Brims Blitz At Avalon
07/01/08…NASR/ASCF Media Release
New South Wales champion Wayne Brims became the fourth different feature race winner of the 2007/2008 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series when he stormed to victory in round five at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway on Saturday night (January 5).
Immediately assuming the lead from the outside front row, Brims drove a calculated race on the slick surface for the 35-lap duration to lead home Queenslanders Gary Pagel and Michael Doblo.
South Australian rookie Shane Best continued his great run, placing fourth ahead of NSW gun Tony Barklimore and Sport Engines Hard Charger winner Jarrod Harper, who started from position 13. Daniel Miller picked up the AFCO Shock Doctor Lucky Sevens, with Dave Gartner, Brad Smith and Michael Nicola rounding out the top 10 ahead of Jamie McHugh, who was penalised two spots for a mid-race passing infraction.
Series leader Michael Gee had a night he would rather forget, with a collapsed front left suspension parking him in his second heat after an on-track incident. Gee finished third in the B-main after starting from position seven and was able to move forward as far as 15th in the feature before he was again caught in the wrong place and slid to a halt in turn one.
In a race that ran with minimal interruptions, WA’s Keith Higgs and North Queenslander Damien Bugler were the only drivers from the 20-car field who failed to go the distance. Harper was impressive in his surge through the field, while Matt Pascoe also used the high line to great effect in an effort to duplicate his heroics from the previous round before a spin saw him forced to restart from the rear once again. The efforts of Harper and Pascoe demonstrated that the track surface, whilst slick, proffered at least two racing lines for those willing to take a chance.
Heat race wins were shared between Wayne Belk, Gary Pagel, Michael Doblo, Shane Best, Wayne Brims and Michael Nicola (National Warranty Company Pontiac Grand Prix).
Barklimore was again the quiet achiever of the night, winning the B Dash to elevate himself to to the third row of the A-Dash along with Michael Nicola. Daniel Miller finished third ahead of Dave Gartner, Brad Smith and Wayne Belk, who was the only non-contracted driver to secure a spot in the feature race.
Pagel claimed pole position for the main event by winning the A-Dash, leading home Brims, Doblo, Best, Barklimore and Nicola.
The B Main was taken out by Ashley Bergmeier ahead of Geoff Phillips, Gee and Bugler, with Pascoe and Higgs also transferring to the main event.
Gee maintains a narrow lead in the championship pointscore, with Brims now sitting in second spot ahead of Rockhampton’s Michael Tomkins, who has been a model of consistency at each round, with Best and Bergmeier completing the first five with three rounds remaining.
Results
Heat One: 1. Wayne Belk, 2. Dave Gartner, 3. Brad Smith, 4. Michael Tomkins, 5. Matt Pascoe
Heat Two: 1. Gary Pagel, 2. Damien Bugler, 3. Chris Bussey, 4. Michael Gee, 5. Geoff Phillips
Heat Three: 1. Michael Doblo, 2. Tony Barklimore, 3. Wayne Brims, 4. Daniel Miller, 5. Ashley Bergmeier
Heat Four: 1. Shane Best , 2. Jarrod Harper , 3. Brad Smith, 4. Dave Gartner, 5. Michael Tomkins
Heat Five: 1. Michael Nicola, 2. Jamie McHugh, 3.Gary Pagel, 4. Chris Bussey, 5. Geoff Phillips
Heat Six: 1. Wayne Brims, 2. Daniel Miller, 3. Tony Barklimore, 4. Keith Higgs, 5. Michael Doblo
B Dash: 1. Tony Barklimore, 2. Michael Nicola, 3. Daniel Miller, 4. Dave Gartner, 5. Brad Smith
A Dash: 1. Gary Pagel, 2. Wayne Brims, 3. Michael Doblo, 4. Shane Best, 5. Tony Barklimore, 6. Michael Nicola
B-Main: 1. Ashley Bergmeier, 2. Geoff Phillips, 3. Michael Gee, 4. Damien Bugler, 5. Matt Pascoe, 6. Keith Higgs, 7. Brad Wicks, 8. John Nugent, 9. Rodney Bakes, 10. Ian Page, 11. Wesley Hose, 12. Lionel West, 13. David O’Keeffe, 14. Craig Lappin
A-Main: 1. Wayne Brims, 2. Gary Pagel, 3. Michael Doblo, 4. Shane Best, 5. Tony Barklimore, 6. Jarrod Harper, 7. Daniel Miller, 8. Dave Gartner, 9. Brad Smith, 10. Michael Nicola, 11. Jamie McHugh, 12. Michael Tomkins, 13. Matt Pascoe, 14. Chris Bussey, 15. Ashley Bergmeier, 16. Michael Gee, 17. Geoff Phillips, 18. Wayne Belk, 19. Damien Bugler, 20. Keith Higgs
Contingency Awards:
AFCO Shock Doctor Lucky Sevens: Daniel Miller
Sport Engines Hard Charger: Jarrod Harper
Oval Express Best Presented Car and Crew: Brad Smith
Tassiesupersedan.com Hard Luck Award: Keith Higgs
The 2007/2008 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series progressive pointscore:
1. Michael Gee, 1742
2. Wayne Brims, 1679
3. Michael Tomkins, 1537
4. Shane Best, 1529
5. Ashley Bergmeier, 1464
6. Jamie McHugh, 1382
7. Gary Pagel, 1296
8. Tony Barklimore, 1286
9. Chris Bussey, 1266
10. Michael Doblo, 1261
11. Dave Gartner, 1211
12. Michael Nicola, 1108
13. Daniel Miller, 1009
14. Brad Smith, 1006
15. David O’Keeffe, 953
16. Jarrod Harper, 942
17. Wayne Randall, 888
18. Matt Pascoe, 764
19. Geoff Phillips, 761
20. Bill Miller, 750
21. Keith Higgs, 717
22. Wayne Miles, 709
23. Wesley Hose, 676
24. Bevan Collins, 665
25. Steve Vaughan, 592
26. Damien Bugler, 570
27. Steve Jordan, 556
28. Lachlan Onley, 476
29. Gavin Northfield, 442
30. Brett Smith, 416
31. Will Gould, 318
32. Paddy Ward, 315
The 2007/2008 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series is proudly supported by the following sponsors:
Carline Mufflers, Custom Transporters and Trailers, JD Couriers, Bergmeier Engineering, American Tyres and Racing Services, Sport Engines, AFCO Shock Doctor, Weatherall Automotive Services, Performance Wholesale, Art by Mickey, Oval Express Magazine, www.tassiesupersedan.com, Comfort Inn Robertson Gardens, City Motor Inn Toowoomba, Rocky Resort Motor Inn, Comfort Inn Silver Birch Mt Gambier, National Association of Speedway Racing (NASR). Speedway Sedans Australia (ASCF)