From J&J Auto Racing
McKENZIE, TN (March 16) – The Sprint car season in Australia has been a successful one for many drivers this year and that success continued for J&J Auto Racing drivers in last weekend’s Victorian Sprintcar Title in South Austraila. Stephen Bell took the top prize and was followed by a number of fellow J&J competitors. Lane Whittington carried the J&J Auto Racing torch in the U.S. over the weekend leading a brigade of J&J racers to the checkered flag in the CAJUN Sprinters Association.
VICTORIAN SPRINTCAR TITLE
The level of competition on Australian soil continues to get better every season, so seeing a part-time racer defeat the top Sprint racers was quite an accomplishment. That’s just what happened in Saturday night’s 2010 Fresha Fruit Juice Victorian Sprintcar Title at Sungold Stadium when Stephen Bell raced the No. 88 J&J to victory.
Bell started in the second row and followed early leader, Grant Anderson, who started on the pole in his family’s No. 37 J&J. Bell raced past Anderson midway through the race and never looked back en route to his first victory at the Warrnambool track in more than 10 years.
Robbie Farr raced the Eastcoast Pipeline No. 7q J&J from ninth to third in the feature event to earn the final spot on the podium.
While Bell, Anderson and Farr finished up front, Steve Lines put on a tremendous show throughout the evening behind the wheel of the No. 45 H.A. Young Plumbing / Camden Neon Signs supported J&J. He began the night by posting the fastest lap in qualifying and continued his strong start by leading the opening heat race until a fuel line was knocked off with one lap remaining. He wasn’t able to finish and went on to the C-Main.
His crew returned him to action for the C-Main, where he broke the 12-lap track record. He then raced from 13th to first in the B-Main and earned the 15th-starting position in the main event. Lines charged his way to fifth during the race, but front wing damage hindered his chances of advancing further.
“Considering where we had to come from, a top five finish in the feature race was a pleasing result,” said Lines, “Early on in the feature race, I had damaged my front wing and that hurt my chances to move further up the field onto the podium. With the damaged front wing my car wanted to pull wheel stands out of the corners when I pulled alongside my competitors, so it was quite a handful at times.”
TYREPOWER PARRAMATTA CITY RACEWAY
Ian Loudoun made it three wins in a row at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway last weekend. The event included twin features and Loudoun drove the No. 18 J&J to victory in the first feature and came home third in the second event.
CAJUN SPRINTERS ASSOCIATION
Lane Whittington started the 2010 season in winning fashion by taking the victory at Baton Rouge Raceway on Saturday night. Whittington drove the No. 9 J&J to win the race ahead of Shane Morgan (No. 01 J&J), Terry Vidrine (No. 68 J&J) and Brandon Olson (No. 02 J&J).