LUKE Weel will trade the thrill of the track for the bumps of the football field this weekend — but not before soaking up his first win for the summer.
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The Simpson driver was the toast of Allansford’s Premier Speedway after beating home a quality field in the wingless sprints feature.
The win was his first in the 2013-14 Victorian series. He had run third twice, at Horsham and Moama, before the series finale on Saturday night.
But time constraints — Weel is a crew member for Simpson sprintcar driver John Vogels — meant he has not chased the full series.
“We’ve run three rounds, two thirds and a win. It’s good to finally get up there,” Weel said. “I’m mainly crewing for John Vogels in the sprintcar, that limits our racing a bit. But when we do run we’ve been up there, we try and have a crack.”
Weel, who hadn’t won a feature since 2010, scored a green-to-chequered victory in his first heat and ran fourth from the back in his second.
The results allowed him to start out of position three for the 20-lap final. He needed just five to hit the front, where he stayed.
“It was a bit hairy in the opening laps. There were a few cars going for it. We sneaked through on Daniel Storer and managed to hang on,” he said.
Portland driver Storer ran second while Sam Wren, of Ballarat, was third. Geelong driver Andy Hibbert was a runaway winner in the series.
Weel will trade wingless sprints racing for football with Colac and District league club Simpson this weekend but will return to the class next season.
He said he hoped to step-up to the sprintcar ranks but would not be able to without financial support or someone offering him a drive.
“They’re a good bunch of blokes in the wingless. I’d love to step up, it’s just the big cost factor,” he said.
“It’s a massive jump from wingless sprints to sprintcars but we’re happy doing what we’re doing.
“We chased the series a few years ago. We ended up running second. We know we can get it done but it’s the time factor.
“Over Christmas there are races and the series heads to Gippsland and places like that. It makes it hard.”
afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au