39 fastlane
amazing victory for me and something I
don’t think I will ever get over.”
Another unexpected victory went to
Wayne Talbot, who despite coming to
the event with the intention to test,
clean-swept the Supercharged Outlaw
proceedings by clinching the Top
Qualifying honours and the event victory
over Mike Evans. Talbot had earlier faced
off against Mark Hunt (semi) after a bye
in the opening round while Evans took on
Jason Keily and Simon Richards.
“We came up to Mildura to test the car
and I guess we were just lucky that we
had a run against someone that had a
misfortune on the startline so we had a
lucky break, and then from there we had a
race against our good friend Mike,” Talbot
explained.
“He asked us what our strategy was and
we didn’t lie – we said we were coming
out and going to play the game; if he was
out front we would run out the back door
and if not, we would play the game and
get off it and go down that road.
“I have to thank my brother Jayden Talbot
as well as Ian Richards for busting his butt
changing clutches every single run. I also
want to thank Dave Thornton for being
Dave Thornton and Talbot Vegetable
Growers - my father had to stay back
home when he really should have been
here enjoying the win.”
In the SuperComp bracket, Rob Dekert
secured his first ever ANDRA Christmas
Tree by triumphing over Jake Chaisty, in
the final. To book their tickets to the last
stand for the bracket at the event, Dekert
had earlier overcome reigning champion
Craig Geddes as well as David Clark (round
one) while Chaisty had dispatched David
Roberts after a bye-run in his opening
round. Earlier in the weekend, Terry
Waterman had claimed the Sunoco 260GT
Plus Top Qualifier honours.
“I have won a few ANDRA Christmas Trees
over the years but then I stopped for
seven years and had a break. This is my
second season back and the first win with
the new car,” Dekert explained.
“I was very happy with the result and
what all of the boys had accomplished.
It was an up and down weekend for us
and in two of the qualifiers we pretty
much ended up in the other lane upon
pulling fourth gear, but it got better for
the eliminations which is the main thing
and we got there in the end!
“It was real close racing all the way
through, and in the final Jake Chaisty was
more under his index than me but I got a
better light at the tree.
“I have to thank my wife Deanne, my
daughter Aleesha and son Braydon, as
well as all of my crew Merv, Matt, Paul
Plucka, Hayley and Steve for all of their
help and support; and of course the track
staff including Kingsley Kuchel and all