O’BRIEN AND TAYLOR: BIG WINNERS AT ALEXANDRA SPEEDWAY

Feature Photo:  Derby winner Shane O’Brien. Photo by: Vern Parker Photography.

By Dean Thompson (DMT Sports Media) . . .. . . for Alexandra and District Speedway Club

Shane O’Brien and Mark Taylor each collected their biggest career victories when they won the ‘Foodworks 100 Lap Derby’ for Open Sedans and the ‘Mick Corbett Memorial’ for Crash and Bash cars respectively at Alexandra Speedway on the weekend (August 6-7).

Defeating over seventy competitors, O’Brien came out on top after a terrific three-way battle between himself, Andrew Jordan and Steve Kershaw that lasted most of the second half of the race. Taylor was consistent in the Corbett Memorial, coming from last spot.

In the derby race, O’Brien qualified in the top half of the starting line-up for the feature event although Damien Miller was the best of all in qualifying winning all three of his heat races to claim pole position. Miller top qualified in front of Healesville racer David Donegan, Darren Nelson, Daniel Scott, defending champion Lennie Bonnici, Peter Cox, Jordan, Josh Service and Frank Ramsdale, with O’Brien back in thirteenth starting spot.

Things didn’t go all Team O’Brien’s way with his brother Nathan involved in a crash as competitors headed into turn one on lap one ending his race right there. Then on lap twelve defending champion and brother-in-law to the O’Brien boys Bonnici crashed in almost the exact same spot right in front of team supporters whilst Daniel Scott, who raced in Darwin in a Sprintcar the weekend prior and is flying back to race in a Sprintcar in Darwin, this weekend also had his derby cut short in his purpose-built chassis car.

Donegan took the lead from Miller around lap thirteen for a short time before Miller assumed the lead again. O’Brien himself had moved into fifth spot at the twenty third lap stage of the race just as Miller left the track and did not return, handing the lead back to Donegan who led Jordan and Nelson.

Before lap thirty, O’Brien moved to third spot in a tussle with Brad Warren where the two exchanged spots more than once. Jordan took the lead at lap thirty-nine from Donegan and nearing the halfway mark the two spots changed around. It was at this point of the race that Donegan suffered mechanical damage, slipped back and out of the race as O’Brien slotted in behind Jordan.

Steve Kershaw put himself into the thick of the action as Jordan, Kershaw and O’Brien swapped the top three spots around for several laps. Kershaw and Jordan held down the lead position until O’Brien took the front running for the first time on lap ninety-three and did not hold back or look behind. O’Brien went on to add his name to the prestigious win list of the 100 Lap Derby defeating Jordan, Joel Andrews, Kershaw and Gareth Wilson.

O’Brien was understandably ecstatic at the race competition. “What a feeling this is,” he beamed. “You never count yourself out because you never know what will happen in these endurance races, but I am lost for words right now.

“What a battle with Jordy (Jordan) and Curly (Kershaw). I am so proud of my team, my family for all their support and efforts to make this happen with me and share it with me,” added O’Brien.

Damien Miller, the top qualifier, managed to complete the fastest ever Sports Sedan lap through the dog-leg circuit during the evening and set a new one lap time of 31.704 seconds.

In the sixty-eight lap Crash and Bash Mick Corbett Memorial event for a class that allows restricted contact, Mark Taylor began the race in dead-last spot. Jackson Basten qualified in top spot after three heat races for each competitor with Brad Trainer, Shane Roycroft, Daniel Williams, Matthew Haby, Rob Bushell, Mark Hebblethwaite, Russell Hill, Craig Claridge, and Nathan Taylor the top ten starters out of approximately thirty in the line-up.

After a hectic start to the race, Trainor, who is the class champion driver for the past season, was the first driver to exit the race on lap one with damage. Rob Bushell led Basten and Roycroft at the ten-lap mark of the race with fancied racer Jason Judd way back in the field.

On lap thirteen a huge front straight incident, with Nathan Taylor slamming into the back of Matthew Haby caving in the rear of the car as far as the back seat, ended the race for Haby and Nathan Taylor whilst Mark Taylor had moved to eleventh spot.

Bushell slipped down the field as they neared twenty laps and Roycroft led Hill and Basten before a whole bunch of cars, through damage or breakdown, left the race that included Hill and Claridge. Jaidyn Dredge became the new leader on lap eighteen and twenty laps later he was still at the front with Williams second, Peter Jenner third and Mark Taylor in fourth spot.

A few race incidents slowed the race with caution periods and during this period Williams took the race lead until he pitted and Taylor took control from lap forty-eight.

From there the only driver who could beat Taylor was either Ashley George or Taylor’s own race car failing. Neither occurred and Taylor went on to win by almost a complete circuit of the track from George, Daniel Kettels, Williams and Roycroft, whilst Taylor celebrated his victory on the back of a tilt tray when his car broke down after passing the chequered flag.

With the Corbett family in attendance to be a part of the first ever Mick Corbett Memorial and present the trophies, Taylor became the first holder of the perpetual trophy. “I do not know what to say. Winning this race after starting last, it being the first one, me being in a new car, it’s all a bit much to take in right now,” he said..

“I am very happy with winning, and I hope we all gave the Corbetts a great night to reflect on Michael,” shared Taylor.

Alexandra Speedway club returns to action in November when the 22/23 race season begins.

Alexandra & District Speedway Club thanks its terrific season supporters: Alexandra & Yea Pre-Mix; Alexandra Panels & Towing; Barca Trailers; Bendigo Bank; Campton Graphics; Donnaz Underground; Eastern Suburbs Locksmiths; Exhaust Fix Lilydale; Fallon’s Bus Services; Fineblade

Foodworks; Highline Racewear; Ismail’s Building & Construction; LS Quarry;Matthew & Sons Drilling Services; Metro Tow; Outer Eastern Steel; Raslarr Engineering; Revegetation Victoria; S&N Builders; Smooth Suspension; Town & Country Tennis Courts; Tyrepower Alexandra;

Waverley Exhaust & Brake Centre; Yenckens Hardware Alexandra.