South Australian Champion Tyson Martin got his season off to a perfect start as he remained undefeated on Saturday night in the Wingless Sprint season opener at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway. After starting on the pole Martin had to work hard to claim the feature event as he survived an intense battle with runner-up Blake Walsh and Jack McCarthy to win a thrilling race on what was a brilliant way to kick off the South Australian Wingless Sprint season.

“I felt like a bit of a sitting duck out front and that proved to be case as both Blake (Walsh) and Jack (McCarthy) got past me but as it worked out, I was able to see where they were running and I managed to get past them both in the lapped traffic. The top four were all fast tonight so it could have been anyone’s race, I really had to work hard for it that’s for sure” added Tyson following the main event.

After taking the lead away from Martin just past halfway in the 30-lap finale Cobden’s Blake Walsh appeared to have the field covered but he lost the lead with five laps remaining in slower traffic, ending the chance of a perfect night for the talented young Victorian. Right from his opening heat race Walsh proved he would be a major contender as he ran the topside of the track in impressive fashion as he matched Martin’s heat performance as he remained unbeaten throughout the preliminary heats.

Third place went to Jack McCarthy with Victorian Champion Luke Storer finishing fourth. Although the top four finished exactly where they started it was far from a boring race as the positions swapped on multiple occasions including three lead changes on lap 26.

Rylan Furler had a solid night as he rounded out the top five with Anthony Tapley, Brent Fox, James Rodda and Victorians Jake Dooley and Aaron Kennett completing the top 10.

A total of 29 drivers from three states signed in with the format comprising six heats, a B-main and a 30 lap A-Main. Heat winners on the night were Martin (2), Walsh (2), Luke Storer and Peter Logue, making Martin the lone South Australian heat winner on the night.

Following the heat races the top 10 qualifiers for the A-Main were Martin, Walsh, McCarthy, Storer, Furler, Nate Trewin, Logue, Brent Fox, Anthony Tapley and Nicole Southby, who secured one of her best career A-main starting positions after recoding a pair of fourth placings in her heats.

Rookie Troy Frisby led home Aaron Kennett, Darwin’s John Murdie and Thomas Walkom to transfer into the A-Main via the last chance qualifier.

The next event on the Wingless Sprints of SA season calendar will be the next round of the Track Championship at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway on Saturday October 15th, 2022.

Release by Phil Michell Motorsport Media
For Wingless Sprints of SA.