The AMCA’s didn’t disappoint with a finish where the top drivers were separated by the barest of margins, while the battles were also thrilling in the local classes.
Wins went the way of Dean Heseltine, Adam Box, Bradin Claridge, Michael Boyle and Belinda Chalcraft.
Thrills and spills kept the stewards busy with cars losing battles with the concrete wall and others trying to get away with a little rubbing being pinged by the people with the little rule book and controls of the one-way communicator.
The visiting AMCA Nationals — that compete with 350ci Crate engines — included in their line-up multiple state champion and former national champion Tim Reidy, the current Victorian No.1 plate-holder, and his closest Victorian rival Dean Heseltine.
Reidy won the opening heat from Paul Sullivan, Mildura's Frank Thierry then won the second heat ahead of Reidy.
Heseltine then won the third heat with his 17.382 lap the fastest on the night.
The final was next on the card, and it took until lap five for Heseltine to take control.
Reidy moved up into second position on the sixth lap as the race heated up.
As the laps ticked down, Heseltine was still under pressure from the state champion, however, 15 laps wasn’t enough for Reidy and Heseltine got to the finish line .079 of a second ahead of Reidy, Sullivan, Peachey and David Wicks.
In GV Production Sedans, new member Michael Boyle ran away with a clean sweep of results.
Boyle, who last season was competing in the Victorian 3 Litre Sedan class, has registered to run GV Production Sedans and won all three heats.
He completed the clean sheet when he led from the start in the 15-lap final.
In GV Junior Sedans, new club member Bradin Claridge won all three qualifying races defeating his younger brother Connor in all with a fastest one lap time of 18.811 in the first heat.
The eight-lap final began with Bradin leading Connor until lap three where Jordan Simmonds passed the younger Claridge.
Big brother Bradin though was to strong winning by almost a full lap over Simmonds with Connor Claridge, Keiden Britton and Zach Martin rounding out the result.
The GV Open Sedans continue to grow which is great to see and Adam Box and Paul Lamb renewed their on-track rivalry much to the delight of the crowd.
Lamb took a win in the first of six heat races for the evening where Box and Lamb would compete in heats together twice.
Box won the second heat with a fast lap time of 17.749 before the current class champion Garry Gapes won the third race.
Box won the first battle with Lamb in heat four and the consistent Jay Nicolaisen won the fifth heat before Lamb was awarded the win in heat six despite crossing the line second to Box after the steward confirmed a penalty for Box for a little contact with Josh Beattie, it is in the records that the steward also noticed Beattie then evened the score with Box and he also copped a whack across the knuckles.
In the 15-lap final, Box made quick work of assuming the lead in the feature race with Lamb, Nicolaisen, Gapes and Corey Knox the top five.
Bevan Hutchins stepping into Opens after competing in Productions in recent seasons moved into fifth on lap two and the top five settled for the rest of the race.
When the chequered flag dropped, Box had the win from Lamb, Nicolaisen, Gapes and Hutchins.
Belinda Chalcraft got her season off to a winning start in the GV Ladies Saloons. She had to beat the second top driver in the class with last year's winner absent and she did so by getting faster race after race, the only driver on the night to do so.
Heat one and two ended in victories before Kelly Lamb won the third heat despite Chalcraft setting faster lap times.
The 12-lap final then topped off her night with a one lap fast time of 19.896 as she defeated Lamb, Nicole Gapes, Jas Bergman and Casey Alexander completing a family double as her father also finished fifth in his GV Production final.
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