Big finish to speedway season

The Race of Champions resulted in 11 past state or national title holders taking part.

Each driver was required to contest a time trial to set their grid position for the main race.

Michael Hamon of Bunbury set the fastest time, winning the Ron Belfield award, and when offered a cash incentive he opted to start from the rear in the main race.

Two laps into the 20 lap main, Shane Brittain, driving the Beau Riley Commodore, lost a right rear wheel, forcing an early restart.

At this stage Hamon had already passed five of the 11 competitors.

The race continued until lap 10 when the steward's yellow light brought the cars back together for a single file restart.

Hamon hit the front and stayed there for the remainder of the race with Bunbury driver David Lowe in second place and newly crowned state street stock champion Jaimie Oldfield finishing third.

It was the third annual Race of Champions held by the Collie Racing Drivers Association and was tipped as the best yet.

Smarter than Smoking Junior Sedans had a field of five with Jed Rogers winning all four races.

Seth Hinsey continued his good form finishing second in the feature with Brodie Dunn close behind.

Limited Sprintcars also raced hard all night with Todd Davis winning the night.

Gavin Davis tried hard to keep up with his brother but came unstuck on turn one on more that one occasion.

Street Stock were in greater numbers than normal and split into two fields for the heat races; some fast and close racing resulted.

David Padmore and Wayne Thomson of Bunbury started the feature on the front row with Collie drivers Josh Davies and Ethan Genev on the second row.

Fifteen drivers started in the 40-lap classic with Padmore taking the lead from the beginning and Thomson following.

Thomson pulled out at 14 laps down leaving Genev to take up the second position.

Kieran Norman settled into third position at lap 15 and puled out of the race at lap 19.

Davies had a tough encounter with Hayden Norman swapping positions.

On lap 32 Davies spun the car and dropped toward the rear of the field.

Genev then made an error on lap 33 and dropped from second to fifth place.

Hayden Norman moved into second place and settled into the position ahead of Barry Rewell but well behind Padmore who continued on to a very comfortable win.

Production Sedans also had a large field of competitors and split into two groups for the heat races.

Barry Rose and Michael Hamon started on the front row equal on points from the heat races.

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Jaimie Oldfield and David Lowe started the second row with Graham Rafferty and Beau Riley on the third row.

Like Padmore, Rose kept the lead for the entire 40 laps of the King of the Road.

Hamon retired on lap 23 giving Oldfield a look at the second position for the next two laps when he too had to retire.

Belfield and Riley were chasing the leaders from positions four and five and found themselves all of a sudden into positions two and three.

Belfield gained more speed in the closing laps and at times looked to be passing Rose for the lead.

Rose was equal to the challenge and held on to win the Bill Sibbald King of the Road with Belfield in second and Riley third.

Only seven of the 19 starters finished the gruelling 40 laps which had Paul Joss in fourth, Wayne Leviston fifth, Lisa Fitzgerald in sixth and Graeme Riley seventh.

Rose made two trips to Collie during the season, winning the Collie Championships on his first visit.

All that remains now is for the presentation of awards and that will take place on May 10 at the Italian Club.

This will be full meal with the awards being presented during the night.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting Shirley Crowe.

The next season of the Quit Collie Speedway will commence in October with Solos and Sidecars expected to be a major part of the first half of the season.

A number of major promotions are being planned that will provide some more great programs of racing.