Tony Smith Victorious In An Action Packed Opening Round
Aaron Wells ... 28-10-2007

Sprintcar Association of Tasmania Media Release -- www.sprintcarstasmania.com

Veteran Tasmanian Sprintcar racer Tony Smith last night (October 27) took out the opening round of the $70,000 Farmers Union Iced Coffee Tasmanian Sprintcar Series, at Hobart International Speedway.

A former 4-time state champion, Smith's night began with a second placing in his opening heat. Jason Dawkins crossed the line first, but was penalised 2 positions by the stewards for an alleged in-field pass on Kurt Luttrell to whilst taking the race lead. Luttrell was awarded the win, Dawkins third.

The second heat of the night went to Malcolm Lee, who held on in an exciting finish, managing to edge out a hard charging Robin Dawkins, who was also under the pump from Gerry Hoekstra who himself has battled fiercely to hold of Adrian Redpath.

Heat three again produced some very close and exciting racing. Adrian Redpath and Jason Dawkins putting on an awesome display as they jostled for the lead. With just two laps remaining the T12 of former state champion Adrian Redpath began to blow huge amounts of smoke, but he managed to hold on and take the win from Dawkins and Kurt Luttrell.

It was Tony Smith who took a comfortable victory in heat four, winning by nearly half a lap from current state champion Robin Dawkins and another former champion in Phil Coates.

Smith took the lead of the 30-lap A-main at the green and seemed to easily pull away from the field in the opening handful of laps. Malcolm Lee's car expired on lap 4, forcing him onto the in-field.

Before long the following four cars in Luttrell, Redpath Jason and Robin Dawkins had wound Smith in, setting up what would be a thrilling final 20 laps of racing in the main.

The group swapped places and on lap 21 Kurt Luttrell made an outside pass on Smith at the exit of turn two. As Luttrell approached turn 3 he became unstuck in lapped traffic, sending his car in the concrete and over onto its lid, ending his night in a rather disappointing way.

With 9 to go it was Smith again who took the green at the restart, immediately coming under pressure from Dawkins and Redpath. A big rut was forming out of the turn 2 which made for some exciting two-wheel action as cars bounced over it.

New comer to the Sprintcar ranks Jamie Bricknell was the next to go, going over in almost the same place as Luttrell before him after contact with Kane Cruse. Bricknell was unhurt but his car was looking very much worse for ware. Cruse was also left retired on the infield as a result of the incident.

The field was again sent on their merry way, but it wasn't long before another red flag was out, this time for Adrian Redpath who fell victim to the turn 2 rut. Redpath sent for a ride after a spinning wheel-stand.

As the field were re-fired for the final 3 laps, Robin Dawkins who at the time was sitting in second place mysteriously waved the field bye and re-started at the rear. It was later made apparent he was relegated for an alleged in-field pass.

Smith and Jason Dawkins put on some more exciting racing in the final 3 laps, Jason taking the lead momentarily in turn two before he hit the infamous rut, pulling a wheel stand and saving the car from spinning or rolling, but costing him momentum.

Smith went on to take a well deserved win from Dawkins and Phil Coates. Shannon Wynne-Allen finished a brilliant fourth in his Sprintcar debut, Gerry Hoekstra was fifth and Steven Rowe who was also making his debut came home an encouraging sixth.

Robin Dawkins who crossed the line in sixth was later disqualified for failing to have his car weighed after the A-Main.

 

Farmers Union Iced Coffee Tasmanian Sprintcar Series Rd 1 Results

Heat 1: K.Luttrell; T.Smith; R.Dawkins.
Heat 2: M.Lee; G.Hoekstra; A.Redpath.
Heat 3: A.Redpath; J.Dawkins; K.Luttrell
Heat 4: T.Smith; R.Dawkins; P.Coates

A-Main (30 laps): T.Smith; J.Dawkins; P. Coates




Farmers Union Iced Coffee Tasmanian Sprintcar Series Standings (After round 1)

224     Tony Smith
206     Jason Dawkins
196     Phil Coates
191     Shannon Wynne-Allen
188.5 Adrian Redpath
188     Gerry Hoekstra
178     Kurt Luttrell
175     Kane Cruse
174     Steven Rowe
167     Malcolm Lee
165.5  Jamie Bricknell
50      Robin Dawkins