ANDRA Fastlane ANDRA_FASTLANEED26 | Page 39

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