A CLEANS START FOR THE TERRITORY TITANS - For release – immediately

Ryan Farrell continued his domination in sprintcar racing, with a comfortable victory in the season opening, twenty-lap feature event at the Ostojic Group Northline Speedway in Darwin on Saturday night.

The six times Western Australian champion, now driving for the Monte Motorsport team cruised to the chequered flag in a scene setting event, which saw an interesting looking top three.
Allan Barlee returned to some good form, netting a solid second place and Chace Karpenko, driving the only 372 cubic inch car in the field, held on for third place in his return to the sport after missing most of the 2008 season.

The night was not as fruitful for the two stars of 2008, Warrenne Ekins and Jason McIver. The night started well for Ekins, equalling Ben Atkinson’s one lap record (11.828) to the nearest one thousandth in qualifying, but dropping a heat race and fighting an evil handling car saw the reigning Chariots series champion, not on the same level as Farrell.

For McIver, two crashes in three heats tested the team and the talented driver, he would finish in third in the feature, but will be searching for a better night at the next meeting in a fortnight.
Nick Halkitis was a clear winner in the Bridge Toyota sponsored 350 Sprintcars. A small field was on hand for the opening night and with Jason McIver now in the open class; new names will feature prominently during the season. Jamie McInnes won the opening heat race, but a clash with Evan Eivers on the second lap of the feature ended both drivers’ nights.

Ian Menzies won the opening Street Stock event for the new season. The Oasis Irrigation Ford was too strong in the feature event, Colin Masters finished a fine second place and Bill Holt completed the top three. Simon Spitzbarth retired late in the event after the engine in his Blumax NT entry began to misfire in the closing stages, while running in third.

Lachie Vincent and Ellie Hills were the standout performers in the Junior Sedan ranks. Both talented teens won heat races and were a step above the rest. Vincent won the feature event with ease after Hills lost control of her Pecky’s Performance Corolla mid race dropping her back half a lap. Yazmin Brown finished in a lonely third place and James Dennis finished fourth.

Sean Tiedeman picked up where he left off in 2008 with a win in the dirt karts. The pocket rockets, which race on the smaller infield track turned on some good action throughout the night, Teagan Peck finished in second and Jamie Cox finished in third. Alison Fry was unlucky in her bid to win the feature, spinning in the closing stages of the event, while running in second place.

A great opening night crowd was on hand to witness some great racing, which was also relatively clean all night long.

The next meeting is on Saturday May 23, which will feature all sections plus the inaugural meeting for the NOS Sprints class. The V6 power plant wingless cars have proved popular in the southern states for their inexpensive and close racing. Expect the same when they hit the track here in Darwin.

For more information, please visit www.darwinspeedway.com.au

Produced & Released by – Matt Naulty Media – www.mattnaulty.com.au