Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic

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The Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is an Australian dirt Sprint car racing meet that takes place at the Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria every year in late January. [1] The classic traditionally takes place one week before the Australian Sprintcar Championship.

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The event was first run in 1973 and was won by Ian "Zeke" Agars from Adelaide, who drove a Straight-six Holden-powered supermodified to victory in the 40 lap final.

Sydney racer, ten time Australian champion Garry Rush, has the best record in the event claiming seven victories. During the 1980s and early 1990s Rush had a rivalry with American driver Danny Smith who won the Classic six times during roughly the same period. Rush also noted in 1984 that the race has more prestige than the traditional Australian Sprintcar Championship because it is open to all drivers, not just Australians (as is the rule for the Sprintcar Championship), and is the most important race of the year for Australians because of its all-comers format.

Because of its mid-summer date, when the North American season has not started, drivers from the United States will often arrive to race in the December and January races on the Australian Sprintcar Tours. Ten Americans have won the Grand Annual, including World of Outlaws series champions Danny Lasoski and Donny Schatz. As with the Australian Championship, drivers from New South Wales have dominated the event with 18 wins. The home state of Victoria had to wait until the 20th running of the event to have a home winner with Warrnambool's own Max Dumesny winning in 1992.

The race is regarded as the largest car count in sprint car racing. In the 2015 meeting, 107 cars participated, compared to the previous August's Knoxville Nationals, where 105 cars were entered. [2]

Winners since 1973

YearWinnersRunner-up3rd place
1973Zeke Agars (SA)Gerry Clarke (Tas)Allan Jones (SA)
1974Bill Wigzell (SA)Kevin Yeoman (Vic)Don Pollock
1975Syd Hopping (NSW)Graham McCubbin (Vic)Bill Wigzell (SA)
1976Garry Rush (NSW)Bob Aylesbury (SA)Steve Brazier (NSW)
1977 Garry Rush (NSW)Steve Brazier (NSW)Jimmy Sills ( Flag of the United States.svg )
1978Jimmy Sills ( Flag of the United States.svg )Les Harrower (Vic)Steve Brazier (NSW)
1979 Garry Rush (NSW)Graeme McCubbin (Vic)Steve Brazier (NSW)
YearWinnersRunner-up3rd place
1980 Garry Rush (NSW)Steve Brazier (NSW)Graeme McCubbin (Vic)
1981 Jac Haudenschild ( Flag of the United States.svg )Bill Barrows (SA)Noel Bradford (WA)
1982 Jac Haudenschild ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Garry Rush (NSW)Brett Lacey (Vic)
1983Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Garry Rush (NSW) Jack Hewitt ( Flag of the United States.svg )
1984 Garry Rush (NSW)Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg )Bill Barrows (SA)
1985Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Garry Rush (NSW)Sid Moore (NSW)
1986 Garry Rush (NSW)John Walsh (NSW)Bill Barrows (SA)
1987Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Garry Rush (NSW)Ian Lewis (Vic)
1988Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Garry Rush (NSW) Max Dumesny (Vic)
1989Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Max Dumesny (Vic)Phil March (SA)
YearWinnersRunner-up3rd place
1990 Garry Rush (NSW) Max Dumesny (Vic)George Tatnell (NSW)
1991 Jack Hewitt ( Flag of the United States.svg )Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Max Dumesny (Vic)
1992 Max Dumesny (Vic) Garry Rush (NSW)Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg )
1993Garry Brazier (NSW) Garry Rush (NSW) Max Dumesny (Vic)
1994 Max Dumesny (Vic)Mike Ward ( Flag of the United States.svg )Garry Rush (NSW)
1995Brooke Tatnell (NSW) Max Dumesny (Vic)Garry Brazier (NSW)
1996Danny Smith ( Flag of the United States.svg )Greg Hodnett ( Flag of the United States.svg ) Garry Rush (NSW)
1997Trevor Green (SA)Skip Jackson (NSW) Garry Rush (NSW)
1998Skip Jackson (NSW)Trevor Green (SA)Phil March (SA)
1999Brooke Tatnell (NSW)Garry Brazier (NSW) Max Dumesny (Vic)
YearWinnersRunner-up3rd place
2000 Danny Lasoski (MO, Flag of the United States.svg )Chad Kemenah (OH, Flag of the United States.svg )Skip Jackson (NSW)
2001 Donny Schatz (ND, Flag of the United States.svg )Danny Smith (IN, Flag of the United States.svg ) Danny Lasoski (MO, Flag of the United States.svg )
2002 Donny Schatz (ND, Flag of the United States.svg ) Max Dumesny (Vic)Danny Smith (IN, Flag of the United States.svg )
2003 Joey Saldana (IN, Flag of the United States.svg ) Max Dumesny (Vic)Brooke Tatnell (NSW)
2004 Max Dumesny (Vic) Kerry Madsen (NSW)Brooke Tatnell (NSW)
2005 Kerry Madsen (NSW) Shane Stewart (OK, Flag of the United States.svg ) Donny Schatz (ND, Flag of the United States.svg )
2006Abandoned after C Main due to Rain. Ben Atkinson (NT) led points after first night.
2007 Kerry Madsen (NSW)Brooke Tatnell (NSW) Shane Stewart (OK, Flag of the United States.svg )
2008 Kerry Madsen (NSW)Jason Johnson (LA, Flag of the United States.svg ) Max Dumesny (VIC)
2009Brooke Tatnell (NSW) Shane Stewart (OK, Flag of the United States.svg ) Kerry Madsen (NSW)
YearWinnersRunner-up3rd place
2010 Shane Stewart (OK, Flag of the United States.svg )Brooke Tatnell (NSW)Ryan Farrell (WA)
2011Steven Lines (SA)Brooke Tatnell (NSW)Jason Johnson (LA, Flag of the United States.svg )
2012Ian Loudoun (NSW)Craig Dollansky (MN, Flag of the United States.svg ) Kerry Madsen (NSW)
2013Steven Lines (SA)Terry McCarl (IA, Flag of the United States.svg )Brooke Tatnell (NSW)
2014Tim Kaeding (CA, Flag of the United States.svg ) Max Dumesny (Vic)Jamie Veal (Vic)
2015Kyle Hirst (CA, Flag of the United States.svg )Brooke Tatnell (NSW)Grant Anderson (NSW)
2016Jamie Veal (Vic) Kerry Madsen (NSW)Robbie Farr (Qld)
2017James McFadden (Vic)Darren Mollenoyux (Vic)Brooke Tatnell (NSW)
2018 [3] Corey McCullagh (Vic)Carson Macedo (CA, Flag of the United States.svg )Brooke Tatnell (NSW)
2019Robbie Farr (Qld)Jamie Veal (Vic) Kerry Madsen (NSW)
2020James McFadden (Vic)Jamie Veal (Vic) Kerry Madsen (NSW)
2021Not held due to Covid19 Pandemic travel restrictions preventing interstate and overseas travel.
2022Lachlan Mchugh (Qld)James McFadden (Vic)Corey McCullagh (Vic)
2023Brock Hallett (Qld)Sheldon Haudenschild (OH, Flag of the United States.svg )James McFadden (Vic)
2024Aaron Reutzel (TX, Flag of the United States.svg )Brock Hallett (Qld)Lachlan Mchugh (Qld)

See also

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References

  1. Warrnambool City Council - Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic
  2. Americans Laud Warrnambool Sprintcar Classic, Speedcafe.com
  3. "RACE a MAIN - Classic, Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, I Vale Pty LTD, Australia - Official Event Results, MYLAPS Speedhive".