More than 160 racers have taken to Portland’s South Coast Raceway for the South Coast 660 – the latest round of the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.
At the close of Saturday’s qualifying proceedings, it was Dylan Knezevic (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Renee Cockerill (Super Gas), Dylan Knezevic (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Zac Shepherd (Super Street), Peter Bartlett (Modified Bike), Tony Miskelly (Super Sedan), Simon Barlow (Modified), Dean Cleary (Top Sportsman), Doina Day (Supercharged Outlaws), Steve Norman (Super Comp) and Edge Mallis (Competition Bike) who claimed the Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Medallions for their respective classes.
For Mallis, the top qualifier result continues a run of form despite the fact he has been away for 12 months recovering from a 2019 accident at South Coast Raceway.
“I always said I wouldn’t come back, but I have been running in the left lane all day today, and being the top qualifier lets me go in the left lane all day tomorrow, so I am happy about that,” Mallis said.
“We have top qualified at every event we have ever showed up to; I am more worried about getting through the whole weekend – you see, I have been a bridesmaid way too many times!
“If I can get through the weekend and use the top qualifier position to get a win, I will be really, really happy!
“We know where the track is now and have looked at everything and if something goes wrong, I am learning to get off it. It headed to the wall today for instance in one of the passes and I just got off it, it isn’t worth the risk, but other than that, everything is great and we are very happy with how the bike is running and the whole lot, so we are not touching a thing and tomorrow should be good.”
For Zac Shepherd, his top qualifying result in Super Street indicates he is going in the right direction with a new set-up in his Holden Torana.
“I am pretty happy with that result. This is really only the second meeting that I have had with the car with a new set-up, so we are really just having a play around with it, so that was good,” Shepherd said.
“I was pretty inconsistent today though, so it could be a bit challenging for us tomorrow, but we will see how we go.
“It has been really good to get back into racing after all the weather delays, and it is really good to see great numbers here supporting Portland’s South Coast Raceway,” Shepherd concluded, while thanking his dad for crewing for him this weekend.
The Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series has celebrated its first event winners of 2023 on the Sunday afternoon, with the conclusion of the South Coast 660 event in Portland (Victoria).
Following a big day of racing at South Coast Raceway, it was Colin Griffin (Super Gas), Ross Lamattina (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Tommy Turic (Super Street), Sean Ricketts (Modified Bike), Lance Larcombe (Super Sedan), Josh Baker (Modified), Glenn Henley (Top Sportsman), Shane Baxter (Supercharged Outlaws), Craig Geddes (Super Comp) and Edge Mallis (Competition Bike) who claimed the silver ANDRA Christmas Trees.
Taking the runner-up honours were Renee Cockerill (Super Gas), Todd Wagner (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster), Greg ‘Dutchy’ Holland (Super Street), Dean Jamieson (Modified Bike), Mick Rouhan (Super Sedan), Matt Ponton (Modified), Leon Davies (Top Sportsman), Steven Walker (Supercharged Outlaws), Adrian Vella (Super Comp) and Joe Khoury (Competition Bike).
Before the competitors commenced eliminations racing, the day was opened with a minute of silence for Top Doorslammer racer Sam Fenech, who sadly passed away while competing in another drag racing event in Queensland the night before. The entire ANDRA membership sends their deepest condolences to Fenech’s team and loved ones during this terribly tragic time.
In the Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster class, Ross Lamattina took out an exceptionally close win over Todd Wagner.
On his way to the win, Lamattina had earlier defeated Sophia Kuchel (round one) and Cody Brae (round two) before enjoying a bye in the semi-final, while Wagner had taken wins from Mason Kuchel (round one), Sarah Osborne (round two) and Levi Knezevic (sem-final). Levi had earlier beaten his brother, Decoglaze Glass Splashbacks Top Qualifier Dylan Knezevic, in the second round.
“I feel really good about the win, it feels good to be back on top,” Lamattina said.
“There were a few challenging races and a few easy races, but the final was probably the hardest one – that was the closest race I have ever been in. To get the win was pretty cool and a good feeling.
“Thank you to Wags (Todd Wagner) and Jodi Wagner for towing my trailer up to Portland, and also to Jake and Alec Berias for helping me out, and mum and dad for letting me race.”
In Modified Bike, Sean Ricketts was ecstatic to take his second ANDRA Christmas tree in as many visits to South Coast Raceway, following a win in the final over Dean Jamieson.
To secure his place in the final, Ricketts and his Kawasaki zX12r had earlier emerged victorious from battles against Rob Church (round one), top qualifier Peter Bartlett (round two), and Jamie Dohnt (semi-final), while Jamieson had successfully taken on Johnny Ireland (round one) and defending champion Shane Walker (round two) ahead of a bye in the semis.
“I am just ecstatic. I have won a few trees, and this feels as good as the first one I won,” the Sydney-based Ricketts beamed.
“I love coming down here to this track, it is well run and the country style atmosphere is great, it has character and I enjoy the challenge of it, and the people are great.
“I have been here twice, and this is my second tree here, so I am really loving this place at the moment!
“Thank you to my good mate Joe Khoury who races in Comp Bike and has been a really good support for me in the last few years, and also to Mick Withers and Alison from Heavy Duty Magazine who support me no matter where I go and what I do. And also to Peter Bartlett, he is a good friend of mine and Peter and Helen are just lovely people. “
In Super Sedan, Lance Larcombe took an emotional win in his 1968 Camaro over Mick Rouhan, following earlier race wins over Scott Rouhan (round one), Graeme Cooper (round two) and Robyn Phillis (round four) while enjoying bye runs in round three and the semi-final. Mick Rouhan meanwhile had ensured his place in the final by defeating John Pellas (round one), Stephen Griffin (round two), Alex Gkroidis (round three), Peter Furlanetto (round four) and defending champion Peter Tzokas (semi-final).
“It was a big day today with a lot of rounds and a lot of cars,” Larcombe said.
“I am going to get emotional here, but we buried my long-time employer – Frank Lenzi – on Tuesday. He was a bit of a father figure for me, I worked for him since 1989 and ended up pretty much running his business, Cleveland Freightlines, for him.This win is for him.
“We had a great weekend of racing; it was great to be back at the track. It is our second ANDRA Christmas tree, we got our first in Alice Springs last year, and for us this is a back-to-back win as our last meeting was the Alice Springs event, but this one is for Frank Lenzi.
“I want to make mention of Donna and Alex at home, I am really sorry that they couldn’t be here with us, and I also want to say thank you to my crew Ryan, Reg, Jason and Connor and George, as well as to our supporters RT Race Craft, Cleveland Freightliners, Overland Locksmiths, Rhemac Motors, Precision Porting and SA Race Transmissions.”
In Supercharged Outlaws, Shane Baxter was pleased to take the win and the coveted Chris Stewart Memorial Trophy in his SBR Altered.
Baxter faced off against Steven Walker in the final, with both racers enjoying bye runs in their second rounds after earlier victories over Bob Sherry and Chris Dalton respectively. Doina Day was the top qualifier for the bracket.
“This is another exciting win for me and being the Chris Stewart event, it was a great win – he was a really nice guy and a close friend, so to take that win is a real honour,” Baxter said.
“Running Steven in the final was good, we gave him a bit of a chop out early in the day with his tune, but he did all the work in the end and it was a good race in the final. We were a bit lucky, but we cut a reasonably good light and that is probably what saved us.
“It was a good day, it was hot, but South Coast Raceway did a fantastic job of the track considering it hadn’t been raced on in a while (due to weather cancellations), they did a really great job.
“I would like to say thank you to Brian Oakley and Industrial Thermocouple Supplies, Lakeside Automotive, Duggan Balancing, Ice Ignition, Promatic, SDE Convertors and Marshall Cam Shafts for their support.”
In Super Gas, Colin Griffin and his Toyota Celica took out the win over top qualifier Renee Cockerill, following earlier wins over defending champion Graeme Spencer (round one) and Jason Wilson (round two) before a bye in the semi-final, while Cockerill had enjoyed a bye in the first round before dispatching Adrian McGrotty (round two) and Rob Bergamin (semi-final) on her way to the final.
In Super Street, Tommy Turic took out his third ANDRA Christmas Tree in what is his first season competing in the senior ranks of the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series. Turic did battle in the final with Greg ‘Dutchy’ Holland following earlier wins over Adrian Pitts (round one), Rodney Kerr (round two), Paul Tabone (round three) and top qualifier, Zac Shepherd (semi-final). Holland meanwhile had defeated Matthew Cowley (round one), Garth O’Hehir (round two), Paul Jennings (round three) and Matt Czerny (semi-final) on his way to the final match-up.
When it came to the Modified racing, it was Josh Baker who took the win in his rear engine dragster over Matt Ponton. Baker had earlier faced off against Cory Dyson (round one), Derek Wills (round two) and top qualifier Simon Barlow (semi-final) while Ponton had taken on Josie Hodgins (round one) and Kenny Stewart (round two) ahead of a bye run in the semis.
In the Top Sportsman category, it was Glenn Henley in his Datsun 1200 Ute who took out the ANDRA Christmas Tree with victory over Leon Davies in the final following earlier battles with Brandon Freer (round one), David Foster (round two), and top qualifier Dean Cleary (semi-final), while Davies had booked his ticket to the final by defeating Roc Puccini (round one), reigning champ and John Storm Memorial winner Vlado Turic (round two) and Kevin McIvor (semi-final).
In Super Comp, eight-time and reigning Competition champion Craig Geddes claimed the winning honours over Adrian Vella in his Pro Start Dragster. The final was set up following earlier victories over Matt Forbes (round one) and Tom Dimitropoulos (semi) for Geddes, and over top qualifier and reigning Super Stock title winner Steve Norman (round one) for Vella, who benefited from a bye run in the semi-final.
In Competition Bike, Edge Mallis clean swept the weekend by taking out the event win after being the top qualifier on his Kawasaki Ninja yesterday. The Competition Bike bracket runs a Chicago Shootout format, and Mallis went to the final against Joe Khoury after taking wins from Nathan Stone (round one), David Willis (round two) and Gavin Dohnt (round three), while Khoury had beaten David Willis (round one), Gavin Dohnt (round two) and Nathan Stone (round three).
For results from the action at South Coast Raceway, please click here
ANDRA thanks the South Coast Raceway management and all of its volunteers and sponsors for an outstanding racetrack and a well-run event.
The penultimate and next round of the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, the Twilight Nationals, will be held at Mildura’s Sunset Strip across February 17-18. For event information, visit www.sunsetstrip.org.au
For more from ANDRA, visit www.andra.com.au
Photos by Automotive Event Images
