Sport
2 May, 2023
Bedison and Bell dominate Speedway
Race fans could not have left Blue Ribbon Raceway on Saturday night without a smile after witnessing an action-packed meeting with fast stars in their speedway cars. Victories to Horsham racers Jeremy Beddison and Wes Bell added to the local...
Race fans could not have left Blue Ribbon Raceway on Saturday night without a smile after witnessing an action-packed meeting with fast stars in their speedway cars.
Victories to Horsham racers Jeremy Beddison and Wes Bell added to the local excitement, while fellow victor Tim Rankin in the Formula 500s won by a massive ten seconds (three quarters of a lap).
The feature class was the Stampede Series Formula 500s for the senior category, and Tim Rankin, known for Sprintcar racing along with his Formula 500 racing, started the night with a win in the first of four heat races.
Four different winners showed the competitiveness of the line-up with Alex Ryan, Brooke Buckingham, and Liam Russell the other winners.
Rankin then went on to dominate the feature event clearing out to a ten second margin to defeat Ryan, Buckingham, Declan Robinson, and Dale Sinclair.
V8 Trucks provided the biggest entertainment with the massive machines driven by Wimmera competitors.
Luke James and Jaryd Carman shared the heat race wins before Carman led the feature event until lap eight when Wes Bell took control of the lead spot.
Bell went on to hold off Carman by just .155 of a second at the finish, with Fletcher Mills, Nathan Bird and Donald Timmins rounding out the top five spots.
Father and son duo, and Horsham Club members, Shaun and Ryan Queale shared the two heat race wins in Production Sedan competition.
The two drivers were ahead of the field in the final for a brief moment before Jamie Pumpa from the Portland Club drove past both of the early race leaders and on to his first senior victory.
The Queale duo, Dean Hughes and Haydn Riley completing the top five results.
Limited Sportsman competed in a series round with Horsham heavily represented in the entrants.
State champion Jock Baker won the first of three heat races, followed by Nathan McDonald and Tom Baker.
In the feature race, Hamilton’s Andrew Wilson claimed the lead from Jock Baker and, in a turn up given the form of Baker behind the wheel this season, Wilson went on to claim the win from Jock Baker, Tom Baker, McDonald, and Craig Ansell.
Junior Sedan competition in the Junior Sedan Promotional Association Top Stars category began with Jayden Lock looking every bit a winner for the night.
Lock took the first two heat race wins before Bacchus Marsh youngster James Oliver won the third qualifier and then led the feature event for all 15 laps to defeat Pary Das, Lock, Will Fallon and Blake Glynn.
New Star category Juniors for developing drivers also competed, with James Peacock winning the first and third heat races, while Max Leersen took the second.
Peacock went on to win from Portland youngster Jackson Warrener, Steane Cosson, Leersen and a second Portland youngster Tyler Wilson.
Juniors were on track in the Formula 500 class with Zac Stevens and Rusty Ponting sharing the qualifying wins on the way to the final.
Koby O’Shannassy came through for the feature win, defeating Ponting, Aston Rodriquez, Hugo Chivell and Chevette Muir.
Rounding out the action was the Wingless Sprints, and fans were delighted when a local driver took the victory.
In heat racing, Ricky Bailey and Horsham's Steven Hateley won the two heats before a second Horsham man, Jeremy Beddison, took the feature race win over 25 laps from Nicholas Ryan, Hateley, Robert Whiteside and Bailey.
On May 13, Blue Ribbon Raceway returns with the annual Wingless Sprint Classic, Kev Baker Challenge for Limited Sportsman, AMCA Nationals and Vintage support classes.