Horsham Motor Sports Club hosted it’s second race meeting for the speedway season under lights on Saturday night. The annual Street Stock 1000 brought drivers from across Victoria and SA.

Six heat races were run during the evening to decide the starting positions of the feature race.

Mt Gambier driver Mark Jennings led the competition all night winning all three of his heat races. Penola driver Steve Gartner was also on top on the field while Kathryn Jackson of Warracknabeal beat the men home in one heat to easily earn a first position.

A “Top Six Shoot Out” race was conducted before the feature race to reorder the starting positions in the final race. Horsham driver Luke James’ night finished abruptly when he heavily collided with the wall.

In tradition, the final race was raced over 30 laps. Gartner’s car suffered a flat tyre before the race would start and he watched the entire race from the infield. Unfortunately the race was marred on the first lap when Warracknabeal driver Kathryn Jackson, who started in second position, over corrected her car in the first turn and was collected by the fast paced field following close behind. Jackson’s car rolled over, landing on its roof. Care was taken while up righting Jackson. Complaining of pain, the event was held up for almost an hour, until she was extracted from the car before being taken to Wimmera Base Hospital for observation.

On restart, Jennings pounced and almost lapped the entire field before the half-way point. At lap 15 the track came under an amber light and the field safely changed direction and raced the remaining 15 laps in the opposite direction.

Change of direction would not slow the current NSW champion Jennings, and would he go on to win the race followed by Jamie Lock of Bendigo and Scott Merrett of Penola.

In Limited Sportsman, Pimpinio driver, Jock Baker made light work of the competition winning all three of the heat races. Horsham drivers Adrian Christian and Nathan McDonald; Christian claimed two second positions and third and McDonald a second and third places. Points from the heat races decided the starting positions for the Final race. Baker led the race from start to finish followed by Minyip driver Adam McKenzie in second and McDonald in third.

ASCF Ladies raced three heats through out the evening, with several of the women performing double duties also racing with the men in the Street Stocks.

All attention was on Melbourne driver Megan Forrest who won the Women’s Street Stock feature the night before at Carrick Speedway in Tasmania. However the home ground experience of Kathryn Jackson dominated.

Forrest could not get around Jackson’s Commodore and could only claim two second positions, while Jackson claimed two heat race wins. Kewell driver Jade Olds won the third heat with Colac driver Belinda McCoubrie taking second position.

Only two V8 truck races were raced for the evening due to the long stoppage in the Street Stock Feature race. Luke James was unstoppable easily winning both races while Tim Driller of Horsham claimed second for both races along with Wes Bell of Horsham claiming two thirds.

VSC Formula 500s raced at Blue Ribbon Raceway for the first time. Starting positions for the feature race were decided by finishing positions in the three heat races.  Kane Charlston dominated the field winning the first two heat races. Graham Porter peaked later in the evening as the track hardened up to win the third race. Porter went on win the 15 lap final race with Charlston in second and Thomas Button taking third position.

Racing will return to Blue Ribbon Raceway on March 18th, which will feature SRA Open Sprintcars. It will be the first time in five years since the series raced at Kalkee. A star-studded field of drivers is expected along with the unmistakable roar of 410 cubic inch V8 engines.