Team Valvoline Succeed on Dirt Track Debut
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 8:16PM
The Valvoline Dirt Track Team made a successful debut at the Valvoline King of Nepean held last weekend at
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King of Nepean
Nepean Raceway west of Sydney. Consisting of Lee Hunter, Justin Burdis, Grant Charnock, Oliver Smith and the Greg Epis, the Team Valvoline members battled handle bar to handle bar through the four heat rounds with Australia’s best Dirt Track stars over two days of intense racing culminating in team members featuring in all senior finals.
After an exhausting race program, Valvoline KTM rider Lee Hunter emerged victorious in the race for the 125 Stroke Title and runner up in the Open Class Title. “I am very please with my results, particularly as some of the fastest racers in the country are here at the Valvoline King of Nepean this weekend” said Hunter at the podium ceremony.
Valvoline KTM mounted Greg Epis in his first ever Open Dirt Track event finished a creditable 5th in the Open Class Title. Epis a former A grade National Superbike racer, latter said “the Valvoline King of Nepean is only my third Dirt Track event, and I am impressed with both the speed and ability of many of the younger racers, I am getting faster with every lap, in time I hope to challenge them”.
Valvoline Yamaha rider and reigning NSW 250 Dirt Track Champion Grant Charnock, progressed through his heat rounds undefeated. The 250 Four Stroke final saw Charnock in a race long fight to the chequered flag with Josh Bennett, with Bennett taking the title by only 1.6 seconds. In the 450 4 Stroke Event Charnock charged through the contenders to finish in third position.
After avoiding massive crashes in both the Unlimited Final and the Valvoline King of Nepean feature race Charnock shadowed eventual the eventual King, of Nepean Honda CRF 450 mounted Paul Caslick, only to crash out of contention in both events. At the close of proceedings Charnock said “I am disappointed with both crashes, my Valvoline Yamaha has been strong all weekend I just have to be fitter and faster next outing”.
The Valvoline Team had more success in the ultra competitive 250 2 Stroke Final with Valvoline/Fox/Action MC supported rider Justin Burdis beating Valvoline Team mates Hunter and Smith for the final podium position in the standings. Burdis later said “I am stoked, I made both my finals and edged out both Lee and Ollie in the 250 2 Stroke Final, we get on extremely well of the track but when the gate drops we are bitter rivals”.
Though Charnock was disappointed with his results over the Valvoline King of Nepean event he was suitably buoyed upon hearing of his selection in the final six racers to under go the Evolution Sports Group Superbike Test evaluation process.
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Reader Comments (1)
well done Lee !,and well done valvoline and promoters. Sounds like it was a great meeting and I'm disapointed taht i'm don't live up on the mainland anymore.
Fantastic to see higher profile for dirt track racing, this is Australia's secret, no one else does it like us, but how adrenaline charged is a quality dirt track race!