"The weekend at Mallala went off without a hitch.
Geoff Stone, Matt Scott, Frank Chessell and myself represented the Vees. We ran with K L M & O which on paper looked bad news, however it turned out ok. Most were quicker and the few slower not really a problem. Entries for the meeting were well down, they suspect due to the Easter timing. I was the pace in the Vees and the others chased me. We had a Qually and 4 scratch races and 1 handicap race.
Frank Chessell unfortunately had a gearbox problem and that took him out for the weekend. We all had a good time with good weather up until the last race on Sunday which was wet. Geoff decided not to run in the last, but after watching me work the 3 others who were quicker, I think he wished he had run.
The race in the wet showed just how good our cars can be when compared to the other classes. Firstly 1 car spun in front of Matt and I in the first turn after leaving the pits on the warm up lap. He was trying to warm up his tyres on a wet track [ what a laugh ] and promptly spun and blocked the track. We stopped and let him sort himself out. Off the line I nearly out dragged them to turn 1, couldn’t quite pull it off.
Then for the next few laps both Matt and I shadowed the 2 leaders who were dicing intensely and the inevitable happened, both went wide at Woody’s hairpin corner, and I was in the lead in a split second decision.
The guy in the Riley special who was now second was very determined to re pass me, and next thing I look in the mirror and he is sideways on the Start Finish straight having a big loose. Matt who was behind him having passed Bill Hemmings Formula Junior said it was a real classic. The guy apparently gave it the welly and the result was he blew it in a big way, and finished well behind. I decided keeping it on the black stuff was the way to go and greeted the flag on my own. Matt just got pipped for second by Bill Hemming. Geoff watched the race from the bank and said the commentators and the crowd on the bank were all barracking for the Vees to beat them.
So a good thing we didn’t let them down. I think Tony would have really enjoyed the challenge. Peter Williamson from the Sporting Car Club spoke to me afterwards and lobbied for us to support the meeting next year.
The Fords had 12 cars and got their own races, and I suspect if we could raise the numbers they would also support us. Next year is 21st and 22nd of April.
Don Greiveson