Logue sprints to top

By Dean Thompson
PETER Logue – behind the wheel of the only Ford-powered entry – gratefully took home the cash at the first Nyora meeting of the VSC Sprintcars on Saturday night.
Morwell-based Logue won three of the four heats, with David Barker taking out the fourth.
Nyora club member Darren Painter was the polesitter in the first heat, when the field, including Logue and Painter, was led by Mick Cook down the back straight.
The backmarkers played their part as Cook and Logue tried to get past and came together. Officials allowed Logue to restart at the front, while Cook was left languishing infield. Logue won from Barker, Painter, Andrew Hughes and Mark Fitzpatrick.
Ken Hutchins, who is new to the troupe after having been a car owner in recent seasons in the All Star Sprintcar scene, led early in heat two until he hit the wall coming out of turn four before the first lap could be completed.
The car was taken infield, where Hutchins was checked by medics, leaving Logue to lead Bairnsdale’s Rod Bowman in a Chev-powered car, Painter and Cook. Soon after, Cook dropped out with mechanical failure and the other three remained unchanged.
Hutchins failed to make the start in the third heat, as he was still working on his damaged car and Warrick Taylor failed to start because of fuel problems.
That left Hughes, Barker of Balnarring in a Chev-powered car, Bowman and Painter in a four-car dash in heat three. Barker raced to a handy lead, having recovered from a nasty crash at Rosedale Speedway a couple months earlier, which saw him hospitalised in a spinal unit. Hughes continued his wonderful rookie season to hold out Bowman for third.
From pole position in the final heat, Logue was unstoppable as he opened up a gap over Barker. Logue flashed across the line in front of Barker, Hughes, Bowman and Hutchins.
In the final, with Logue and Barker on the front row, Logue continued on recent form, including victory at Bairnsdale Speedway, locking in a win.
In his new car, Barker was second, while Bowman, Cook, Hughes and Painter filled the placings. The pace was great among drivers, with Logue needing 12 of the 20-lap feature before rounding up the backmarkers.
Logue leads the series on 884 points, with Bowman on 654, Hughes 607, Barker 488 and Painter 387 making up the top five.