Via Speedway Sedans Australia
Victorian Todd Atkins last night put in one of his career best drives to race from position twelve on the grid and put a big crash by his brother Brock to the back of his mind to claim the SSA Super Sedan South Australian Title at the Murray Bridge Speedway.
The race got off to a eventful start; Darren Kane and Brock Atkins were racing hard into the first corner, before Atkins biking into turn two, digging in and rolling over, coming to a rest upside down against the fence, with Todd forced to slam on the brakes to come to a stop just behind the upside down car.
Brock emerged unhurt but his race was over, elevating Dave Gartner to the front row alongside Kane for the restart.
Kane got the jump as the race went green, Dave Gartner into second and David Musch into third, though he was quickly under pressure from National Champion Joel Berkley.
Berkley got by Musch while Gartner chased Kane and got around him to take the lead on lap three, Gartner running low, Kane high and Berkley trying to create his own line right around the outside of them both but to no avail.
With five complete the yellows came out for a stranded Michael Hally, seeing the field go back to single file, Gartner to lead away Kane, Berkley, Musch and David Nichols.
Gartner maintained his lead on the resumption, with Kane trying lap after lap to get around the outside, building momentum only to be baulked until ultimately he switched to the bottom coming out of the front straight to take the lead.
Unfortunately just after this happened, the yellows were out for defending Champion Callum Harper who had made heavy contact with the fence and slowed to a stop, putting Gartner back in front on the restart ahead of Kane while Brad Pascoe had raced his way into third.
It didn’t take long for Kane to steal back the lead on the restart, with Brad Pascoe following him through. Gartner had a moment and Berkley was able to get by for third, while Todd Atkins also arrived on the scene after starting from position twelve and also made a move on Gartner.
The yellows came on again with thirteen laps completed for Tasmanian Peter Johnson after he lost a wheel in turn one, the tyre bouncing all over the place and other drivers lucky to not hit it.
With seventeen laps remaining it was now Kane leading away Brad Pascoe, Berkley, Todd Atkins and Gartner.
Atkins got by Berkley not long after the restart, the top four having pulled away from the rest of the field, then a couple of laps later got by Pascoe for second.
Further up front Kane was maintaining the lead, Atkins working to chip away at the gap and Brad Pascoe closely following. With seven to go though, Kane suddenly slowed and headed infield, seeing Atkins the new leader ahead of Pascoe, Berkley, Nichols and Luke Gunn.
From here Atkins really began to stretch his legs, pulling well clear of the rest of his rivals and going on to claim his first ever Super Sedan feature race win, while the remainder of the top five order would remain unchanged.
South Australian Super Sedan Title – A Main Top 10:
1. V36 Todd Atkins
2. B18 Brad Pascoe
3. A1 Joel Berkley
4. T3 David Nichols
5. T12 Luke Gunn
6. Q12 David Musch
7. B15 Matty Pascoe
8. V32 Mick Nicola Jnr
9. V16 Ash Bergmeier
10. B6 Zac Pascoe
PHOTO: Local Sprintcar Photography & Media
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