IT was a loud night at the Sonic Speedway last Saturday, with the return of the V8 Trucks for the first time in a decade wowing the crowd with their roaring exhausts.
Luke James drove as if his life depended on it, winning all the heats in the five-entrant field before taking the final in a canter.
Earlier – in one of the night’s highlights – Janelle Saville took out the GP Midgets Victorian State Title.
Saville tussled with Chris Fowler in the heats setting up an exciting final that saw her take the chequered flag, ahead of Fowler in third who was beaten for the runner-up spot by Gary Bowyer.
The Victorian Sports Sedans held a series round, which saw some great racing in the heats and a close contest in the final from the 21 cars taking the track.
Zac Swanson was the in-form driver heading into the final, winning the most heats, but he failed to capitalise in the 20-lap final.
Rhys Meakins, who was also racing well in the heats, crossed first, but the story of the final came from Shane Roycroft, who broke his control arms, which locked his front wheel midway through the race.
In a great display of skill, Roycroft continued racing for three laps before deciding it was too tough an ask and moved to the infield.
Local drivers dominated the Standard Saloons, with Kiel Tripcony heading into the final as the favourite after a good session in the heats.
Another local, Hayden Glare, seized control in the final, hopping back into a Standard after racing Wingless spring last season.
The local class, VSC Formula 500s, had seven cars competing in the heats and six in the final.
Tom Nietvelt didn’t have the greatest session in the heats, where Terry Knowles, Malcom Gammon and Jesse Bedggood dominated, but he performed when it counted.
Nietvelt, who is very hard to get past once in front, raced out to the head of the field and held on for a victory over Bedggood in second and Gammon in third.
Claude Pearson debuted in a Formula and can hold his head up high, racing very well on his first attempt.
It was a small field in front of a big crowd in the VSC juniors, with the positions in the heats mainly staying the same all night.
The order of the evening seemed set in stone as Jacob Tinworth took first place ahead of Blake Adams in second and Emily Hooton in third.
Young star Rebecca Johnstone showed great courage to return to the field after rolling her car in the earlier heats.
Johnstone was cleared of any injury.
Mini Sprints put on a fast show, with seven cars taking to the track for the final.
Ally Moore earned the chequered flag ahead of Scott Burchett in second and David Alie in third.
