Under grey Sydney skies, the International deluge of Speedcar talent was ever-apparent as Jerry Coons Jnr from Tucson, Arizona drove a precision race to claim Round Four of The Speedcar Super Series at Tyrepower PCR, ahead of Seamount teammates - Novocastrian Adam Clarke and Kiwi Michael Pickens in a breathtaking thirty-lap A-Main.

The Speedcar talent that took to qualifying was as good as you would see anywhere in the world, save for the Chili Bowl and Belleville Midget Nationals.

The incredibly overcast Sydney day, led to a ‘greasy’ track for qualifying, and took the majority of the program to dry the racing surface, before the track opened up to a pearler for the A-Main - a dead-smooth slick bottom, with a consistent cushion right around the Tyrepower PCR circumference, that was chosen as the preferred option by the majority of competitors.

Starting from the second row in the A-Main, it was Coons Jnr that was the first to buck the trend and run the bottom, with nearly the entire field running upstairs.

“I felt last week the bottom would work around here,” said Round Four Series winner Coons Jnr, “and everyone jumped to top and the start of the Final - so I had to go to the bottom. I stayed there up until the bottom went away, then moved to the top - but man - that track was in great condition tonight.”

The Stealth dealer affiliation offering the Mark Cooper’ American Tire and Racing Services some technical assistance during Coons Jnr Aussie tour.

“We had Joey Martin from the Stealth factory over here tonight,” explained Coons Jnr, “since Mark is the Australian Stealth dealer. Joey and I have worked together previously, so it really worked out well for him to be here in Australia as we bounce some good ideas off one another.”

Recovering from the two-car wreck last week, it didn’t take long for the imposing Seamount Racing Team to bounce back.

“The racetrack was great,” noted runner-up Clarke, “we just lost too much track position there in the middle of the race - I didn’t know if I was running the bottom or the top.”

Clarke referring to dropping from third back to seventh at mid-distance until he got the SsangYong/Valvoline Breka/Ed Pink Ford back up the front.

“Once I settled down and got it going, we went back forward again towards the end of the race - I just really needed a yellow to do anything with Jerry – but that’s racing. Congratulations to Jerry though, he deserved the win!”

Clarke is still overly optimistic about next week’s Australian Speedcar Championship chances.

“We are quick - we are definitely quick – the Seamount team had to build two brand new race cars for this week, all three cars were up the front again for the Final, so it’s just up to the drivers to deliver the goods next week for the Nationals.”

Although not upon the top of the dais as he is accustomed, it was a smiling Michael Pickens in third.

“We came back from wrecking two cars last week, to putting both Adam (Clarke) and I on the podium this week,” said the likeable young Kiwi. “Although it’s third - we scored real good points for the Championship (Speedcar Super Series), and that’s what we were really aiming at tonight.”

It was quite noticeable, even to the crowd, that Pickens’ Ed Pick Ford was struggling to accelerate from low speeds.

“We had real trouble getting off the restarts …and that hurt us a lot. Overall with the track tonight, we had two choices - we could run high or low - and I was trying all of them!”

The consummate professional Pickens, especially grateful to the enduring work of the Seamount team during the week.

“I have to thank Brett and Karen Morris - the sponsors SsangYong, Valvoline and Breka – the entire team for building two brand new race cars this week. That’s a big job to organise from Auckland, New Zealand – my hat goes off to the entire team.”

Fourth was Mark Brown, who tried in vain to move forward, working the bottom side of the race track in the Holyoake/ Rondalee Aggressor/Sesco Mopar. Brown’s fourth position dropping him from second in the SSS points standing to third, as Clarke jumps up behind point’s leader Pickens.

Brad Kuhn crossed for fifth in the Max Everleigh Earthmoving Breka/Hawk after storming through the pole shuffle earlier in the night.

Kuhn’s awe-inspiring pole-shuffle blitz qualifying the Mike Rinkin owned machine from the front row.

Sixth was West Aussie Neville Lance in the Lance Auto Electrics Murphy/Ford. The somewhat dramatic change of track conditions from greasy to tacky, to becoming a two-lane slick racetrack come feature time slightly catching the Gooseberry Hill, WA based team off guard. “I’ll be ready for it next week,” said ‘Big Rev Nev’ with a wry grin.

Seventh was Nathan Smee who stormed back through the field, after Sydney Tyre Co Stealth/Ed Pink Ford dropped out of gear ten laps in.

Smee even moved past his American teammate Danny Stratton, as the Michael Pope owned machine’s collected seventh and eight respectively.

Ninth cross the line was Jason Gates in the National Warranty Company Stealth/Fontana, with Darren Jenkins in the Carline Mufflers Stealth/Esslinger wrapping up the top ten.

From 'the would have – could have - should have' ranks … Davey Ray from Davenport, Iowa comes at the top of the list. Blisteringly quick after been forced to qualify via the B-Main, Ray was on a lethal charge in the A-Main. Starting from seventeen, Ray was up to third by lap eleven prior to becoming sidelined when the inside rear tyre popped off the bead on the Steve Smith operated (leased) Aggressor/Hawk Racing car from the Shaun Insley stable.

After scoring an earlier heat win, the ‘Kiwi Kid’ Stevie Walsh limped from the second Carline Mufflers Stealth/ Esslinger after a driveline let go injuring his left ankle, which was visibly black and blue. Stevie was transported to Westmead Hospital for precautionary X-rays. Stevie was later released with bruised ankles the only injury.

Last week’s Champion of Champions victor Tony Elliott was an early casualty after coming together heavily with compatriot Brad Kuhn on the front straight. Elliott tore the inside rear tyre from the rim and bent the Jacobs Ladder, however as Elliott himself explained, “that was one big hit – I was just thankful it didn’t go over. As I get airborne I was thinking, ‘oh no, don’t tell me we (Seamount Team) are going to tear up another car.”

After scoring an emphatic heat victory in only his sixth ever race meeting behind of a Speedcar, defeating Tony Elliott along the way, seventeen-year-old Todd Waddell from Mundijong, WA caught the turn one cushion the wrong way, up-ending the United Industries Stealth/Esslinger, resulting in what appeared to be only minor damage after machine examiners brief on-track inspection.

Jerry Coons Jnr With The Foot To The Floor In The American Tire And Racing Services Stealth (Photo - Al Thompson) Top Photo - Coons Jnr Stepping Out Of The Car (Photo - stillshots.com.au)

Clarke Squeezing The Inside Rear Hard In The Ground - Notice How Light The Front-Right Is. (Photo - Al Thompson)

Round Four – Speedcar Super Series

A-Main – 30 Laps

1 7N JERRY COONS JNR (USA)
2 9Z ADAM CLARKE (NSW)
3 4Z MICHAEL PICKENS (NZ)
4 42N MARK BROWN (NSW)
5 69N BRAD KUHN (USA)
6 14W NEVILLE LANCE (WA)
7 81N NATHAN SMEE (NSW)
8 18N DANNY STRATTON (USA)
9 70N JASON GATES (NSW)
10 21N DARREN JENKINS (NSW)
11 2N TROY JENKINS (NSW)
12 57N TIM EVANS (NSW)
13 2W DEAN MERRYLEES (WA)
14 1A STEVEN GRAHAM (NSW)
15 2Z DAVEY RAY (USA)
16 27N STEVIE WALSH (NZ)
17 68N PAUL RINKIN (NSW)
18 1U TONY ELLIOTT (USA)
19 6W TODD WADDELL (WA)
20 5N ROD BRIGHT (NSW)


B-Main – 15 Laps
1 2Z DAVEY RAY (USA)
2 2N TROY JENKINS (NSW)
3 81N NATHAN SMEE (NSW)
4 5N ROD BRIGHT (NSW)
5 77Z SHAUN INSLEY (NZ)
6 18Q KEN STANAWAY (QLD)
7 4V COLIN PATTERSON (VIC)
8 2Q GRANT DRANEY (QLD)
9 52N PETER ATTARD (NSW)
10 73N TARIN EDGE (NSW)
11 15N ALAN DAY (NSW)
12 75V PAUL FARRELL (VIC)
13 67N GLEN SAVILLE (NSW)
14 15W JAMIE OLDFIELD (WA)
15 85N STEPHEN BROWN (NSW)
16 21W DENE McALLAN (WA)
17 19N DEAN CAVANAGH (NSW)
18 12N JEFF THOMAS (NSW)


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Second - Adam Clarke, Winner - Jerry Coons Jnr, Third - Michael Pickens (Photo - stillshots.com.au)

The Victorious Australian Speedcar Test Team From New Zealands International Midget Series (Photo - Al Thompson)

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