by Mitchell McLellan, MMS Commentary
The 35th City of Melbourne Titles was ran and won last weekend. Under mixed conditions the event enjoyed the biggest number of entrants for a single meeting this season. There was to be some cracking racing and come-from-behind victories.
Lots of photos from the event are on Pace Images’ Facebook:
- Friday album HERE
- Saturday album HERE
- Sunday album HERE (includes podium pics)
- full results on speedhive HERE
Cadet 12
Australian Champion Harry Arnett, after striking trouble in the heats, had to start position 19 for the final. Around half race distance Arnett had made his way into the top five battle chasing down race leaders Kristian Janev, Jesse Lacey, Angus Hall and Toby Dvorak. Arnett hit the front with three laps to go and after many lead swaps managed to hang on for a stellar victory over Lacey and Hall.
1 Harry Arnett
2 Jesse Lacey
3 Angus Hall
KA3 Senior Medium
Matthew Waters was another driver to come from behind, starting outside to the top ten. By half race distance Waters was up to second but a further four seconds up the road was race leader Mitchell Mackay. Waters chased down the race leader and made a move on the final lap to take victory by the smallest of margins over Mackay and former Supercar driver Michael Patrizi.
1 Matthew Waters
2 Mitchell Mackay
3 Michael Patrizi
KA4 Junior Heavy
Current NSW Champion in the class, Joshua D’Ambrosio, had a titanic battle with current VIC state champion Toby Waghorn. With the lead changing many times, the NSW champ was able to get the lead back into the double right on the final lap to take victory over Waghorn and Braden Clark.
1 Josh d’Ambrosio
2 Toby Waghorn
3 Braden Clark
KA3 Junior
Nicholas Sacco had a horror weekend up until the final. He had to fight through the top ten to make his way into contention. Sacco battled for the lead with early race leader Hugo Simpson and Bailey Collins. Sacco, the KA3 Junior state champion, was able to take out VIC Open / City of Melbourne double in a storming drive over Collins and Simpson.
1 Nicholas Sacco
2 Bailey Collins
3 Hugo Simpson
X30
Bradley Jenner in the feature X30 class started off the outside of the front row alongside pole sitter and weekend pace setter Leigh Nicholaou. However, Jenner didn’t get the start he was after and went back as low as fourth before fighting his way back to the lead, making a race winning move on Nicholaou to take out another City of Melbourne Title. Kiwi Ryan Wood come home in third.
1 Brad Jenner
2 Leigh Nicolaou
3 Ryan Wood
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TaG Heavy
Paul Rodgers had his work cut out for him all weekend battling local and former state champions Jason and Rick Pringle. Jason Pringle led the majority of the final until Rodgers, with two laps to go, took the lead and never looked back. Pringle was able to come through in second with former State Cup winner Troy Alger finishing third.
1 Paul Rodgers
2 Jason Pringle
3 Troy Alger
Vic Combined Light
Andrew Sotiropoulos became a first time CoM winner in Vic Combined (TaG Restricted) Light. After starting off pole due to his heat finishes, he never looked back taking one of the most dominant wins of the weekend. The podium was filled out with Logan Dockett, who ran top five all weekend, from current State Cup champion Alex Grutteria.
1 Andrew Sotiropoulos
2 Logan Dockett
3 Alexander Grutteria
Vic Combined Medium
In the Medium category, current state champion Glenn Riddell had a much tougher affair with a five kart battle at the front with himself, Phil Smith, Heath Jelbart, Jackson Rice and Brett Jenkins all looking a chance to take the victory. Smith and Jelbart came together with two laps to go allowing Riddell to take another City of Melbourne title over Rice and Jenkins in third.
1 Glenn Riddell
2 Jackson Rice
3 Brett Jenkin
KA3 Senior Light
Former World #1 (in Rotax) Cody Gillis took out KA3 Senior Light in one of the most hard fought victories of the weekend. He had challenges from interstate drivers Benito Montalbano, Oscar Priest and local driver Emerson Harvey. In a tight battle to the line, Gillis was able to hold on in a thrilling finishing over Montalbano and Priest in third.
1 Cody Gillis
2 Benito Mntalbano
3 Oscar Priest
TaG 125 Light
Another first time CoM winner, Matthew Bennica had a race weekend battle with Jordan Sanderson and Jordan Nichoulau. Sanderson challenged early in the final but Bennica was able to hold the early pressure and take victory over Sanderson and Nichoulau.
1 Matthew Beninca
2 Jordan Sanderson
3 Jordan Nicolaou
Cadet 9
State champion Jensen Marold in the young Cadet 9 class had a race weekend battle with state champions Ky Burke and James Anagnostiadis. In a titanic battle, Marold was able to hold on over Anagnostiadis and Maxim Kirwan rounding out your top three.
1 Jensen Marold
2 James Anagnostiadis
3 Maxim Kirwan
KA4 Junior Light
Hugh Barter, the state champion in KA4 Junior Light, had a race long battle with KA4 Australian Championship leader Kobi Williams with PCR’s Cody Maynes-Rutty in contention in the back end of the race. Barter, after having a tough battle on the final lap, was able to hold on to victory over Williams and Maynes-Rutty rounding out the podium.
1 Hugh Barter
2 Kobi Williams
3 Cody Maynes-Rutty
Lots more photos from the event on Pace Images’ Facebook:
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