FIFTEEN-year old Ardie Jonic travelled from Queensland to compete in the Speedway Australia NSW Junior Title and immediately made his mark at the Orange Car Carriers Cullen Bullen Raceway last Saturday, hosted by the Portland District Motor Sports Club.
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Sixteen drivers aged 14 to 16 contested the championship, fighting it out over three eight-lap heats in two groups leading up to a 20-lap title fight with a full field.
Already crowned as Victorian Junior number one, Jonic blasted from the last row of the grid in heat one to finish in third place behind winner Ben Lloyd of Goulburn and Noah Platt of Narrabri.
Lismore’s Matthew Weir won heat two from Orange drivers Tarah Swadling and Amber Culverson with Ryan Harris of Bega taking the laurels in heat three over Weir and Culverson.
Heat four gave Jonic his first victory over Nikki Youngberry of Lismore and Blayney’s Sarah Bradley while Lismore driver Joshua Boyd took the flag in heat five and Jonic won heat six.
The 16 junior drivers looked sensational as they circled in two lines of eight but on the opening lap Olivia Fuller and Chris Holland collided and caused a stoppage.
A full restart resulted but this time Amber Culverson was spun out by Fuller while Nikki Youngberry damaged the bonnet of her car after hitting the rear of Fuller’s car.
Just a few laps later racing was stopped as Noah Platt and Ben Lloyd collided.
After the restart, Matt Weir was on Jonic’s bumper and snatched the lead after some torrid laps.
Unfortunately Chris Holland’s car stopped to force a yellow flag and yet another restart with Jonic resuming poll over Weir, Harris and Dean Platt as Sarah Bradley retired her Corolla.
Throughout the race there were some sensational dices between Josh Boyd and Ryan Harris, Ben Lloyd and Olivia Fuller plus Noah Platt and Ethan Brown.
Jonic went on to claim the victory from Harris, Weir and Dean Platt but after a great drive Harris was stripped of second place due to a suspension discrepancy.
Twelve-year-old Jaiden Healey won the Junior “New Star” Challenge.
The Williams Liquid Waste Service Series Production class gave Blayney’s Matthew Hutchison victory in heat one from Portland’s Mitchell Duggan who went on for two heat victories followed by a slideways win of the feature over Hutchison and Tim Graham.
The Tony Scott Plant Hire RSA Street Stocker class is always a highlight with three different heat winners in Kevin Blackley over Martin Blackley and Jodie Blackley, Chris Marino over Andrew Blackley and Shaun Davoodi while Martin Blackley took the third heat from his father Kevin and Blake Milton.