HALLETT TAKES SECOND A-MAIN AT THE CREEK

Feature photo by: ZP Images

Media release by: Meg Van Lohuizen

Brock Hallett has claimed his second Sprintcar feature win at Eastern Creek Speedway in his first of the season after a dramatic 30-lap main event. Jock Goodyer led the opening portion of the race after starting in second while pole sitter Hallett had to settle in behind him with American favourite Carson Macedo in third. 

Kaidon Brown lost his right rear tyre early in the piece, ruling him out of the race. “We were really quick [at the start], so it’s a bit disappointing,” he said after the incident.

The battle for second intensified on the restart, but another caution put pressure on Hallett. Macedo slid underneath Hallett to move up to second, with Jackson Delamont gaining pace on the leaders. Delamont made a move on the inside to pick up third. 

A slide-job battle between the leaders put Macedo in front of Goodyer on lap 22 before a mechanical failure four laps later cost Goodyer second position. “I felt it breaking for a couple of laps… something in the front has let go,” he said after the crash. “We had good speed, just an unfortunate break there.” 

On the restart, Macedo stuck to the top of the track, but a good run from Delamont on the bottom put him in front. Macedo jumped the cushion when his right rear tyre exploded in turn three with three laps to go – also causing damage to the right panel of his top wing.

Hallett took advantage of Delamont’s inside line tactic, moving around the top to take the lead, before slamming the door shut on the bottom to block any counter moves by Delamont. “We broke the left rear shock about halfway through the race, so it was a bit of a pig of a thing to drive,” Hallett said after the race.

Hallett would hold on for the win ahead of Delamont, the winning margin just 0.877secs.“I knew how good Jackson was just running around the bottom and I knew I had to get in front of him and slam the door shut.“That was an epic race… it was nice and wide and the track is really starting to take shape.”

It was a stellar drive drive from Sam Walsh who started in 16th and quickly moved into the top 10, before fighting his way up to third and securing his maiden podium finish at the track.Aaron Kelly claimed his best result at the venue so far in fourth, ahead of Michael Saller in fifth. 

Starting from near the back of the pack wasn’t going to stop Jessie Attard, who pushed through to sixth. Zac Pacchiarotta crossed the line seventh, while Troy Little moved from 15th into eighth. 

Warren Ferguson came home ninth, while Lachlan Caunt rounded out the top ten after having to come from the Last Chance Showdown. 

WINGLESS

Jason Bates remains the most successful Wingless driver at Eastern Creek Speedway after claiming his third feature race win at the venue. 

Starting in pole position, Brayden Shute was hoping for his first feature race win. A caution on the first lap caused a full restart, giving Bates the opportunity to move into the lead. Shute fought back but lost out, opening the door for Todd Hobson to move into second. 

The tight battle for second allowed Bates to pull away from the rest of the field. Jamie Dicker took a shot on the inside to try steal fourth from Scott Fitzgerald, before spinning out in turns 1 and 2. 

Hobson was right on the tail of Bates on the restart, while Shute and Fitzgerald were in a tight battle for third when another caution appeared with two laps to go. It was great restart from Bates, and a last lunge from Hobson through turns three and four on the final lap wasn’t enough to steal the top spot.

“The car started to go away [in the end] so I knew Hobson was going to come on strong and I had to try and cover the line,” Bates said after the race. “[Hobson] stuck his nose in there but I wasn’t going to give it up that easy.”Shute held off a fast-finishing Fitzgerald to secure back-to-back podiums in the club championship, with Andrew Sayre rounding out the top five. 

MIDGETS

An epic drive through the pack delivered American superstar Carson Macedo his first win at Eastern Creek Speedway. The race was red flagged on lap one after Ayden Elliott was lucky to walk away from a big rollover in turn two.

The former Australian Speedway Karting champion clipped the right rear tyre of Alan Day before the car took off through the air.Elliott was quick to jump out of the car, but his Midget sustained significant damage.

On the restart, Jay Waugh jumped from fifth the first, where he quickly gapped the field. Macedo moved from the middle of the pack to be battling with Kaidon Brown and Michael Stewart for a spot in the top five. 

Macedo won the battle before setting his sights on the race leader. A swift overtake put Macedo in the lead, with Brown catching up to Waugh in second. Waugh went high sending him back in the field, opening the door for Brown to move through into second. 

Another caution caused Macedo to lose a 3.5 second lead, but a strong restart kept him in front to be the first to see the chequered flag. “My racecar was really good there,” he said after the race. “I had a scare just in the last few laps… I think my right rear tyre may have bled down a little bit on that restart and I got in there kind of hopping and it made me nervous.”

A fast finish by Stewart secured second place, ahead of Brown in third. Troy Jenkins and Matt Geering rounded out the top five. 

Racing returns to Eastern Creek Speedway on December 17 with Sprintcars, Late Models, Lightning Sprints and Wingless Sprints.