LAST weekend’s race meeting at Wangaratta City Raceway had the crowd roaring as loud as the speeding vehicles vying for the podium all night. The VMPA Ezprint Series kept fans on the edge of their seats with a mix of thrilling three-wide racing and plenty of mechanical issues. Unfortunately, only a few cars made it out for the track pack before their first heat, but the crowd was treated to a display of beautifully presented machines during the roll-around laps. In the final showdown, Brad Wicks reigned supreme, securing pole position. Shaun Thompson spun in turn one after contact with Mitch Smith, who was sent infield with front-end damage. Caleb Lincoln continued running the topside beautifully, but Brad Wicks bided his time before reclaiming the lead with 15 laps to go. Lincoln’s race ended a few laps after prematurely with mechanical troubles, leaving Brooke Ferguson and Rachel Pratt to battle for the final podium spots. Ferguson briefly edged ahead, but Pratt’s consistency earned her second place behind the unstoppable Wicks. The Junior Sedans New Stars division brought thrilling action to Wangaratta City Raceway, with young drivers showcasing their skills and determination across a hot night of racing. The first heat began with early drama when Mackenzie Dixon became unstuck and hit the wall in turn four, damaging the brakes and steering, and made contact again in turn one with five laps remaining. In the third heat, Noah Basten proved to be the driver to beat, taking his third consecutive win of the night. The final race of the night was a thrilling affair, with Noah Basten and Luke Morrison battling door-to-door with three laps to go. Basten emerged victorious, completing a perfect night with wins in all heats and the final, Morrison showed great skill and determination to finish in second place, while Taijan Ussher capped off a consistent evening with a third-place finish. Next race meeting for juniors is their Victorian Junior Title sponsored by Lincoln Earthmoving, on Australia Day weekend, from Saturday, January 25 to Sunday, January 26, 2025. The Junior Sedans put on an exhilarating show for JSPA Top Stars, with plenty of action, skilful driving, and thrilling finishes across the heats and final. Will Fallon showcased consistency and pace to claim the top spot, with Cruz Carlin and Jake Bradley rounding out the podium. Harry Dunn showed strong performances, pushing hard in his heats, and Tayla Whatmore kept the pressure on their competitors throughout the evening. The event highlighted the incredible talent in the Junior Sedans category and set the stage for future battles - congratulations to all drivers for putting on an unforgettable show. The AMCA Nationals provided plenty of action at Wangaratta City Raceway, with three intense heats and a thrilling final. The night began with drama as Shannon Hilder hit the concrete in turn one during the first heat, while John Churchyett pulled infield shortly after. In the final, Mick Kiraly delivered a dominant performance, taking an early lead and holding it to the finish. Stephen Hopkins put up a strong fight to claim second, while Brydon Bradley rounded out the podium in third. The AMCAS will be back on March 29 2025 for their Victorian State Title. The latest round of racing for the Victorian Compact Speedcar Club Inc President's Cup had some thrilling moments and close competition across all heats and the final. In the end, it was young Aston Rodriguez who dominated the field and took the win. David Hutchison fought hard to finish in second, while Rod Saville made his way to third place after a steady drive. The next round promises even more thrilling action, with their Australian Title on March 1. The JP Asphalting Sport Sedans came and brought a show with intense battles, hard-fought victories, and dramatic incidents keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The pole shuffle featured intense one-on-one matchups, with Dave Donegan overcoming challenges from Dale Smith, Tommy McDonald, Ian Thomsen and Shane Simpson, to secure himself pole position for the final. The main event was action-packed, a war of attrition with mechanical failures and crashes. Anthony Nicolaisen retired early with mechanical issues, while Dennis Reid narrowly avoided disaster after going up on two wheels in turn four. Dave Donegan suffered a right-front failure with seven laps remaining, and Kimberly Smith retired shortly after with a flat tire. Jason Berger pulled in with three laps to go, leaving Shane Simpson to take the lead and ultimately claim victory. Dale Smith secured a well-earned second place, with Ian Thomsen rounding out the podium.
