One of the great journeymen of Australian sprint car racing, Grant Anderson, outgunned the best of the nation’s drivers and two visiting Americans to claim the 8th running of the Max’s Race feature at Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Australia.
The 43-year-old Albury, New South Wales, driver of the Mond’s Motorsports/WASP Steering and Suspension car displaced some of the nation’s best drivers and visiting Americans Carson Macedo and Chase Randall, to claim Max’s Race.
Max’s Race honors one of Australia’s greatest sprint car drivers, Max Dumesny. Dumesny grew up close to Warrnambool, and commenced his racing career at local ovals.
The often-underrated Anderson won the feature from local favorite Jamie Veal, Jy Corbett, reigning classic winner, Brock Hallett and Macedo.
Driving for Dyson Motorsports, the visiting Macedo was returning for his first race at Premier this season. His run was one of the best of the night, after qualifying through the B-main.
Heat Racing Overview
The heats produced some fast racing, with James McFadden claiming the first in the NAPA Auto Parts car, ahead of Brock Hallett, Veal, Supercars star Cam Waters and Macedo.
Alex Orr won the third qualifier from Tasmanian Tate Frost and Jy Corbett. Driving the Daniel Matson EZ Print entry, Randall, in his first outing down under for the summer season was fourth. He would eventually place 16th in the A-main.
Anderson took the checkered flag in the fourth heat ahead of Ryan Newton, Chad Ely and reigning Australian champion, Jock Goodyer.
After inheriting the lead in the A-main from polesitter Orr with 26-laps to run, Jy Corbett allowed Anderson to slip under him three circuits later, never to be headed in the race to the flag.
There were a few casualties of the race, including McFadden who rolled in a clash with Hallett with 20 laps to run. Waters endured a flat tire after hitting the fence with 16 laps remaining.
Feature Breakdown
Frost was the first casualty in the 30-lap feature as he cart-wheeled on the opening lap. Daniel Pestka was also involved in the melee. Orr’s lead lasted just four laps before he slapped the wall.
Goodyer also touched the wall, ending his chances. Hallett was in pursuit of the leader but slowed in second placing, dropping to ninth, before charging back to fourth.
“It’s pretty cool to get this trophy of a legend of the sport,” Anderson said, holding the hand-carved wooden V5 trophy was presented to him by Max Dumesny. Anderson had previously won the race in 2019.
Anderson, a victor in last season’s local Sprint Racing Car Association series, has been a consistent competitor in the series. One of his best results last season was a win over Macedo in the SRA series.
He also won the Northern Territory Championship earlier in the year.
“It can be trying, it’s a hard sport that takes so much behind-the-scenes time and travelling as well and when things aren’t going well you get down a bit,” Anderson said at the time.
“But it’s in the blood and I love it and I’m going to do it as long as I can because I know if the day comes when I give up when I don’t have to, I’d regret it, so I’ll just keep trying.
“I am still extremely lucky to be doing it and have great people behind me.”
Sprint cars return to the Peter Motorplex on December 26 for the opening of the WA Speed Week series featuring visiting Americans Rico Abreu, Brock Zearfoss and Cory Eliason.
The Avalon Sprint Car Gold Cup will also be conducted on December 26.