Round 3 of the 2021 McPherson Mechanical SEAC Super Series took place on Sunday at SEAC Park.

With the race complex receiving considerable rain last week and more importantly overnight Saturday, a very muddy race track greeted the 40 very keen competitors that had entered for the day’s racing.

Starting at the head of the pack, Dale Cagney had the dubious honour of being first out to tackle the sloppy conditions and drove well to set the pace with a 2:03.31 lap time, some 15-20 seconds slower than a regular lap time, reflecting just how little grip was on offer.

Mark Jennings, always up for a challenge, pushed as hard as he could, sliding the big Falcon everywhere and showing plenty of style on street tyres to get home in 2:33.28 with the car intact.

Next out, Damien Brand had the perfect weapon for these conditions and used the Can-Am 4WD Maverick Buggy to full advantage to record an excellent 1:52.57 second lap.

Following Brand, Geoff Wilson faced the damp surface in the FWD Peugeot and drove cautiously to get back in with a 2:12.55. Damien Wilson was next to do the lap in the Nissan Silvia stopping the clock at 2:13.47. Jayden Edwards let fly in his Commodore and made it home in 2:29.27.

Nicholas Cagney’s turn resulted with a reasonable time for the treacherous conditions, using the 4WD grip of his Subaru WRX to post a 1:57.89 second lap.

At the other end of the field, Simon Feil (pictured) – 1:59.56, Jason Winterfield – 2:16.60 and Ken Moore – 2:18.99 proved the track remained wet and slippery.

Brand led the way by five seconds from Nick Cagney, Feil just behind with Dale Cagney fourth, followed by Jason Winterfield, Geoff Wilson, Stuart Gregory, Damien Wilson, Dylan Gregory and Ken Moore rounding out the Top 10 for heat one.

Heat two and the track showed signs of some grip, with Simon Feil taking 12 seconds off his first-round time and fastest for this heat at 1:47.05, a brave effort considering the grip level.

Damien Brand’s 1:49.93 got him second spot to head Nick Cagney (1:50.25), Dale Cagney (1:55.60), Jason Winterfield (1:56.62), Liam Lewis (1:58.56) showing his normal style all the way around the track, Stuart Gregory (1:58.81), Dylan Gregory (2:01.03), Barry Edwards finding some grip (2:02.86) and Geoff Wilson rounding out the 10 with a 2:04.41.

Heat three had some grip in spots that resulted in more speed in patches that got the car into the sloppy spots with more speed resulting in off the track excursions or spins.

Nick Cagney put in a good lap for a well earned 1:46.11, followed by Damien Brand’s 1:46.41, Simon Feil at 1:52.73, Dale Cagney 1:54.08, Damien Wilson 1:54.60, Dylan Gregory 1:55.65, Stuart Gregory 1:58.84, Dion Becker 2:00.66, Jason Winterfield 2:00.90 and Bailey Perryman rounding out the 10 with a well driven 2:01.77.

After a lunch break heat four started with a double lap and some light rain just to add to the slippery spots to catch a few out and send them off track in the early runners.

Some different names appeared on the score sheets for the Top 10 in this heat, with the drying track surface enabling a much quicker lap time.

Simon Feil enjoyed an excellent day out at the Park and set fastest time for this round with a quick 3:21.55, to head an equally quick Nick Cagney (3:31.24). Damien Brand (3:35.20) showing the Can-Am Buggy is well up to the task, tied to the hundredth of a second with a flamboyant Liam Lewis pushing his Commodore to the limit to join Brand for equal third for this heat.

Jason Winterfield filled fifth spot (3:36.08), Ken Moore (3:43.00) in his Celica, Barry Edwards (3:43.95) and Bruce Hamilton enjoying the drying race line to the max to clock a well driven 3:46.30 in the Falcon for eighth.

Curtis Boyd found some speed in his Corolla to get ninth with 3:47.62 and Damien Wilson, one of few of the early runners in this heat filled the top 10 with 3:52.87, a good time in the early track conditions versus the end runners enjoying a dry line.

Heat five, no more rain, all took to the dry track, some for the first time for the day on a dry line.

Nick Cagney wasout to prove a point and rocketed around the quick track and pinched the number one spot from Simon Feil for the last lap with the pair in a class of their own all day.

Nick’s time 1:38.11 just bettered Simon at 1:38.66.

Jason Winterfield got his Subaru Legacy around the layout in 1:44.75 for third quickest, with Damien Brand’s Can-Am next at 1:45.05.

Geoff Wilson – having a mediocre day in the wet conditions – got into the groove on the dry track and restored some faith in his car, stopping the clock at 1:46.90 for fifth quickest in the final heat.

Gary Brown was also having an average outing due to the varying track conditions, but enjoyed the lap in the big Falcon to clock a 1:47.25 time on street tyres, no less.

Damien Wilson, after posting some good times in the early Heats in slippery conditions, got home in 1:47.58 for the last run to fill seventh spot just in front of Dion Becker’s Falcon at 1:47.64.

Liam Lewis attacked the last lap with the same flamboyant sliding, flat out style as he had done all day and clocked a respectable 1:48.59 second lap to finish his day.

Ken Moore, another one that thoroughly enjoyed the day at the Park filled 10th spot with his last run at 1:48.60.

There will be many re-runs of the day’s efforts at the SEAC Park Round 3, over an ale or two, in the coming weeks.

When all data had been entered and checked, the results were posted, with a very happy Simon Feil getting the top spot with his tally of 10:39.55 seconds good enough to hold out Nicholas Cagney with a total of 10:43.60 seconds.

Damien Brand had one of his best days at SEAC Park to finish in third spot with a total of 10:49.16 seconds.

Jason Winterfield put in a consistent day and ended in fourth outright with a score of 11:45.38 seconds for his enjoyable day.

Damien Wilson put in some good runs in the gooey track conditions and got the points for sixth outright with his tally of 11:53.99 seconds.

Ken Moore had a huge grin on his face after a good day at the wheel in the Celica rewarded with seventh spot and a time of 12:04.12 seconds.

Barry Edwards found some fire in the belly and pushed his Commodore hard all day, to get eighth spot with a total of 12:14.61 seconds his reward.

Dion Becker, another driver that is on his “A” game most outings in the Family Falcon, put a good day together and tallied up a total of 12:18.30 seconds for his day to come home in ninth outright.

Geoff Wilson struggled all day with flat tyres and found some speed as the day finished, gaining the points for 10th spot with a total of 12:23.38 seconds.

Preparations will now go towards track repairs for the October long weekend full of Autocross action.

Class positions were awarded to: Simon Feil- Class W (4WD/Specials); Liam Lewis – Class E (2WD 3litre); Damien Wilson – Class D (2WD 2litre); Curtis Boyd – Class C (2WD 1.6litre); Gary Brown – Class B (2WD street, large car); Corey Brand – Class J (Junior); Teresa Lipscombe – Class L (Ladies).