After taking out second place last week in the ACT State Title, young Auckland Midget Car talent Kaleb Currie went one spot better to win round 3 of the GSA Advanced Machining Ultimate Speedcar Championship at Hi Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway for his Australian Hardwyer Murphy Motorsport team.
The 17-Car field took to the quarter mile dirt track for time trials with Currie 5th fastest with Queensland based Ex-pat Kiwi Scott Farmer setting quick time and 5 time New Zealand Midget Car champion Michael Kendall 8th fastest.
Kendall and Farmer finished 2nd and 4th respectively in their heat with Currie starting out of grid 4 in heat two and taking the win, going into the 8-Car pole shuffle along with the other two Kiwis. In the 2-Lap pole shuffles Kendall was defeated by former NZ visitor Troy Ware who was then beaten by Farmer. Farmer then lost to New South Wales driver Dylan Menz who had tied Currie on points. With Currie having a faster lap time on the night he was hi-point man and took the final pole shuffle to earn pole in the 25-Lap Feature.
Kendall stated from grid 6 with Farmer a row ahead from grid 3 starting behind Currie. The Formerly ranked #2 Australian Speedcar (Midget Car) driver Currie controlled the start and assumed the early lead over Menz. The Kiwi ran the bottom with the Australian on the top gaining on the leader when Currie moved to the top.
On lap 10 Kendall got tangled up with Tom Clauss ending their nights. After several restarts Currie maintained the lead as Famer drifted back to 5th the rallied back to 3rd with 5-Laps to go. By this stage Ware had passed Menz to take 2nd and launched an assault on the leader and got by Currie in turns 3 and 4 only to have Currie throw a slide-job in turns 1 and 2. Ware managed to hold off the manoeuvre just as the yellow lights came on with 3 laps remaining.
On the restart it was heartache for leader Ware as his car failed to accelerate handing 2nd place to Farmer and a comfortable win to Currie. Ware holding on to 3rd with Menz 4th and Brad Dawson 5th.
“We had good pace leading from the green but out front I wasn’t sure where I was meant to go. Unfortunately, I lost the lead with 7 to go. Thankfully a late restart helped me when Troy made an error, finally breaking the 2nd place curse we had.” Said Currie of his win.
Currently without a NZ ride Currie will next compete in Australian Speedcar competition on Boxing Day at Queensland’s Archerfield Speedway and 6th of January in the Soth Australian State Title.
