American Ace wins at Nyora

By Dean Thompson –  DMT Sports Media for Nyora Raceway Inc. 

NYORA Raceway brought in Christmas with a bang on Saturday, December 23, with American Sprintcar Ace Chase Randall, Santa Claus, fireworks and an outstanding local competitor Sedan showing, giving fans plenty to smile about.

Chase Randall showed fans his skills on the tight and tricky Nyora Raceway, winning the Battle at the Bullring feature event.

Other winners included Kacey Ingram in Standard Saloons, Ally Morrison in Ladies Standard Saloons, Hunter Carey in Junior Standard Saloons, Xander Baxter in Junior 1200cc Sedans, and Cameron Dike in Sports Sedans.

Each Sprintcar competitor had the opportunity to compete in two heats each before starting the feature event from where they qualified.

Bacchus Marsh racer Steven Horton and Randall shared victory in round one, whilst in round two Randall and Adam Greenwood were victorious.

After a track preparation at interval, teams had to take some calculated estimations as to the set ups of their cars and it proved to be vitally important to be in the top five qualifiers at the start of the final.

At a quick pace and green to chequered non-stop, the Sprintcars flew around Nyora with the leaders passing through some of the traffic late in the race.

Randall got out to a large advantage before Greenwood from Sale reeled him in lap after lap to finish in second right there with Randall at the end.

Nigel Laity, the class state champion, finished third with Steve Horton and Koby Noonan rounding out the top five.

Sport Sedans were able to get a hit out on track before the big feature coming up on January 13.

Some of the drivers were having the run to check out their cars before heading to Queensland for some major racing to start off the new year.

Cameron Dike and Scott Angus looked the strongest in the field after heat races, whilst Pakenham’s Damien Miller had dramas during heat racing, including a heat one crash into the turn three and four wall whilst leading that set him back.

Cameron Dike took a win in heat one, Angus in heat two before Dike again won the third heat race.

Cameron Dike assumed control of the race lead in the final with Angus behind him.

Miller made his way forward quickly and got into a battle with John Dike.

Miller and Dike tangled on the front straight and, according to the stewards, Dike went flying across the infield and a penalty needed to be dished out.

A race exclusion was received by Miller.

At the end of 15 laps, Cameron Dike claimed the win.

John Dike passed Angus and took second with Inverloch’s Braidan Webster in fourth and Ray Gould rounding out the top five.

Kacey Ingram from Warragul was the star in the Standard Saloon competition.

Whilst Andrew Miles and Harry Cecil were in amongst the action throughout the qualifying racing, it was Ingram’s night.

Miles won heat one of six with Jack Braz the winner in the next.

Ingram and Mark Miles won races in round two, with Ingram and Poowong’s Harry Cecil winners in round three.

In the feature event, despite the heavy pressure from Andrew Miles who had won the recent Stephen Douglas 44 Memorial, Ingram was able to maintain his position at the front of the field to go on and win from Miles, Harry Cecil, Mark Miles and Owen Cecil.

The Ladies Standard Saloon action across three heats saw terrific battles between Ally Morrison, Bronwyn Miles, Bree Walker and Caroline Allen.

Morrison took out a win in the first qualifier with Walker winning the next two and earning a pole position feature race start.

Walker started the race at the front with Miles before Miles would take the race lead.

Morrison moved herself into second after getting past Walker, and in the closing stages of the race, the pressure was on Miles with Morrison right behind.

A wobble coming out of turn four for Miles was all Morrison needed as she ripped past and into the lead and the eventual victory.

Miles second, Walker finished third with Allen and Michelle Geroge rounding out the top five.

Junior competitors in the Victorian Speedway Council 1200cc class had a strong showing of 13 drivers with the Victorian champion Bryce Leek winning all three of the qualifying heat races despite challenges from Riley Taylor the Victoria three ranked racer and Xander Baxter the number two ranked driver.

Leek in the feature event led the field early with Taylor quickly moving through the field from the third row and into the mix.

Late in the race, Baxter, who had been on the tail of Leek all the way, made a move to the lead of the race and Leek could not recover in the remaining laps.

Baxter went to the line ahead of Leek, Taylor, Andrew Mitchell and Dayne Murdoch.

Rounding out the action was the Junior Standard Saloon racing with three different winners across the heats.

Hunter Carey from Melbourne’s Southeast won the first heat with River Paterson the second and Cooper Joynson from Bunyip the third and final winner.

Starting from pole position, Carey jumped to the lead with Chase Ingram giving him some hurry up.

Paterson took position in third with Joynson hanging on for the ride behind.

Over 15 laps, Carey maintained his small margin in front of Ingram and at the finish line Carey took victory over Ingram, Paterson, Joynson and Ella Sheedy.

Nyora Raceway returns on January 13 with a Sports Sedan two thousand to win feature event, Grand Prix Midgets for a series round, Lightning Sprints, Speedway Sedan Australian Juniors, Ladies Standard Saloons and Outlaw Karts amongst the action.