The Whyalla Speedway season kicked off last Saturday night with a big double feature with Round 4 of both the MJS Street Stock Series and the South Australian Formula 500 State Series. On what was a hot and windy evening Nigel Reichstein survived to claim a controversial 30 lap Street Stock finale while local favourite Angelo Karoussis was too good in the Formula 500’s.

Sixteen Street Stocks fronted for the fourth round of the MJS Street Stock Series with six heat races on the program to decide the starting line-up for the unique MJS A-Main that sees the race split between anti-clockwise and clockwise racing.

At the completion of the heat races Jayden Edwards topped the qualifying points chart with Bailey Heinrich, Nigel Reichstein, Rhys Heinrich, Darren Brumfield and Corey Sandow completing the first three rows.

As the drop of the green flag Reichstein quickly jumped into the lead pushing the pole sitter aside with Edwards dropping to ninth by the completion of the opening lap. Edwards would then retire with a broken steering rack ending what had been a great night for the driver who had travelled the furthest to compete.

From the opening lap Reichstein would pace the field under intense pressure from Heath Thorne and Rhys Heinrich but the early stages of the race were littered by cautions as the drivers persisted to drive on the infield knocking the infield markers onto the track. A lap 12 caution saw a directional change with the last 18 laps run in the clockwise direction.

Once again Reichstein led away with Rhys Heinrich in hot pursuit and it wasn’t long before Heinrich took the lead with a forceful move into turn one and he looked set for victory until the caution came out two laps later and he was put back two spots for an infield pass.

Heinrich was quick to get back into second, but he couldn’t get back by Reichstein with Reichstein taking the win ahead of Heinrich, Thorne, Corey Sandow, Darren Brumfield, Andy Maxwell, Bailey Heinrich, Tony Prideaux, Aaron Tyler and Steve Heinrich.

After winning his second heat and finishing second in his other two, Karoussis started on the front row of the 15-lap final and was never headed as he recorded the fastest lap of the race and won the race comfortably by over 2 seconds. Second across the line was Brad Stell, with Dean Cottrell, Brendan Zadow, who went into the round as the series leader, and Michael Wise completing the top five.

Earlier Dean Cottrell won the opening heat while Angelo Karoussis and Brendan Zadow also claimed a heat win.

The V6 Sprints, Modlites and Wingless Sprints were also on the racing program with Super Sedan and Late Model demonstrations also entertaining the crowd.

South Australian Champion Chris James proved too strong in the V6 Sprint feature winning by a sizeable margin over Kym Simon, Michael Buxallan, Daniel Thwaites and Tyson McCarthy.

Chris James (2) and Kym Simon were victorious in the heats, but the heat races weren’t so kind for several the competitors including Leigh Hancl who didn’t get past the opening preliminary while Renee Pfeiler rolled on the front straight in heat 2 ending her night.

Brian Chadwick just edged out Jake Armstrong in the Modlite feature while the Wingless Sprint feature was cancelled due to time constraints. But the Wingless Sprints still had three heats earlier in the night with Normie Moore and Australian Champion Joel Chadwick (2) greeting the chequered flag first in the races that were contested.

The next meeting at the Whyalla Speedway will be on February 9, 2019 with a huge night of racing featuring the South Australian 410ci Sprintcar Title, Super Sedans, Street Stocks, Junior Sedans and a Demolition Derby.