SUPER STOCK
South Australia’s Jim Ioannidis leads the way in the Super Stock
standings with 250 points ahead of Tom Dimitropoulos (200),
Alex Panagiotidis (170), Daniel Camilleri (160) and Rob Dekkert
(120).
Ioannidis has had a strong season with two event wins and a
record-breaking performance in Portland. Also taking Super
Stock wins this season have been Camilleri, defending champion
Jamie Chaisty and Craig Geddes.
“Group two hasn’t had as many rounds as some others this
season, so that has shortened it up and made the points
championship a bit harder for us. I also missed Adelaide as we
were away for a family holiday, which put me a little bit behind,
but at the rounds we have raced, we have done very well. The
numbers show that with where we are in the points,” says
Ioannidis.
“With the position that we are in after Portland and with the
guys that are behind me, I think (the final championship battle)
is going to be interesting. It is going to be ‘on’, and I have to be
honest and say that I will be giving everything I have got – I know
that in Perth on the quarter-mile and also at Adelaide we can go
plenty under the index. Of course, you can’t count your chickens
before they hatch, but at this point I am still in the box seat.
“This wasn’t something I was planning, but as it has unfolded,
we will be giving it a red hot go – we have the car to do it, so
why not?!”
TOP SPORTSMAN
The competition in the Top Sportsman bracket has been fierce,
with three racers on max points ahead of the penultimate round
and no less than six different winners found from the six finals
run so far.
Jason Arbery (Hidden Valley), Greg Damiani (Alice Springs),
Chris Theodorakopoulos (Mildura), Paul Russo (Adelaide), Glenn
Henley (Calder Park) and Darren Nichele (Portland) have all taken
victory across the season, while Vlado Turic, Jeff Lewis and Paul
Downe have joined Damiani, Nichele and Theodorakopoulos in
also taking out runner-up spots.
Thanks to their strong seasons to date, Arbery, Turic and Damiani
are all on max points heading to Perth (300 points), while Nichele
(260) and Theodorakopolos (200) are not far behind.
“It has been a good season for us so far – we had an early win
in Darwin, and some strong results in Adelaide and Melbourne
so I was able to accumulate some points early on,” Arbery said.
“We are sitting confidently now, with two good results behind
us and a runner-up result in Portland just a few weeks ago. We
also went back to Portland for another meeting there in early
February and we managed to win that as well, so we feel that
we are in a good position.
“But at the same time, the competition is very tough. With the
likes of Greg, Darren and Vlado, (who wins) is going to be a toss
of the dice.”