Mount Gambier’s Mitchell Broome on Saturday night won the Neuropower Victorian Wingless Sprint Title ahead of a stellar field over 30 laps.
The young South Aussie was started from outside row two and quickly settled into the lead on lap two before locking it down from there.
Race leader and fellow South Australian Jack McCarthy was beginning to blitz the field and looked in great stead.
One of the high qualifying cars Brad Warren was the first casualty of the feature with the lights going out on the VX62 just four laps in.
A big one unfolded another three laps into the race on lap seven, sending multiple cars skyward and ending the race for four, including Kirby Hillyer, Adin Robertson, Mick Rigby and Steven Hateley who went over the largest.
McCarthy continued to lead with Broome and Millar remaining in hot pursuit.
On lap 16 the Neuropower A1 of Todd Hobson spun through the infield and brought on the amber lights to calm the field.
Another four laps later spelled disaster for race leader McCarthy who found the concrete along with Matt Symons, taking the pair out of contention and the lead ripped out of Jack’s hands.
Kahn Aston was the next and last of the cars to exit early with his departure on lap 23, while Mitch Broome restarted ahead of the field.
A fast closing Chris Temby, Blake Walsh and Travis Millar all set sights on the top steps with under 10 laps to run home.
Ultimately Broome couldn’t put a foot wrong and led the way home for his first ever Victorian title victory after completing the full 30 laps in front of a top-tier field.
Chris Temby charged hard to make up multiple spots and stand on the podium at second.
Blake Walsh wheeled his V97 from the fourth row to his final third place finish, just ahead of defending champion Travis Millar.
Tony Moule finished in fifth place spot after a high-side drive to move forward in the field.
Luke Weel was arguably one of the biggest movers stacking up to sixth, with Christopher Halesworth trekking out of a B Main transfer and finishing seventh.
Chris Ansell drove a faultless race home to eighth, ahead of Blaine Densley, Cameron O’Brien and Raymond Walliss who was the final finisher of the full 30 lap distance.
The racing was fast, fierce and frantic, making the crowning of the new Victorian Champion Mitch Broome a hard earned win.
The Southern 500 Speedway Portland team was fantastic and battled a gruelling hot day and winds to turn on an epic main event race track.
It was a fitting beginning to a new Victorian title defence in 12 months’ time.
