his seemingly stressless racing style to dominate the first round of the SA-VIC Sprintcar Speedweek.

Goodyer started the night qualifying third quickest overall behind Luke Dillon and Texan Chase Randall, before registering a runner up finish in his heat and third in the A-Shootout, to secure the third spot on the grid for the Main Event.

Nineteen-year-old Randall shared the front row with fellow countryman Aaron Reutzel with the Americans keeping a solid hold of the first two positions before Goodyer displaced Reutzel who would later fade to sixth with suspected tyre pressure issues.

Randall seemed unstoppable until he crept up on the tail of the field, where a broken rear-end for Keke Falland forced Randall to swerve to but was unable to avoid him.

Randall pressed on regardless, however the contact had unknowingly cut down his right-front tyre, causing him to cartwheel into a heart-stopping crash as he attempted his corner entry.

With Randall out but unharmed, Goodyer would inherit the lead and hold on to win ahead of Lockie McHugh and Luke Dillon.

“The team at Murray Bridge did a great job to get the show in with the weather in the lead up, so the track was hooky and fast like as you’d expect, but probably more racey than we thought which was great. But I just got to sit in third for the first 15 laps and then got past Aaron before Chase crashed out, so we’re just happy to start the series well and are looking forward to tomorrow night.”

The VIC-SA Sprintcar Speedweek continues with the second night at Murray Bridge on Wednesday night streamed on the ClayPerView platform before travelling to Bordertown for the next round on Thursday, while five-time World of Outlaws Champion Brad Sweet will join the USA v WA Speedweek series for the next round also on Thursday night, broadcast live on 7plus.