Veal strikes at Borderline

Jamie Veal drove back into victory lane by taking out the second night of the Easter Sprintcar Trail at Mount Gambier’s Borderline Speedway.

Veal was victorious from Tate Frost in a 30-lap sprint on Easter Saturday, the penultimate race of the three-night series.

Organisers would have been delighted as the 30-lap sprintcar feature for the season finale was snuck in before a heavy rain shower hit the Blue Lake City.

Veal started from the front row and used the high groove to shoot to the lead instantly as Frost looked to settle into second.

However, Matt Egel got a rocket run down low coming onto the back straight and not only seized upon second, but also set about chasing the lead.

Suddenly an almighty battle for first erupted as Frost went from third to first on the second trip to the back straight.

Contact with Veal had sent Egel from first to fourth, while Storer challenged on the outside.

After a thrilling opening two laps Frost took control just before a Lap 3 caution for Michael Tancredi.

Tancredi stopped on the exit of Turn 2 after a clash with the outside wall and even lost a wheel, which rolled just in front of the leaders.

The race could barley get going as a seven-car crash brought out the reds as soon as the lights went green.

Veal was on the defensive when racing resumed having lost second to Storer and endured a multi-lap battle with Egel.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts on the outside, it was not until Veal switched to the inside he could finally shake off the #S52.

The white #V35 had strong pace and quickly caught Storer and seized on second by Lap 13.

It only took another five laps before Veal had slashed Frost’s lead and he made his first move by performing a slide job at Turn 1.

The leaders then charged down the back straight side by side where Veal prevailed up high.

Having also critically passed the lapped Scott Enderl, Veal was able to quickly grow a lead.

Attention then turned to the fight for third with Pestka and Madsen all over the back of Egel.

Madsen won the contest by the chequered flag with Egel and Pestka forced to settle for fourth and fifth.

Further back both  Chad Gardner and spun at the final corner but the green lights remained activated.

This meant Frost could keep attacking Veal and he almost set up a grandstand finish.

Frost made one last dive at the final corner, but could not quite get close enough.

“It was pretty hard because it was actually a really good track for the weather,” Veal said.

“Hats off to Mount Gambier. It was a great, fun race and the track changed a lot throughout.

“The bottom stuff down low was a bit crumbly and you were free up top but I could not get the left rear down to keep rotating, so we will try again tomorrow night.”

Veal has been a force at Premier Speedway this year and that is exactly where the Easter Sprintcar Trail heads for tonight’s finale.

Image: Clutch Life Media

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