31/01/2016
By Rob Monk
59 started today contested race four of the Land Safe series on Sunday.
The A grade race was won in the first 5 minutes. Jayman Prestidge was keen to get in an early break. Brett Kennedy was keen to go with him and when Matt Parkinson and Jim Timmer-arends joined them on lap 2 it was effectively all over for the rest. These three swapped turns for the next five laps setting a new 5 lap STRAVA record for the Burke St circuit averaging a solid 41km/h. The rest of bunch seemed unable to organise any sort of chase. Shane Rupert Stiles was having a day off and refused to chase. Leigh Hauxwell and Glen Marriott would not chase but then attacked and tried to bridge across the gap. They got close before Marriott blew up. The effect of a round trip to the Czech Republic and no training in the last two weeks had done him no favours. From then on the remnants of the A grade bunch just held up all the other grades on the circuit such was the lack of speed they were able to muster. They were a moving road block to the other bunches. The A grade race ended early as Leigh Hauxwell and Stiles came together on a corner and Hauxwell crashed heavily. Kennedy was too good for Parkinson in the sprint. Timmer Arrends was third and Jayman fourth.
Matt Malacarne and Josh Akarsu were keen to animate the race from the gun in B grade. They dangled off the front for 3 laps before the combined efforts of Pete Whelan, Jason Tubnor and Paul Yeatman brought them back (PY began the chase on lap one along the back and soloed for the next lap catch them -ed). Before the intermediate sprint the race collapsed into confusion as A grade passed then sat up and C grade joined in as well. Pete Whelan and Jason Tubnor attacked in dubious fashion when the race was neutralised. C Grade was on their sprint lap and these two riders jumped on the back on them, staying there until after the B greade sprint and robbing Yeatman and Keeble of first and second intermediate sprint points. The rest of B grade let C grade contest their sprint lap unhindered. Akarsu went for a late break but was caught and Harry McLean took off as well with two laps to go. No-one was allowed to get too far up the road though and at the bell the field was all together. Jason Strickland strung the field out along the back straight before Greg Spencer tried to open up the sprint 700 meters from the finish. In the mad grovel to the line Dylan Adams was the fastest. He won from Dave Salton, Harry McLean, Josh Akrarsu and Paul Yeatman.
Jason Friztlaff started the series in D grade. He won. He started the next race in C grade and won that one too. He had a week off and managed to stay in C grade and now he’s won again. Not only that, he took the intermediate sprint as well. He managed to avoid the confusion of C grade passing B grade and A grade and then being passed again and still came out on top. Jason Dastey sat on the whole race and still could not beat Frizty in the sprint. Thomas Sandner was third. Thomas continually wanted to attack past the higher grades on the road to try and get away. Neil Edwards was fourth with Ross Henry fifth.
Ben Perry has been doing a lot of work in the D grade races for little result so he deserved his win on Sunday. Perry raced a little more conservatively than usual. Richard Bridge broke away before the intermediate sprint to take the bonus points but Mariah Dastey and Nicole Summerfield then got off the front for a lap making the others chase. Drouin Cycles combo Mark Mason and Ben Perry did most of the chasing to bring them back. In the sprint Perry was just too strong for the ever consistent Declan Jeffery. Mark Mason with third. Then followed Mariah and Nicole.
E Grade broke apart mid race as usual. In a battle of youth versus lots of experience junior riders Ollie and Grace McLean took on Snowy, John Davine and Dwayne Needham. The kids were too good but some mechanicals helped them out. Needham dropped his chain and Davine broke a spoke. Snowy was just not fast enough. Ollie won for the second week in a row from Grace with Snowy in third. Dwayne was fourth and John fifth.
Race five of the series is on next Sunday starting at 8.15 near the Warragul Leisure Center.
Riders are encouraged to pre enter at the following link : series details and entry.
