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Luke Dillon slides through turn 4 at Whyalla on Saturday (Phil Michell Motorsport Media photo) |
Dillon Wins Whyalla Gold Cup
Author : Sprintcars SA
Luke Dillon will go down as the first winner of the newly established Sprintcars SA Southern Shootout Series as he claimed victory in Round 1, which doubled as the Iron Triangle Gold Cup at the Whyalla Speedway on Saturday night (November 11). After what was a lowly qualifying effort by Luke’s standards he bounced back in fine style as he progressed through all three shootouts to eventually lock up the vital pole position. That lap set Dillon up for a career first 410ci A-Main victory at the venue as he defeated pre-event favourite Matt Egel and Chad Ely.
“I knew with the track preparation just before the final that the track was going to be slick. As we pushed off, I rolled around and checked the top and the bottom and decided that the bottom was probably the best place to be. From that point with the track being so wet I just protected to the bottom as there's was no way that Matt would have got around me with the way the track was. To be honest I didn't realise that he got that close to me at the end. When the race was shortened to 20-laps I drove like it was a short race. If it stayed at 30-laps who knows, the track could have changed, and the result could have been different” added Luke following the main event.
For Dillon it was the best possible result as he claimed $5,000 for winning the main event along with the maximum point haul possible at a Southern Shootout Series round as he had earlier played his “Joker” card.
Fourth across the line in the caution free finale was Lisa Walker with Keke Falland and former Mildura resident Corey Sandow completing the finishers. Lachy McDonough failed to finish although he still received $1,000 for taking the green along with a new right rear tyre courtesy of local Whyalla business Specialised Tyres.
Earlier Chad Ely was the last car out for qualifying but it didn’t stop him from setting Revolution Racegear Quick Time with a lap of 12.249, just edging out Lisa Walker by .029. Ely would win the only heat of the night ahead of Walker, Egel, Dillon, Falland, Sandow and McDonough.
After the Time Trial and heat points were combined Ely had a maximum of 44 points and he was well on his way to a possible clean sweep of the night, but he was relegated to the second row of the main event as Dillon, who started fifth, stormed through to claim the pole position ahead of Egel, Ely, Walker, Falland, Sandow and McDonough.
The next round of the Sprintcars SA Southern Shootout Series, Presented by Clarend Transport will be at the Borderline Speedway on November 25 as part of the South Australian Sprintcar Title.
Round 1 Summary:
Revolution Racegear Quick Time – S98 Chad Ely - 12.249
Wide Open Clothing Co. / One6 Industries Heat Winner – S98 Chad Ely
Specialised Tyres Lucky 7 Right Rear Tyre – S38 Lachy McDonough
Showtime Signs Shootout Winner – S81 Luke Dillon
Whyalla Earthworks A-Main Winner – S81 Luke Dillon
Double Points Joker Players – S4 Lisa Walker, S38 Lachy McDonough, V43 Corey Sandow, S52 Matt Egel, S78 Keke Falland, S81 Luke Dillon, S98 Chad Ely
Sprintcars SA Southern Shootout Series Points after Round 1 – 1. S81 Luke Dillon 500, 2. S52 Matt Egel 440, 3. S98 Chad Ely 400, 4. S4 Lisa Walker 380, 5. S78 Keke Falland 360, 6. V43 Corey Sandow 340, 7. S38 Lachy McDonough 320.
Sprintcars SA would like to thank the following corporate partners for their support of the 2023/24 Southern Shootout Series:
Whyalla Earthworks
Pro 4x4
Revolution Racegear
Clarend Transport
One6 Industries
Wide Open Clothing Co.
The Gateway Hotel – Mildura
Showtime Signs
Release by Phil Michell Motorsport Media for Sprintcars SA
Ends Release…
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