Hansford soars to victory at Sydney Street Race

Ryan Hansford has won an intense Race 3, standing on the top step alongside three-time V8 Ute Champion Ryal Harris, who took out the 2015 ARMOR ALL Championship yesterday. Hansford won the final round overall of the East Coast Bullbars Australian V8 Ute Racing Series at the Coates Hire Sydney 500, Sunday, 6 December.

The battle was on for podium spots, not only for the Round but the Series, with only 44 points separating second to sixth place(George Miedecke, Kris Walton, Adam Marjoram, Gerard McLeod and David Sieders) heading into the final race.

Dontas grabbed third position off the start, behind Ryan Hansford and Nathan Pretty who started from the front row, however it was soon short lived when a Safety Car came into play after Tyler Greenbury stalled on the grid, Adam Beechey was unlucky to hit him off the start ending both their races. The two still managed to walk away victors, Greenbury taking out the Rookie Award for the Round and the Tasmanian Beechey claiming the 2015 Rookie of the Year title.

The restart was on lap 5, with Pretty leading however Multispares racer Ryan Hansford managed to take the veteran two laps later to take his first Race win for the year and Round win in 5 year’s, which he celebrated with his 3month year old daughter Harriet.

“She (Harriet) came down for a bit, I was thinking about it (5 year drought) last night and getting a bit emotional about it. I’m pretty good today, it’s so good for Multispares and ATC to finally get the round win, I’ve always been competitive and up there but this was a great way to end the season and hopefully we can carry it through to next season for both Multispares and ATC who are back on board so I’m looking forward to that,” said an elated Hansford.

Pretty held on to second in his Burbank Homes Holden for the Race; but was hit with a 5 second post-race penalty for a jumped start, dropping him to fifth overall for the Race and third for the Round.

Just Car Racing’s Craig Dontas moved into second for the Race and the Round and also earned himself the ARMOR ALL Pest Presented Award for the Round.

David Sieders held on to fourth for the race pushing him into fifth overall for the Series, Kris Walton was fifth earning him enough points to jump into second overall for the Series and the ARMOR ALL Drivers Championship with Gerard McLeod in sixth for the Race elevating him to third overall in the Series, his first ever Championship Podium.

“It was pretty crazy, I was definitely lucky today, I shouldn’t have got to the end of the last two laps, I lost my clutch literally after the chequered flag, and didn’t even make it back to the paddock. I knew I had to get in front of Kris to get on podium but when George crashed out, I knew I just had to stay in front of Marjoram, I think Ryal helped me out a bit playing second gunner, so it was good to have him on my side,” said McLeod.

Ryal Harris came home in seventh ahead of Rhys McNally in eighth, but the champion was also hit with a post-race 5 second penalty also for a jump-start dropping him back to 12th overall for his final victory race.

“It’s definitely kicked in now and I’m really looking forward to tonight, I decided yesterday I wanted to celebrate with the worm on the back of the Ute so it was good to do it. I’m just feeling really relieved that’s it’s all over, it’s been a long year and the boys at Matt Stone Racing have done a great job on the car so I’m looking forward to celebrating with them tonight, I’m hoping to be back next year for a number 4 but I’ll decide in the next two months for sure,” said the 2015 Champion Harris.

By the end of the race a mere 7 points separated the four drivers in contention for third place, Adam Marjoram couldn’t quite get past Andrew Fisher who claimed ninth for the Race, with the west Aussie left to contend with 10th for the Race and fourth for the round only missing the podium by 1 point.

George Miedecke didn’t have the ending he’d hoped for, stuck back in 12th off the start and dropping back to 22nd after he kissed the wall late in the race, it dropped the Port Macquarie born from second in the ARMOR ALL Drivers Championship to sixth overall.

Andrew Fisher took out the Masters Award for the Round and Adam Beechey walked away with the DBA Hard Braker Award from yesterday’s Race 2, for overtaking 9 Ute’s.

The drivers will all head out into Darling Harbour tonight for the Annual Awards Night to celebrate the year but to recap on the action from the final Round of the 2015 East Coast Bullbars Australian V8 Ute Racing Series. Be sure to tune into ONE HD next Saturday, 12th December at 2pm (check local guides).


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