Sunday’s Midget Feature race at Western Springs was shortened due to time constraints and the pressure to ensure that the night’s main event; the $20,000 International Sprint Car Classic would run for the scheduled 30 laps.

The Midget Feature was reduced to 20 laps from the normal 25 and the drivers and officials were advised. This however did not seem to be the case when the final results were posted showing only 18 laps of the race run.

In fact the feature ran for a full 20 laps with a yellow caution on lap 18. The caution was brought on by a combination of separate incidents; Michael Kendall slowing to a stop against the wall in town bend with a broken throttle linkage and Steven Currie spun out in the same corner with Bill Clarkson Jnr. colliding with his car, unable to stop in time.

Unfortunately a communication error meant officials did not allow Currie or Clarkson to re-start the race.

The Midget re-start rule at Western Springs is straight forward;

-                      no re-starts in any heat races.

-                      If a driver has stopped in the Feature race (or the semi-main) for any reason and his car is able to be re-started, then he may do so off the rear of the field.

Because neither driver was allowed a re-start, despite the rules, several changes were suggested and a feature result was posted that showed the race completed after only 18 laps. This was incorrect as the race had run for the full 20 laps with the race results shown below.

The points for National Series and the prize money payout for the Feature will be calculated using results of the 20 lap feature race that was run on the night.

Currie and Clarkson will receive points based on a calculation using their average lap times during the race and an estimated, cars passed adjustment. This will not affect any other drivers’ points that were accrued at the completion of the race. This one off instance results in the duplication of points for two drivers.

WESTERN SPRINGS NATIONAL SERIES MIDGET FEATURE

10 DECEMBER 2006

Position        Name                         Points                         

1                      Michael Pickens        26

2                      Bryce Townsend       21

3                      Shane Alach              17

4                      Graham Standring    14

5                      Lance Beale              12

6                      Shaun Insley               11

7                      Brad Mosen               10

8                      Scott Buckley             9

9                      Nevil Basalaj              8

10                    Matt Thompson         7

11                    Carl Worboys            6

12                    Dave Harding            5

13                    Michael Brunt            4

14                    Wayne Green            3

15                    Tim Malone                2

16                    Simon Longdill          1

DNRS             Steven Currie            3

DNRS             Bill Clarkson              2

DNF                Michael Kendall         0

DNF                Tony Fabish               0

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