CARUSO, KAROUSSIS AND GARTNER CLAIM PINK NIGHT HONOURS

Murray Machining and Sheds, Murray Bridge Speedway hosted their annual ‘Ultimate Pink Night’ in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation with a triple treat for race fans, including the running of the Australian Sprintcar Allstars Series, the Formula 500s King of the Bridge, along with the MJS Street Stock Series.

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WINS DON’T COME AROUND VERY OFTEN
By Australian Sprintcar Allstars
Monday, December 19

In a nail-biting finish Steve Caruso took out the win of the Mainline DynoLog Dynamometers All Star Series Ultimate Pink Night at Murray Bridge. “The track was really good tonight and the last 10 laps the car came alive, I knew that Mark had led the race till the last corner on the last lap but it was my opportunity to get through lap traffic and if you don’t take those opportunities you’re not a race car driver. Wins don’t come around very easy and if you don’t take those moves you let your crew and everyone down.” Caruso said at the Post race interview. “Mark & I are pretty competitive, we both have a great combination, our cars are very equal and Maxwell Motors build the best 360’s in the country which we both run. It just comes down to the night.”

SA24 Ricky Maiolo isn’t a regular on the 360 circuit but you would not have guessed as he wheeled into 2nd place. Corey Sandow in the V43 returned after missing the first couple of shows came home in third. A great drive for his return night. NT52 Jabba Bolitho finished strongly in 4th and VA91 Dan “Yaknowyaloveit” Scott rounded out the top 5.

In front of a great crowd the stars put on exciting racing, so much so that a resident possum perched himself up on the catch fence in Turn 4 to get a closer view. After what started out as a good night SA98 Chad Ely went up to visit him, unfortunately ending Ely’s night but fortunately the possum was fine. Young gun Ben Morris had a brilliant night, taking out both his heat wins, picking up the $100 Mint Pig Fuel card and starting on the front row. Running 4th but bought on the yellows in T2 and ended his night on the infield.

Heat race wins went to – Mark Caruso, Ben Morris, and Dan Scott.

A Main results: - 1st Steve Caruso, 2nd Ricky Maiolo, 3rd V43 Corey Sandow, 4th NT52 Jason Bolitho, 5th VA91 Dan Scott, 6th V18 Chris Temby, 7th SA93 Brent Fox, 8th VA2 Boyd Harris, 9th NS22 Jarreth Argus, 10th V47 Jeremy Kupsch, 11th S33 Mark Caruso – DNF, 12th V65 Kane Newcombe-DNF, 13th S3 Ben Morris-DNF

Contingency Winners:
IDIGIT Lucky $100 draw – Dan Scott- $100 cash
Bar Up 8 – Boyd Harris
Bullseye Lucky 7 – Brent Fox - $100 cash
Heath Hunter Hire Quick Time Award – Mark Caruso – $100 cash
HCC Maxie’s Keep on Fighting Award - Todd Moule- $100 cash
TEH Hard Charger –Chris Temby - $100 cash
Fosters Last Man Standing – Jeremy Kupsch - $100 cash
Hoosier Hero – Steven Caruso - $100 Hoosier voucher
Mint Pig Lucky Draw – Ben Morris - $100 Fuel Card
Auto Premier Presentation Draw – Chris Temby - $100 cash

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KAROUSSIS A FIVE-TIME KING
By MMS Media
Tuesday, December 20

A full field assembled for the Formula 500s King of the Bridge which did not disappoint, with Angelo Karoussis making a bold passing move in the second half of the feature to claim his fifth ‘King’ crown.

Australian Champion Dylan Beveridge and Karoussis would start off of the front row, with Beveridge holding the inside line well to lead the opening half of the 25-lap feature.

Brendan Zadow swiftly made up a few places early on in the race after starting back in row 4, before climbing up to third with 12 laps to go.
Karoussis looked to just start challenging Beveridge for the lead, before Jackson Van Ginnekin V5 spun in Turn 4, bringing out the first caution of the feature.

On the re-start, Beveridge went out hard, with Karoussis doing the same, before making a big sliding move through Turns 3 and 4. Beveridge on the inside would be able to swing back, with the two racing side by side, before Karoussis would charge hard again, this time to take the lead.

Another caution with 6 laps to go would see the field bunched up again, with Karoussis ahead of Beveridge and Zadow. Zadow would make a last lap ditch effort to try and claim second spot, but his move came unstuck, seeing him collide with the wall in Turn 4 bringing on the red light. As Karoussis had already crossed the line to take the chequers, the race would end on that note, with Karoussis and Beveridge holding first and second, with Patrick Merrett elevated to third. Liam Russell, Angus Hollis, Richard Schmidt, Dale Sinclair, Jack Nolan, Declan Robinson and Michael Wise would make up the Top 10.

Earlier in the night heat race wins went to – Dylan Beveridge, Liam Russell, Patrick Merrett and Brendan Zadow.

A Main results: - 1st S27 Angelo Karoussis; 2nd A1 Dylan Beveridge; 3rd S64 Patrick Merrett; 4th V55 Liam Russell; 5th V2 Angus Hollis; 6th S21 Richard Schmidt; 7th V95 Dale Sinclair; 8th V27 Jack Nolan; 9th V72 Declan Robinson; 10th S8 Michael Wise; 11th V37 James MacDonald; V5 Jackson Van Ginneken; V26 Brad Malone; V25 Shona Bent. DNF S12 Jordan Mansell; S14 Anthony Beare; V46 Chad Bell; S73 Brendan Zadow; S51 Simon Reichelt.

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GARTNER GRABS MJS FEATURE
By MMS Media
Tuesday, December 20

Staring from position three, Steve Gartner would battle hard all the way to claim the MJS Street Stock Series 30 Lap Feature event.

Coming off pole position, Nathan Thorne would take the field through the opening lap, with Steve Gartner sneaking up into second, with Andy Maxwell Jnr battling Scott Merrett and Morris Ahern for third. Thorne would open up a handy lead despite navigating through the lapped traffic, with Gartner and Maxwell Jnr still driving hard for second spot, before the cautions came on at Lap 15 for the direction change.

On the restart, it would be Thorne, Gartner, Maxwell Jnr, Ahearn, Drew Flatman and Darren Brumfield in the Top 6. Thorne would quickly slip away with Gartner right on his tail, with Ahearn and Flatman both driving hard to pass Maxwell Jnr, before the S24 of Curtis Brown spun in Turn 3.

Thorne would still lead on the restart, with Ahearn getting caught up and spinning before retiring to the infield. In the later stages of the race, Brumfield would continue to work the high-line to pass Flatman into third. Thorne would run slightly high coming into Turn 4, allowing Gartner to close the gap before making what seemed a winning pass with just 2 laps to go. Thorne would fight back however, and would cross the line first, but was later relegated to spots for an infield pass, giving Gartner the win, and elevating Brumfield to second.

Earlier in the night, Nathan Thorne would take out two heat wins, with Morris Ahearn, Scott Merrett, Andy Maxwell Jnr and Steve Gartner the other heat winners.

A Main Results: - 1st S32 Steve Gartner; 2nd S91 Darren Brumfield; 3rd S52 Nathan Thorne; 4th S112 Drew Flatman; 5th S19 Phil Watson; 6th S41 Scott Merrett; 7th S17 Carey Weston; 8th S14 Nigel Reichstein; 9th S33 Bryan Brown; 10th S42 Thomas Garner; 11th NT46 Patrick Hall; 12th D88 Tim Hutchison; 13th S3 Keith Moore; 14th S6 Grant Harris; 15th S59 Haydon Jolly; 16th S12 Darren Flatman

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Racing now returns to Murray Bridge Speedway on Boxing Day - Monday, December 26th for Round 1 of the Clay-Per-View Sprintcars Speedweek. Tickets are selling fast for the event via www.speedwaytickets.com.au, with gates opening at 4.30pm and racing from 6.30pm.

It’s Your Speedway, SA!

Photo: Ray Ritter/ KNJ Photography

Steve Caruso celebrates his feature win in the Australian Sprintcar Allstars Series.