Brownsburg Indiana’s Joey Saldana won the 2009 ‘Thunder Down Under’ International Sprintcar Series with a third place finish in ‘The Classic Hits’ $20,000 International Sprintcar Classic at Western Springs Speedway on Sunday night (Jan. 4).

Rain on Saturday night meant rescheduling the meeting to Sunday, which also meant that three of the American’s, Saldana, Craig Dollansky and Paul McMahan, had to change their flights back home to the US. They were joined by Californian Jonathan Allard who flew back into NZ at the last minute on Sunday afternoon, fresh from a fifth place finish at the $50,000 to win race at Parramatta Speedway in Sydney on Saturday night.

Allard set the quickest time in time trials with a blistering 12.404 second lap of Western Springs, ahead of Dollansky (12.431), McMahan (12.482), and Saldana (12.519). Mark Brown backed up his top qualifying effort from Boxing Night timing an excellent fifth with a 12.572 second lap, ahead of an in form Jamie McDonald (12.585).

Allard won the first heat from grid six, followed by McDonald, Greg Pickerill, Dean Brindle, and Corey Haigh. Heat two was won by Craig Dollansky, racing on the night for Holly Geck, a young New Zealand racing fan who sadly lost her life on Christmas Eve in a car accident. Palmerston North’s Brent Harris was second, ahead of Mark Brown, Tommy Rusher, and Wellington’s Martin Halcrow. Only five cars finished the heat which was marred by a huge crash by Alan Wakeling on the main straight that also claimed American Ricky Logan.

Saldana blitzed the field to win heat three, followed by Hans Boere, Havard Daniels, Paul McMahan, and Indiana’s Bill Rose.

Saldana then dominated the Dash, ahead of Allard, Dollansky, McDonald, Rusher, Haigh, and Mark Brown. McMahan didn’t start due to a damaged power steering box, and Dean Brindle unfortunately blew an engine, ending his night.

Amazingly Wakeling made the start of the ‘B’ Main, after some hard work from his Koken Tools crew, finishing second to Jeremy Halpin. Logan clashed with Wakeling again in the ‘B’, ending up against the wall in turn two. He restarted but had to take a provisional to start the feature race. The other four qualifiers were Bill Rose, Raymond Griffen, Ryan O’Connor, and Cromwell’s Jason Scott.

The 30-Lap feature was a rough and tumble affair with the drivers having to contend with a race track that was affected by heavy rain on Saturday night. Allard jumped into the lead from the start, blasting around the outside of polesitter Saldana into turn one. Allard’s run into lapped traffic was aided by yellow lights at least four times during the first half of the race. Logan was the reason for one of the yellows, stopping again at the exit of turn two after more contact. McDonald was running strongly, in third after passing Saldana early in the race, behind Allard and Dollansky.

Tommy Rusher was running strongly in sixth when he flipped into the fence in town bend on lap twenty, leaving the car tangled in the catch fencing. Time was lost retrieving the car from an awkward position, and the subsequent restart went just two more laps before the 9.30pm curfew approached. The chequered flag flew for Allard’s first win at The Springs, from an emotional Dollansky, Joey Saldana, Jamie McDonald, Paul McMahan, and Mark Brown.

Saldana tied up the four round International Series on 125 points, from Allard (109 points), and Logan (91 points). Jamie McDonald was the best of the Kiwi’s, finishing fourth overall on 75 points.

Earlier, Current 3NZ Shane O’Connor won his first TQ feature of the season, ahead of the in-form Brock Maskovich, and Ross Linklater.

Michael Pickens continued his unbelievable win streak with yet another Samsung/Century Yuasa Batteries National Midget Car Series victory. Starting from pole Pickens sped to his sixth consecutive NCMS win and his fifth feature win in a row at The Springs this season. Throw in the North Island Championship win at Huntly Speedway as well, and it’s not hard to figure out why he has been chosen to Captain the Kiwi team in the upcoming International Midget World Series. Carl Worboys continued his good form finishing second ahead of a charging Brad Mosen, who finished third after starting from grid sixteen.

The NZ Midget Test Team was also named by Western Springs Promoter Bill Buckley at the end of a busy night.

The team is Michael Pickens (Team Captain), Brad Mosen, Carl Worboys, Lance Beale, Shane Alach, Graham Standring, and Shaun Insley.

The next meeting at Western Springs is the opening round of the 2009 International Midget World Series on January 28.

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