RACE REPORT: MILDURA
BIG WIND CAN’T STOP
BIG AT ACTION
MILDURA
An exceptionally windy start to the two-day
Sunset Strip Nationals – round three of the
Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series –
saw an altered schedule for Sunday’s running
and plenty of action to boot at Mildura’s
Sunset Strip.
Jim Ioannidis (SuperComp), Graeme Cooper (DENSO Super
Street), Leon Davies (Super Sedan), Graeme Spencer (Super
Gas), Gordon Crawford (Modified Bike), Chris Theo (Top
Sportsman), Wade Kisyma (Modified), Bradley Bishop
(Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster) and Tim Stewart
(Supercharged Outlaws) all took victory in their respective
classes.
Runners-up were Tom Dimitropoulos (SuperComp), Michael
Bridges (DENSO Super Street), Joe Bresciano (Super Sedan),
Roy Romeo (Super Gas), Dan Dycer (Modified Bike), Greg
Damiani (Top Sportsman), Stewart Johnston (Modified), Holly
Camilleri (Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster) and
Jason Keily (Supercharged Outlaws).
After having earlier earned the SuperComp Top Qualifiers
Medallion – sponsored by The Tile Co-The Shower People, KC
Tools and Summit Racing – Ioannidis and his VS Commodore
Sedan had a bye in the first round before dispatching Robert
Dekert in the semis. Dimitropoulos meanwhile faced Mark
Newman and Craig Geddes (semis) on his way to his last race
of the weekend.
“I am stoked with the result - we have put in the hard yards
and we have been rewarded,” Loannidis said at the time.
“We have a fast car and we are utilising it now. We are
becoming a good little well-oiled machine.
“Today unfolded really well. We had a game plan, we stuck
to it and we ticked all the boxes. It unfolded exactly how we
wanted it to.”
The day started well and just got better for DENSO Super Street
winner Cooper, with the racer taking out the Top Qualifiers
Medallion award for his bracket in his EH Holden Station
Wagon before going on to race Harry Harris, Nikolas Karanovic
and Peter Jephson ahead of a bye run in the semis. Bridges
successfully faced off against Dan Stubbs (semis), Mark
Sienczewski, John Kapiris and Jeffrey Farley. It was Cooper’s
36th national event win.
“For the Bridges it was their first time ever to a final and I
didn’t really care if I won to be honest, as they are just such
a beautiful family and it would have been nice to have seen
them get their first silver one,” Cooper said.