JUST after 2am yesterday another dramatic chapter was completed in the history of the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kyle Hirst became the second consecutive Californian to claim the world-famous race. His victory was exhilarating, finishing the 40-lap final in a race record time.
His triumph was as much about speed as it was patience and resilience, with a series of uncontrollable issues sending the three-night Classic into a fourth day for the first time in 43 years.
It wasn’t just Hirst who had to sit out delays for crashes and more than 90 minutes because of rain.
A crowd of 10,500 people braved biting winds, cold, rain and fatigue to witness his win. It appeared very few people had left by the time he crossed the finish line.
That vindicated Premier Speedway Club officials’ decision to push on with the meeting after a burst of rain about 11.30pm sent the race into a new day.
What choice did Premier Speedway general manager David Mills have?
He had 10,000 fans huddled under tarps and blankets sitting around the track wanting a conclusion. He had drivers and teams, who had invested three days into the event, wanting a result and a rich pay day.
The alternative was to throw open the gates for a finish late yesterday under the non-conducive blazing sun. But how many spectators would have turned up, with many having travelled long distances to get there on Sunday needing to get home to work today? How many drivers and teams would have showed up?
The fans and drivers voted with their feet. So too, residents in nearby Allansford, with none publicly complaining to The Standard about a noisy, late finish yesterday.
The absence of negative feedback says a lot about the event. Each January, thousands of tourists descend on Warrnambool and the south-west for the Classic. It is an economic and tourism boon. Images and vision from the event are beamed into the United States and more and more people believe they have to be trackside for the action.
The events of the long weekend just add to the drama and unpredictability of the Classic — that’s why it is so popular.