Warrnambool’s Corey McCullagh kept his cool to win round eight of the Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series at Heartland Raceway last night where temperatures were up around the forty degree mark, Brayden Parr came home with an impressive performance to take second place while New South Wales driver Sam Walsh claimed third place.
With a few drivers that nominated not attending the twenty six drivers that were in the pits all put on a good show thanks to the efforts of the track curators that had to work the racing surface in temperates that were over forty degree for the few previous days and also on the race day itself, it was an exceptional effort by all concerned and the drivers that attended.
The expectations from some of the leading drivers did not materialize but this did not detract from a full night of racing through the heat races, the shootout and main events that were entertaining, powerful engines was not required to suit the slick track conditions.
With the heat races complete the top six drivers were ready for the shootout that would see a few surprised drivers qualified for this event. Tim Van Ginneken was the top points score on the night followed by Kyle Hirst, Corey McCullagh then young Brayden Parr, Paul Solomon and Chris Campbell. Now with the slick track conditions throttle control would be required to get a good time and Pole position.
V90 driver Corey McCullagh advance to take Pole position for the Eureka Garages & Sheds A Main and he would also have V7 Paul Solomon move up to position two after two very good laps, Van Ginneken dropped down to third place and Hirst went down to forth starting position leaving Brayden Parr to start from P5 while Chris Campbell filled P6. The other automatic qualifiers to join the top six in the A Main were N92 Sam Walsh, V68 Brett Milburn, V17 Dennis Jones, Act83 David McKay, V72 Jacob Smith and V84 Sam Wren filling position twelve.
The B Main event was a flag to flag after the first attempted start that saw the retirement of Rhiannon Burleigh, Stephen Spark and Chris Solomon.
Current Series points leader Glen Sutherland was one driver that was not having a good night and he had to start the B Main from position seven, Fifteen laps later and Sutherland had driven to the front to win the B Main and into the Eureka Garages & Sheds A Main, Brenten Farrer took second place while Jordyn Charges, Scott Rielly, Eddie Lumbar and David Aldersley would also head to the Main event.
Still with very high temperatures the grid was set for the Eureka Series Main event of the night.
With the race under way it would be Corey McCullagh to lead the first lap with Paul Solomon in second place and Tim Van Ginneken closely behind, Van Ginneken made the pass on Solomon on the next lap to be in touch with McCullagh before grabbing the lead on lap three. Now things were hotting up on the track, both Van Ginneken and McCullagh were at war over the next seven laps were these two drivers traded the lead each lap and sometimes the lead would change twice per lap before the only caution of the race came on for a spinning David Aldersley.
Ready to go for the restart, McCullagh and Van Ginneken were to resume the battle once again, Brayden Parr was also moving forward to be in third place when the race restarted, Sam Walsh was up to fourth place, while Paul Solomon had dropped down to fifth ahead of Kyle Hirst and Jacob Smith who was up five places from his starting position to be in eight place, Brenten Farrer had move up to ninth while Dennis Jones rounded out the top ten placing. The remain order was now David McKay, current Eureka Garages & Sheds Series Champion Brett Milburn, Scott Rielly, Glen Sutherland, Sam Wren, Jordyn Charges, Chris Campbell, Eddie Lumbar and David Aldersley.
On the restart Van Ginneken was trying all he could to take the lead back from McCullagh until lap fourteen when he spun the V36 machine, while Van Ginneken managed to keep the car going he dropped down to forth place. McCullagh was looking good out front keeping the car straight and not getting on the throttle any more that he need to, Parr was running strongly in second place ahead of Walsh and Hirst who were fighting over third place. Van Ginneken was having trouble regaining the momentum he had before the spin and had dropped further down the field at two thirds race distance.
McCullagh was looking good in front passing the lapped cars with a little caution while Parr had a safe gap over the duelling pair of Walsh and Hirst, Smith was holding a clear fifth place ahead of Van Ginneken, a little further back both Farrer and Milburn were trying to work their way forward, both these driver would have penalties applied at the completion of the race for pole cutting.
With all cars still running as the laps wound down there was no denying Corey McCullagh the Eureka Series round eight win where he would become the seventh different Eureka Garages & Sheds Series feature winner in the seven A Mains conducted so far this season. Second place went to Brayden Parr from Sam Walsh who held out Kyle Hirst by a little under half a second for third place, Hirst finished in fourth ahead of Jacob Smith fifth, Tim Van Ginneken sixth and David MacKay who took seventh place. Brenton Farrer was next in line with Brett Milburn down to ninth place while Paul Solomon filled tenth place. With all cars finishing the reaming order was Sam Wren, Scott Rielly, and Glen Sutherland who would earn enough points to maintain the Eureka Series points lead, Jordyn Charge was next in line followed by Chris Campbell, Eddie Lumbar, Dennis Jones and David Aldersley.
The top three finished were worthy winners on the night, the win for Corey McCullagh was his second win in the Series after taking a Simpson round win last season. Braydan Parr continues to impress with another very strong performance, Sam Walsh is no stranger to Victory Lane and third place for his first visit to the Heartland Raceway venue was a good result for the Team.
With Glen Sutherland, Brett Milburn and Dennis Jones not having the night they may have expected in the A Main the KTM Australia Top ten points standings has tightened up leaving the 2016-2017 Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series wide open with seven rounds left to run.
Heat wins on the night went to V36 Tim Van Ginneken (2 Wins) N92 Sam Walsh, V7 Paul Solomon, V10 Kyle Hirst, V90 Corey McCullagh (One each)
Round nine of the Eureka Garages & Sheds Sprintcar Series returns to Redline Speedway just outside of Ballarat on Saturday the fourth of February.
Eureka Garages and Sheds Series nightly contingency awards:
AVALON RACEWAY DRIVERS DRAW: $50 – N53 Jessie Attard.
HOOSIER TIRE AUSTRALIA – 11th Place in the A Main at Each round.
11th V84 Sam Wren.
D&F RACING PRODUCTS - Hard luck of the night – V32 Steven Sparks
STEELPIPES PTY LTD - 1st competitor not to transfer from B to A-Main –
V73 Charles Hunter.
End of Series awards:
Eureka Garages & Sheds major sponsor of the Series overall prize money Poole.
KTM Top Ten Motorbike award – Random draw at the Presentation Dinner.
Camden Neon Signs – sponsors of the Series Prize Poole.
Hoosier Tire Australia – sponsors of the Series Prize Poole.
Western Nissan - for drivers finishing between 11th and 20th place in the Series. Random draw at the Presentation Dinner $1500 to the winner.
Lumbar Transport - End of Series most heat wins –V36 Tim Van Ginneken (4 wins)
Western Nissan - most cars passed in the A-Main on the night,
V72 Jacob Smith & V34 Brenten Farrer (6 cars)
(End of series award) cars passed overall – V90 Corey McCullagh & V77 Brayden Parr (20 cars each)
ELIMINATOR RACE WINGS – for the driver that transfers the most from the B Main to the A Main events the most. Overall, V90 Corey McCullagh & S20 Glen Sutherland (3 Times each)
(In the event of a tie the driver with the most points in the Series wins)
PARR MOTORSPORTS –Drivers Driver award as voted on by the drivers in the Series.
Eureka Garages and Sheds Series – KTM Top 10:
1st – Glen Sutherland - 2379
2nd – Tim Van Ginneken - 2352
3rd – Corey McCullagh - 2253
4th – Brett Milburn - 2247
5th – Dennis Jones - 1939
6th – Jacob Smith - 1934
7th – Jye Okeeffe - 1868
8th – Brayden Parr - 1843
9th – Sam Wren - 1747
10th – David Murcott - 1701
Western Nissan
(End of Series random draw between 11th & 20th place)
11th – John Vogels - 1665
12th – Jordyn Charge - 1632
13th – Charles Hunter - 1586
14th – Brad Warren - 1431
15th – David McKay - 1426
16th – Peter Doukas - 1393
17th – Scott Reilly - 1384
18th – Adam King - 1327
19th – Terry Kelly - 1278
20th – Stephen Sparks - 1193
The Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria thank the following Eureka Garages and Sheds Sprintcar Series and season sponsors:
EUREKA GARAGES & SHEDS, KTM AUSTRALIA, WESTERN NISSAN, MD MOTORSPORT, HOOSIER TIRE AUSTRALIA, CAMDEN SINGAGE & BUILDING SERVICES, PARR MOTORSPORTS, STEELPIPES AUSTALIA, LUMBAR’S TRANSPORT, AVALON RACEWAY, D&F RACING PRODUCTS, ELIMINATOR RACE WINGS, COREY GIBSON PHOTOGRAPHY, MAXAM PRINTING, SPRINTCARWORLD.
Eureka Garages & Sheds www.eurekagarages.com.au
KTM Australia www.ktm.com
Western Nissan www.westernnissan.com.au
Hoosier Tires Australia www.mdmotorsport.com.au
Camden Signage & Building Services www.camdenneon.com.au
Steelpipes Pty Ltd www.steelpipes.com.au
Lumbars Transport www.lumbars.com.au
Eliminator Race Wings www.crossmotorsport.com
Parr Motorsports www.parrmotorsport.com
Avalon Raceway Avalon Raceway Lara (New Web Site TBA)
Corey Gibson Photography www.gibsonphotography.com.au
Sprintcarworld www.sprintcarworld.com.au
Maxam Printing www.maxamprinting.com.au
The V90 Team Celabrate Coreys Eureka Series Round Win
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