GLENN Wooster's chances of finishing his championship-winning season in style at the Winternationals looked shot due to a fourth coronavirus lockdown in Victoria.
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The outbreak in Melbourne meant Queensland had closed its borders to Victorians and Wooster was stuck in Victoria.
But days before the finale of the Thunder 400 series, Wooster said he and his team received some good news.
A phone call at 5pm on the Wednesday before last weekend's meet told the pro-stock racer the borders were opening to regional Victorians at 1am on the Friday.
Within an hour Wooster, who had already sealed the championship, had contacted his team members from across Australia, had secured border passes and by 11am on Thursday they were on the road for Willowbank.
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They arrived at 4pm on Friday and had just missed the opening two qualifiers but Wooster's two qualifying runs on Saturday saw him qualify for the final.
Wooster's qualifying run confirmed his second Australian title but he went on to win the final against Luke Crowley to cap off a fairytale finish to the 2019-21 season.
"It would not have been the same if we weren't up there to compete," he said.
"We were lucky they made the decision that night. We had a slog to get there but it was worth it for the outcome.
"Not being able to be there to compete due to COVID would have been hard.
"It was a bit of a fairytale."
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
