Tasmanian driver Jock Goodyer claimed the 60th Australian Sprint Car Championship at Perth’s Motorplex Raceway on Feb. 11.
Driving the Platinum Prints car, Goodyer defeated Queenslander Lachlan McHugh (Leigh Smith Yachts) and West Australian Callum Williamson (Avalon Group) for the coveted title.
They were chased home by Jamie Veal (SWI Earthworks), Kerry Madsen (Krikke Motorsports/Mobil) and defending champion Marcus Dumesny (Valvoline) in the 35-lap final.
The race of attrition saw only 11 of the original 24 cars complete the event. The casualties included Brock Hallett, Tate Frost and Matt Egel.
Describing his mount as “the best car he has ever driven,” Goodyer improved on his third placing in the previous national championship.
After qualifying on pole, Goodyer opted to start outside McHugh. He won the charge to the first turn and was never headed despite numerous stoppages.
Ian Madsen (DTM Motorsport) raced into second placing early in the race, but his engine failed on lap 15.
It was a fitting result, as the 21-year-old Goodyer and the 24-year-old McHugh have been the most impressive Australians this summer. In all, the young Tasmanian has won six features for the season to date.
Jamie Veal went into the final night as favorite to claim his third national title after dominating the first night’s preliminary feature.
The Warrnambool, Victoria, driver led the 25-lap race from flag to flag, leading home Lachlan McHugh, Jock Goodyer, Kerry Madsen and Matt Egel.
The Dumesny brothers, Matt and Marcus, had a disappointing campaign. Having rolled the Monte Motorsports entry during the Prelude two nights earlier, Matt found himself upside down again on turn 1 of the Preliminary Feature.
Marcus, the defending Australian champion, was upended in the final heat race on preliminary night. The Valvoline driver only made the final row of the grid as the reigning Australian champion.