BOOKER WINS SECOND LAST STINGER CHASSIS MASTERS SERIES ROUND OF THE SEASON

The Grand Prix Midgets headed to Wangaratta City Raceway on Saturday May the 21st for the second last Stinger Chassis Masters series round of the season and when the night was over, Ashley Booker would be back on top with another victory.

Drivers would compete in three heat races each before the night ending feature.

Lining up for the first heat race Mark Blackeby would start from pole position with Paul Perry, Chris Fowler, Matt Kamolins, Shawn Ward, Jack Ward, Ash Booker, Terry Brown (#88 Stinger Chassis - Yamaha R1), and Daniel Meredith. With ten laps to click over Fowler led lap one from Kamolins, Booker, Shawn Ward and Blackeby. On lap two Blackeby moved to fourth, Jack Ward to fifth and Shawn dropped out of the top five down to seventh. Booker moved to second on lap three chasing Fowler.

Brown passed Jack Ward on lap four and it took until lap nine for Booker to take the lead from Fowler (#13 – HMJ Chassis – Yamaha R1). On his way to the lead Booker ran the fastest lap of the night of 15.934. Booker went on to a one second margin victory from Fowler, Kamolins, Blackeby, Brown, Perry, Meredith, Jack Ward, and Shawn Ward.

Jack Ward would then line-up from pole in heat two with Booker alongside. Brown, Meredith, Blackeby (#10 – PBR Chassis – Yamaha R1), Perry, Fowler, Kamolins, and Shawn Ward completed the field. Booker led the opening lap from Brown, Fowler, Jack Ward, and Meredith before Ward dropped out of the top five on lap two with Meredith moving to fourth and Kamolins into fifth.

On lap four Kamolins (#V5 – Stinger Chassis – Yamaha R1) car broke a brake pedal, and he exited the race and then two laps later Fowler broke a Jacobs Ladder mount and his chain come off and he parked infield also. Booker led Brown, Meredith, Perry and Blackeby at this point before Blackeby bit the wall and sustained front end damage. A lap later Meredith (#8 – Stinger Chassis – Suzuki GSXR 1000) had a heavy rollover in his car and walked away un-injured, the race was declared on lap eight with Booker winning from Brown, Perry, Shawn Ward, and Jack Ward.

Shawn Ward then lined-up in the pole position for heat three with Kamolins, Brown, Booker, Perry, and Jack Ward (#4 – Anskaitis Chassis – Yamaha R1) completing the third heat field. The early race leader was Kamolins from Shawn Ward, Booker, Brown, and Perry before Booker moved into the second spot on lap two and Shawn Ward moved back to third.

On lap five Brown moved to third spot and Shawn Ward dropped back to fourth. Booker took the lead on lap six whilst Perry struggled without power steering. Jack Ward was lapped by the leaders as Booker went on to win by two seconds in front of Kamolins, Brown, Shawn Ward (#44 – de Dion Chassis – Yamaha R1), Perry, and Jack Ward.

As is custom for the master’s Series, the top qualify started from the rear of the field for the final and this would mean Jack Ward would start on the front row from pole position with his father Shawn alongside. Kamolins, Perry (#33 Paul Perry Chassis – Kawasaki ZX12), Brown and Booker was the complete line-up. Shawn Ward led the first lap in front of Booker, Perry, Brown and Kamolins. On lap four Booker took the lead in turn three only for Shawn Ward to take it back in turn four.

Shawn Ward continued to make things difficult for the fancied Booker out front and on lap five Jack Ward exited the race with Clutch damage and his father still led the race from Booker, Perry, Brown and Kamolins. On lap seven Booker (#50 – HMJ Chassis – R1 Yamaha) finally hit the front and on lap nine Kamolins moved to fourth and Brown to third, whilst Perry dropped to fifth. At the chequered flag Booker took the win by .967 of a second with Shawn Ward second, Brown third, Kamolins and Perry rounding out the result.

The final round of the Stinger Chassis Masters series is at Rushworth Raceway on May the 28th.

VGPMRA sponsors this season include; Stinger Chassis Pitstop Mowers Super Balance Automotive DMR Motorsport Cunningham Bros Vern & Jackie Parker Photography

Written by Dean Thompson DMT Sports Media For Victorian Grand Prix Midget Racing Association

(c) Copyright Vern & Jackie Parker Photography