Dennis Newlyn
25 January 2021, 4:10 AM
Lismore's Jacob Jolley continued on from where he left off the previous night as he swept to victory in the annual 100-lap Australian Wingless Sprintcar Grand Prix at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway last night.
Jolley, who led Alstonville's David Eggins and Michael Butcher, from Lismore, to the chequered flag in the AGP, dominated the entire weekend with heat and feature wins the previous night.
“That got us in the points where we needed to be for the Sunday night,” Jacob said.
Heading into the AGP, he won his heat and the pole shuffle last night.
“That put us on the front row and played a big part but I knew the top (of the track) was going to be fast. Obviously Trent (Martin) got up there early on us and he was fast. I had to try and keep up, thankful for a restart. Whoever got the jump at the restart was going to be in command,” said Jacob.
Martin led the opening stanza before the first yellow light appeared after 24 laps. Robbie Mazzer did not have luck on his side when he broke a fan belt as he stopped on the track and brought on the first of the slow-down laps.
Martin had set a cracking pace and had already lapped a number of cars before the caution period. He was credited with the fastest lap of the race in this part of the event with a time of 15.193 seconds for a speed of 94.78 km/h.
Jolley chose the high line for the restart – as he did for the other yellow lights later in the event – and took over the front running.
From that point on it was Jacob Jolley's race as he staved off the opposition on the restarts and maintained a good pace at the head of the field.
"The car was awesome and started to come on about half way through the 100 lapper," said Jolley, who praised his mechanics Paul O'Neill, Jason Jolley, Craig Timms and Rob Sibson.
There was some dicing further back in the field, but nobody could catch Jolley.
Minor placegetters Eggins and Butcher were followed across the line by Mitch Bootland, while the top ten ten were rounded out by Martin, Ben Hull, Seiton Young, Anthony Grant, John Egan and Brett Russo.
Second placed David Eggins, with Wingless Sprintcar Australian Grand prix winner Jacob Jolley (centre) and third placed Michael Butcher (right).
The first five cars to the chequered flag all finished on the same lap while only two laps separated the entire top ten finishers in what was another enthralling 100 lap spectacle from the Wingless class.
In addition to Jolley's heat win, other winners were Mazzer and Brock Gardiner.
Jacob Jolley also won the Super 7 Series for January from Trent Martin (left) and Errol Campbell.
Jaiden Santin returned to the winner's circle as he raced to victory in the final round of the Northern Rivers Junior Sedan Championship.
Jaiden was forced into the runner-up spot in the previous night's first round as Zac Brimms took the feature win.
Jaiden drove a strong race for his second round victory ahead of Jacob Waller and Sophie Santin. Brimms, Waller and Sophie Santin were heat winners. Meanwhile Jaiden Santin and Waller were the stand-outs in the pole shuffle.
Shane Newstead made a welcome return to the winner's circle when he took out the AMCA feature race, while other main event winners were: Shane Laurie (Four Cylinder Sedans), Joel Berkley (Production Sedans) and David Putsey (Street Stocks).
Jolley has a rest before his next race at Grafton on February 13.