Sunday, 3 January 2010
Daniel Kirby
Matt Brown has got his series back on line with a fine drive to take out Round 5 of the Oval Express Formula 500 Series at Laang Speedway last night, Saturday January 2nd.
Jye O’Keeffe finished in second with Jack Lee returning to the Podium followed by series contender, Simon Craven.
Brown started on pole courtesy of a win in the A-Dash with Gary Hart lining up on the outside row. Hart was in awesome form with a heat race victory and also a win in the B-Dash. Round 4 runner up Jye O’Keeffe started in third spot with Round 4 victor Ben McLeod on his outside.
The drag race into turn 1 was simply awesome with both front row starters not giving an inch. Brown was able to sleek ahead and he was never headed. Meanwhile the battle was heating up. Jack Lee, Jason Priolo, Simon Craven and Liam Williams all began a titanic battle for the minor placings. Priolo was holding strong in 5th before drifting high in turn 2 and tagging the concrete flipping in the process. With a few stoppages due to spinning cars, Brown was able to maintain clear track in front of him.
Mick Pronger changed his motor at Round 3 at Hamilton and has been in white hot form ever since. Pronger didn’t have the best of nights with the likable 50 Year old from Bundaberg, Queensland transferring from the B-Main and on the charge before heavy contact with the back straight wall almost destroying his once pristine PRT chassis. He was able to walk away from it but the car come off second best with major front end damage.
With 7 to go and after 2 more yellows Brown lead the pack with Jye O’Keeffe starting his charge moving by Craven and then pouncing on second spot when Jack Lee opened the door. Brown was enjoying a straight away lead with O’Keeffe sitting in second. Craven was hounding Lee in the hope that he would surrender third spot with the pair racing side by side for 3 laps before Lee was able to hold strong and prance away with third position.
At the conclusion of the 30 lap final Brown was happy to finally win a round this series as he has never contested the series without winning a round. O’Keeffe meanwhile is enjoying a golden patch with a win not too far around the corner. Lee was happy just to finish a race with the V5 now using it’s 4th motor of the series. Craven was happy to hit back after 2 bad rounds where he failed to finish.
Ben McLeod finished in 5th spot moving him to the top of the overall series points score. He was followed home by Greg Wickham, Steven Gay, Liam Williams, Brock Hallett with Dale Sinclair rounding out the top 10. Other finishes included Steven Horton, Jesse Nicolas, James Arranyosi and Garry Hart with Jess Moulden, Austin Farley, Mick Pronger, Charlie Brown, Michael Wise and Jason Priolo all watching from the infield.
Brown won the A-Dash with O’Keeffe and Priolo rounding out the top 3. The B-Dash was taken out by Hart with McLeod and Lee rounding out the top 3. Greg Wickham won the B-Main with Jesse Nicolas, Pronger and Dale Sinclair all transferring.
Series leader coming into Laang Chad Sullivan had an awful night by his standards after flipping the V8 in an earlier heat race. He was forced to start the B-Main from position 18 and was immediately on the charge getting up 6th before contact with another car forced him to spin in turn 2. He was sent to the back with another stunning display making his way up to 5th before the chequered flag come out. He slipped back to 3rd in the championship standings.
9 Heats where earlier conducted with Heat Race Wins going to Jack Lee, Steven Horton, Matt Brown, Mick Pronger, Jesse Nicolas, James Arranyosi, Angelo Karoussis, Garry Hart and Liam Williams.
Going into the last round McLeod holds a slender 22 point advantage over Round 1 winner Liam Williams with Sullivan a further 37 Points behind. Matt Brown’s win elevated him to 4th with Jack Lee Rounding out the top 5 in points.
Top 10
1. V88 Ben McLeod- 604
2. V62 Liam Williams- 582
3. V8 Chad Sullivan- 567
4. GLB4 Matt Brown- 561
5. V5 Jack Lee- 559
6. V55 Jye O’Keeffe- 551
7. A1 Brock Hallett- 548
8. V20 Simon Craven- 548
9. Q42 Mick Pronger- 542
10. V10 Greg Wickham- 538
A full points tally can be found at www.formula500.com.au/standings.asp with all lap times at www.mylaps.com
Contingency Awards
AG Racing Wings Hard Charger Award- Greg Wickham (Passed 11 Cars in A-Main)
Swift Racing Products Shock Dyno Voucher- Chad Sullivan
Upright Wings Front Wing- Ben McLeod
Spruce Enterprises Rod End Pack- Brock Hallett
The Victorian Formula 500 Association would like to thank all of the Tracks and Sponsors for their support for this season.
Oval Express Formula 500 Series Sponsors
Oval Express Magazine
Max Dumesny Motorsport
Hoosier Tyre Australia
Impact Racing
Swift Racing Products
AG Racing Wings
Maxam Printing
Phil Jordison Photography
RTS Chassis
Spruce Enterprises
Empire Graphics
Lethal Race Wings
Upright Enterprises
2009/2010 Oval Express Remaining Series Dates
Round 6- Laang Speedway, Laang 3rd January 2010
We hope to see your smiling faces at Laang Speedway tonight for what will be a thrilling conclusion to the 2009/2010 Oval Express Formula 500 Series. Also the Victorian Formula 500 Association would like to wish Kevin Freeman and Corey McCullagh a quick and speedy recovery after both being involved in separate incidents during the series.
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