Brock Hallett used a last lap pass to claim the $50,000 Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in Warrnambool Sunday (Video Highlights from ClayPerView.com)
by Thomas Miles
The 50th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic went down to the last corner with Brock Hallett securing a win for the ages on Monday morning.
Hallett’s hopes of victory appeared distant as he entered the final lap in second place behind World of Outlaws driver Sheldon Haudenschild.
However, the 27-year-old Queenslander, who currently lives in Portland launched, a daring move at the final turn and made it stick metres before the chequered flag to snatch the biggest race in the land in the early hours of Monday morning.After the unforgettable finish, Haudenschild had to settle for second, crossing the line just 0.122s behind, while last year’s winner Lachie McHugh rounded out the podium.
Jock Goodyer and James McFadden were the other drivers to finish in the top five which was covered by just two and a half seconds after 30 minutes and 40 laps of hard racing.
The nail-biting climax was worth the wait as racing went deep into the night after inclement weather postponed Saturday’s Night 2 program into Sunday.Tate Frost held off McHugh to take out Night 1 A-Main honours from McHugh. McFadden showed ominous signs in his Hodges Motorsport #D5 machine by winning the second feature race on Sunday afternoon, backing up his kings Challenge win in Mount Gambier.
The 50th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic feature had a slow start with many cars failing to complete the opening laps.Both Randy Morgan and Luke Oldfield retired without completing a lap, while Chase Randall and Supercars star Cameron Waters were both out of action before Lap 5.
McFadden started the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic finale from third, but was on fire in the early stages and took the lead ahead of Haudenschild and Hallett.
The race was interrupted again on Lap 7 when Cole Macedo tagged the wall and suffered a scary shunt at Turn 3.
Macedo barrel-rolled four times before his badly bruised car came to rest, but fortunately he walked away unharmed.
Eventually the die-hard fans who stayed in the stands past midnight were rewarded with extended spells of green-flag running.As the likes of Corey McCullagh and Steve Lines dropped out, a tense battle for the lead formed.
McFadden had maintained his early lead, but his hopes of victory took a massive hit when he damaged his suspension after a brush with the wall.
Despite nursing a damaged car, the Aussie World of Outlaws driver still finished fifth.
With McFadden dropping down the order, it promoted Haudenschild into the lead with Hallett breathing down his neck.
The Stenhouse jr/Marshall Racing World of Outlaws driver had victory in his fingertips, but a small mistake on the exit of Turn 2 left him vulnerable coming into the final left-hander on the last lap.
It proved to be the perfect invitation for Hallett, who took the high line and swooped around the outside to steal the win at the final corner.In addition to adding his name into Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic history, Hallett pocketed $50,000 for the win.
The victory is the crowning moment of a personal best season for Hallett, who has been at the pointy end of the field more than ever having recorded top 10 finishes in seven of his last eight A Mains.
He had also shown strong pace across the weekend at Warrnambool and was a deserving winner in a 50th anniversary Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic that will live long in the memory.
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Feature Results
F main (started): 1. Adam Butler Q10 (1) 2. Jett Bell V88 (5) / 3. Kevin M Reeves V63 (2) 4. Rhiannon Burlieigh V58 (3) 5. Robert Paton V81 (4)
E main (started): 1.David Donegan VA75 (2) 2. Alex Attard N53 (1) 3.
Zac Pacchiarotta NS42 (4) 4. Andrew Hughes V28 (3) 5. Jett Bell V88 (10) 6. Chris McInerney N40 (5) 7. Adam Butler Q10 (9) 8. David Aldersley V64 (7) 9. Phil Micallef VA11 (6) 10. Glen Sutherland S20 (8)
D main: 1. Chris Temby V18 2. Grant Stansfield VA88 / 3. Hayden Pitt S7 4. Taylor Prosser Q91 5. Ross Jarred V27 6. Nicholas Whell Q21 7. Coby Elliott N72 8. Adam Garwood T6 9. David Donegan VA75 10. Dennis Jones V17 11. Josh Buckingham V49 12. Lisa Walker S4
C main: 1.Brendan Scorgie NS57 2. Brody Appleby T33 3. Kaidon Brown VA71 4. Daniel Sayre N16 / 5. Marcus Green V71 6. Brenten Farrer V34 7. Scott Enderl S11 8. Chris Temby V18 9. Grant Stansfield VA88 10. Ash Cook VA36 12. Kale Quinlan NT15 13. Sam Walsh N92
B main #1: 1.Tyler Courtney W17 2. Jack Lee VA25 3. Brock Zearfoss W95 / 4. Luke Oldfield Q17 5. Cody Maroske. Q27 6. Darren Mollenoyux V44 7. Jordan Rae V2 9. Kaidon Brown VA71 10. Peter Doukas V98 11. Luke Dillon S81 12. Jackson Delamont N48 13. Lachlan McDonough S38 14. Brendan Scorgie NS57 15. Jordyn Charge V60 17. Matthew Dumesny N57 18. Brendan Guerin S96 19. Chad Ely S98
B main #2: 1.Matt Egel S52 2. Aaron Reutzel USA56 3. Cameron Waters V6 / 4. Randy Morgan Q54 5. Bobby Daly V8 6. Daniel Pestka S27 7. Will Carroll NT25 8. Brody Appleby T33 9. Grant Anderson V37 10. Daniel Sayre N16 11. Kevin Titman Q59 12. Luke Stirton N10 13. Jessie Attard N55 14. Brooke Tatnell T77 15. Ryan Newton Q66 16. Jye Okeeffe VA15 17. Jake Smith V72 18. Brendan Quinn S14 19. Terry Rankin VA29 20. Rusty Hickman V45
A main (started): 1. Brock Hallett Q5 (5) 2. Sheldon Haudenschild V25 (2) 3. Lachlan McHugh NQ7 (4) 4. Jock Goodyer T22 (8) 5. James McFadden D5 (3) 6. Tate Frost T62 (1) 7. Cory Eliason W26 (9) 8. Kerry Madsen W2 (12) 9. Aaron Reutzel USA56 (22) 10. Jamie Veal V35 (6) 11. Carson Macedo N99 (11) 12. Brad Sweet W49 (10) 13. Marcus Dumesny A1 (14) 14. Ian Madsen NS4 (7) 15. Tyler Courtney W17 (19) 16. Brock Zearfoss W95 (23) 17. Matt Egel S52 (20) 18. Jack Lee VA25 (21) 19. Steven Lines Q83 (13) 20. Ryan Jones S63 (18) 21. Corey McCullagh V90 (16) 22. Cole Macedo T14 (15) 23. Cameron Waters V6 (24) 24. Chase Randall USA9 (17)