The Victorian Mini Sprints returned to Redline Raceway for a club points show on Saturday the 13th of December & despite efforts from Sydney race driver Shane Cooper & a charging Kevin Bomford, it would be Dave May who would go on to record victory in fine style, a small redemption for a recent indiscretion at Nyora that cost the team a win there.

May was just too good on the night for Cooper, Bomford, Owen Bulman, Brad Lowe, Luke Heppell-Hickson & Jason Lynn after leading all fifteen laps of the final.

In the first of three heat races Bomford moved up to the front row when Darren Schnoor (# 6 Browns Stockfeeds – R1 Yamaha) suffered mechanical woes putting him out of pole position and the race. When the green flag dropped Bomford beat Bulman to turn one and the race lead.

Five laps were in the books with Bomford (# 32 Elite Metals– R1 Yamaha) still leading until he started to overheat leaving May & Bulman to make their way pass & off into the sunset. May crossed the line with the win & Bulman in second then came Lowe, Cooper, Kyle Stathopoulos in his best finish since stepping into the divisions from out of Junior Quarter Midgets, Heppell-Hickson (# 21v Alfred Engineering– R1 Yamaha), Lynn & Bomford, however the stewards were a little upset with May & Bulman carrying on a race despite passing the chequer flag & penalised the two.

The drivers of course said the green light was still on so we were racing, the stewards thought otherwise.
Cooper (# 21n Maxim Toolboxes – Suzuki GSXR 1000) began from pole position in the second heat with Lowe alongside and the naughty lads May & Bulman on the second row & Bomford & Heppell-Hickson at the back. Stathopoulos’s (# 99 Kercar Transport – R1 Yamaha) good run came to a sudden halt when his car failed to fire for heat two whilst Lynn had gear shift linkage failure and didn’t start heat two either.

Cooper started well at the initial green only for a caution light to pull it back when Heppell-Hickson came to a stop on track. The re-start again resulted in Cooper taking the lead which he held until a lap for caution brought on by Bomford spinning in turn four brought the field back together for a restart.

Cooper led May, Bulman (# 7 Hobson’s Designs/Stickerette - R1 Yamaha), Lowe & Bomford away for the restart until May made a beautiful pass into the lead and stormed off to victory with Cooper, Bulman, Lowe & a slowing & overheating Bomford finishing behind the winner.

May then started heat three from pole position with Lynn (# 24 Sponsor wanted – R1 Yamaha) alongside and Bomford & Bulman ready to chase from the second row. Cooper was at the very back behind Lowe & Heppell-Hickson whilst Stathopoulos found out his issue was a blown fuel pump fuse that had been keeping him off track after this race started.

May got the jump at the green flag and was never headed as he went on to win from Bomford, Bulman, Cooper, Lowe (# 44 Allstate Custom Trailer/ Geelong Transport Repairs– R1 Yamaha), Lynn & Heppell-Hickson.

The feature line up had eight of the original nine entries make the line up with May (# 4 Tritech Lubricants/ Noske Transport – GSXR 1000 Suzuki), Cooper, Lowe, Bulman, Bomford, Heppell-Hickson, Lynn & Stathopoulos ready to greet the green flag for the fifteen lap journey.

May led from the start, Cooper, Lowe, Bulman & Bomford were all good early in that order until four laps in Stathopoulos night further unravelled with him joining the upside down club. ‘Stathy’ was ok, the car a little bent though.

During the race Bomford passed Bulman on to move into fourth & soon after drove underneath Lowe & into third with Bulman following into fourth.

May however spread the field & steamed on to the finish line to take the win from Cooper, Bomford, Bulman, Lowe, Heppell-Hickson & Lynn.

Speaking to the visiting New South Welshman & second placed finisher Shane Cooper after the event this is what he had to say. “I would like to thank the Victorian Mini Sprint guys for making myself & my brother welcome once again. Dave May was on fire & great to race with. The whole club in Victoria has stepped up in presentation & engine reliability which is a great achievement. I hope a few come our way soon & we might get back to Bairnsdale or the Victorian title during the season.”

Victorian Mini Sprints will run next on the 26th of December for the third round of the Gold Cup Series at Bairnsdale Speedway.

Written by
Dean Thompson
DMT Sports Media
For Victorian Mini Sprints

Winner at Redline Dave May # 4 (C) Inaction Photos

New South Wales visitor & 2nd placed Shane Cooper (C) Inaction Photos