From Perth Motorplex
Perth, AU — (February 9, 2013) — After three decades of trying Neville Lance finally won the Australian Speedcar Championship, winning the thrilling 40-lap event by just 0.365 of a second from the fast-finishing Daryl Clayden and American Casey Shuman.
Lance started on pole and survived a massive dog fight with New South Welshman Mark Brown to in in front of a very parochial home-town crowd that rode with him every lap.
“It’s sounds absolutely wonderful (being the new number one),” Lance said.
“It’s been a long time.
“Most people probably don’t know it’s been over 30 years in the making, I would like to thank my wife Cherie for being the most patient person.”
Lance got a bit emotional when thanking the long list of people who have been behind his racing for more than three decades.
“I will wake up in the morning and still have trouble believing it.
“To all the competitors, thank you…I think I will have a big glass of milk tonight.”
Clayden, who started from position 15 but was sent to the rear of the field trying to avoid a spinning car in front of him early in the event, was unbelievable as he carved his way through traffic and fell just one position short.
“I thought we might have had something for him at the end there,” Clayden said.
“The car was awesome…the boys worked to 6 o’clock this morning putting this car together.
“I can’t say enough about my crew.”
Shuman started from position five and was only 1.391 seconds off the winner at the end of the entertaining show.
“We will probably leave this (trophy) here at the Coverall Sheet Metal workshop,” Shuman said, intent on return to Australia to get a bigger trophy next year.
“We struggled when the track got slick, we tried some wild stuff for the feature and figured we had nothing to lose.
“To be on the podium after we have had some back luck over here I can’t complain.”
The second American in the field, Alex Bright, who started 17th, finished fourth and was followed over the line by Vaughan Manders, Ryan Jones, Alfonso Guadagnino, Glen Mears, Bryn Lake, Paul Robinson, Rob Golding, Bob Goddard, Steven Henderson, Andy Pearce and Philip Jeffreys.
There was a nervous moment in the first lap when Travis Mills, who started from position four, spun in pits bend and had to go to the rear on the restart.
Seconds later Bryn Lake got crossed up with Dean Merrylees and Clayden spinning to avoid a crash.
At the same time Scott Glazebrook, who started from position three, pulled infield with engine problems.
Lance was the early leader but there was plenty of action further back with Adam Clarke, Travis Mills and Dayne Kingshott looking for something up on the high line.
After 15 laps Daniel Golding spun in pits bend, seeing the field regroup which benefited Mills, Kingshott and Clayden.
On the restart Lance led away from Brown, Shuman, Clarke, Mills, Bright, Clayden, Kinghsott, Robinson, Manders, Merrylees and Redmond.
Mills tagged the wall a few laps later and was lucky not to crash, maintaining his momentum and at the same Clayden was up to third, watching the battle between Lance and Brown in front of him.
And what a battle it was!
They traded blows, bumped each other a couple of times and both led at various stages in a classic dog fight fit for a championship battle.
Mills, who hit the wall again, withdrew with suspension failure with 16 laps to go and two laps later, Adam Clarke, who won the preliminary final the night before, was out of the game as well.
Golding spun for the second time six laps from home and as the field regrouped Brown, who was in second and ready to engage in another battle with Lance for the lead, stopped after he bumped his ignition switch and had to restart from the rear.
Unfortunately his challenge was over a couple of laps later as Lance crossed the line to claim the popular win.
KTEQ RENTALS AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Heat 10: 1st Travis Mills, 2nd Adam Clarke, 3rd Bryn Lake, 4th Ryan Jones, 5th Alex Bright, 6th Chris Telenta. DNF: Lee Redmond, Rob Golding and Andy Pearce.
Heat 11: 1st Neville Lance, 2nd Daryl Clayden, 3rd Casey Shuman, 4th Paul Robinson, 5th Glen Mears, 6th Steven Henderson, 7th Philip Jeffreys.
Heat 12: 1st Mark Brown, 2nd Scott Glazebrook, 3rd Vaughan Manders, 4th Dayne Kingshott, 5th Daniel Golding, 6th Alfonso Guadagnino, 7th Dean Merrylees, 8th Bob Goddard, 9th Karl Prall.
Feature: 1st Neville Lance, 2nd Daryl Clayden, 3rd Casey Shuman, 4th Alex Bright, 5th Vaughan Manders, 6th Ryan Jones, 7th Alfonso Guadagnino, 8th Glen Mears 9th Bryn Lake, 10th Paul Robinson, 11th Rob Golding, 12th Rob Goddard, 13th Steven Henderson, 14th Andy Pearce, 15th Philip Jeffreys.. DNF: Dayne Kingshott, Mark Brown, Daniel Golding, Adam Clarke, Travis Mills, Lee Redmond, Chris Telenta, Karl Prall, Scott Glazebrook, Dean Merrylees.
OUR CAR AUTOS WINGLESS SPRINTS
Heat 1: 1st Marshall McDiarmid, 2nd Scott Elst, 3rd Tom Payet, 4th Danny Attwood, 5th Ash Hounsfield, 6th Ryan Condren, 7th Daniel Coleman, 8th Michael Keen, 9th Phil Taylor, 10th Tyson Bryden, 11th Darren Humfrey, 12th Kyle Beard, 13th Chad Gordon, 14th Tyron Herbert.
Heat 2: 1st Daniel Keen, 2nd Dean Gittos, 3rd Brad Taylor, 4th Brendon Wedge, 5th Travis Southwell, 6th Cameron McKenzie, 7th Brock Zonca, 8th Steve Bergin, 9th Nick Bishop, 10th Jamie Buszan, 11th Ian Woods, 12th Ross Millar, 13th Brayden Burgess.
Heat 3: 1st Michael Keen, 2nd Ryan Condren, 3rd Scott Elst, 4th Daniel Coleman, 5th Brad Taylor, 6th Ash Hounsfield, 7th Travis Southwell, 8th Tyson Bryden, 9th Nick Bishop, 10th Cameron McKenzie, 11th Tyron Herbert, 12th Brayden Burgess.
Heat 4: 1st Brendon Wedge, 2nd Kyle Beard, 3rd Darren Humfrey, 4th Marshall McDiarmid, 5th Dean Gittos, 6th Brock Zonca, 7th Phil Taylor, 8th Danny Attwood, 9th Jamie Buszan, 10th Daniel Keen, 11th Ian Woods, 12th Steve Bergin. DNF: Tom Payet and Matt Vincent.
Feature: 1st Marshall McDiarmid, 2nd Danny Attwood, 3rd Scott Elst, 4th Daniel Coleman, 5th Michael Keen, 6th Brock Zonca, 7th Tyson Bryden, 8th Dean Gittos, 9th Daniel Keen, 10th Kyle Beard, 11th Travis Southwell, 12th Phil Taylor, 13th Jamie Buszan, 14th Darren Humfrey, 15th Chad Gordon, 16th Ross Millar, 17th Brendon Wedge. DNF: Tyron Herbert, Nick Bishop, Ryan Conden, Ash Hounsfield, Cameron McKenzie, Brad Taylor, Ian Woods.
MARTY CHAMBERLAIN 360 SPRINTCAR TROPHY
Heat 1: 1st Robert Watson, 2nd Kent Roberts, 3rd Kris Coyle, 4th Allan Nash, 5th Dean Terry, 6th Ron Snellin, 7th Ryan Schlam, 8th Stephen Adley, 9th Brayden Miller, 10th Steve Treasure, 11th Justin Wragg.
Heat 2: 1st Jake Beard-Miller, 2nd Chad Ely, 3rd Nick Halkatis, 4th Terry Cutts, 5th Aldo De Paoli. DNF: Daniel Keen, Rob Willis, Steven Ford and Phil Johnson.
Feature 1: 1st Chad Ely, 2nd Robert Watson, 3rd Rod Snellin, 4th Kris Coyle, 5th Jake Beard-Miller, 6th Terry Cutts, 7th Daniel Keen, 8th Allan Nash, 9th Nick Halkatis, 10th Kent Roberts, 11th Brayden Miller, 12th Ryan Schlam, 13th Stephen Adley, 14th Dean Terry, 15th Justin Wragg. DNF: Aldo De Paoli, Steve Treasure.
Feature 2: 1st Chad Ely, 2nd Kris Coyle, 3rd Allan Nash, 4th Jake Beard-Miller, 5th Rod Snellin, 6th Terry Cutts, 7th Robert Watson, 8th Aldo De Paoli, 9th Nick Halkatis, 10th Ryan Schlam, 11th Brayden Miller, 12th Dean Terry, 13th Justin Wragg, 14th Daniel Keen, 15th Stephen Adley, 16th Steve Treasure. DNF: Kent Robert.