By Phil Michell Motorsport Media
Bendigo’s Rusty Hickman emerged victorious in the 2024/25 South Australian Sprintcar Championship after a bruising night of action at the B&S Earthworks Timmis Speedway on Saturday night. Following the demise of a majority of his major rivals Hickman however didn’t have it all his own way as he was challenged on several occasions by eventual runner-up Luke Dillon, who actually took the lead briefly, before Hickman fought back on the bottom groove to take a popular win in front of the massive crowd.
“We are just a small Family Team out here and we are beating the big teams. I can’t thank my Mum and Dad enough, my sponsors and the Timmis Speedway. I have always considered this to be my home track so to win here in the 410 is amazing” commented the winner shortly after executing a series of crowd-pleasing doughnuts on the front straight.
Hickman became the first Victorian to claim the South Australian Championship since David Murcott in 2011.
For Dillon, it was his fourth time finishing as the runner-up in the South Australian Title since his sole victory in the race in 2003. The Mildura event was the first outing of the season for Dillon in the Scott Perrett owned #S98, after the departure of Chad Ely.
“The deal to drive this car only came about during the week so it was pretty late notice, but I must thank Scott (Perrett), Michael (Miller), and the entire team for the opportunity. Tonight, was a good way to start, we will be off to Warrnambool next week to get a few more laps to get ready for Speedweek” he added.
The final podium spot went to Brock Hallett, with Ryan Jones and pole sitter Todd Moule completing the top five. Greenacres resident Lachlan McDonough continued his recent impressive form as he finished sixth with the top ten being rounded out by Steven Caruso, Keke Falland, Steven Loader, and Jack Lee, who was making his season debut.
Unfortunately, the spectacle of the A-Main event was diminished slightly with four of the “draw cards” out before a lap was even completed in three separate red-light stoppages.
The first saw Cam Waters upend his #V6 in turn two after starting on the second row while Jamie Veal was the next to go upside down in turn three. The third restart saw the biggest crash of the night as Australian Champion Lachlan McHugh tried to slide Matt Egel in turn 1 with the contact sending the Queenslander into a series of wicked barrel rolls. The contact also tripped over the defending South Australian Champion after ripping off the left front wheel.
Once the race got underway the caution was again out on lap three after a spin by Jay Brown and due to the number of roll around laps an open red was called to all the teams to refuel with 27 laps still to run!
Earlier in the night local hero Cam Waters set the fastest time during qualifying as he paced the 22-car field with a lap of 11.666. Jy Corbet, Rusty Hickman, and Matt Egel were the heat winners with Todd Moule winning the six-car dash and in the process, he set a scorching lap of 11.541. Jy Corbet’s impressive night came to crashing halt in the dash as he rolled in turn two. Corbet would reemerge for the A-main, but he would elect to start at the rear of the field.