WARRNAMBOOL-based driver James McFadden is celebrating after snaring a title he thought would elude him.
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McFadden won the 45th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in front of a bumper Premier Speedway crowd on Sunday night.
He took the lead on turn one from three-time winner Brooke Tatnell and held sway despite a series of re-starts.
Darren Mollenoyux ensured the podium had a strong Warrnambool flavour, clawing his way from fourth to finish runner-up in the 40-lap A-Main. Tatnell finished third.
The final’s first 26 laps were unaffected before a series of crashes forced McFadden to work hard for his lead.
“This was the race I have always wanted my entire life,” McFadden said from the infield moments after his win.
“I sat on the hill for a long time watching and to get the opportunity to race in it but then win it is amazing.
“Words don’t express the relief to get it done.”
McFadden said strategy played an important role in a challenging final.
“It’s been brutal on tyres here, so to be fast and conserve your tyres at the same time has been tough,” he said.
“We managed it – I don’t know how many laps were left in our tyres but it’s the classic, you’ve got to gas it up.”
Defending champion Jamie Veal failed to make the A-Main after a heat crash relegated him to seventh in B-Main 2 and he struggled to make inroads.