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Brazier’s Sensational National Championship Win At Tpcr
Posted Sunday, 5 October 2008 by Dennis Newlyn
Sydney’s Garry Brazier regained the Australian Sprintcar Championship with a sensational drive at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway last night.
Brazier, who started off the front row of the 40-lap final, turned in a peerless performance after it appeared as though he had ruined his chances of victory when knocked off the track by a lapped car and he dropped to third.
He had 16 laps remaining to fight his way back and he did it with style and class as he rode the cushion in a drive that ranks as one of the best of his illustrious career.
He led across the chequered flag former national titleholder Robbie Farr, while Ian Loudoun was third.
The race had plenty of drama right from the opening lap as seven red lights punctuated the action.
Some spectacular flips and wild crashes made this not only a race of attrition, but a race that yet again underlined the incredible talent of Garry Brazier.
When Brazier slipped over the cushion in the main straight as the race moved over half distance Farr and Adrian Maher raced through on his inside. If Brazier wanted to win his fifth national title he had to dig deep and come up with something special.
He did!
“I didn’t give up,” Brazier later explained in victory lane.
“I don’t think I lifted the throttle for the next ten laps,” he said.
“There was a lot of pressure out there and there is a lot of pressure in this racing game, but we got it done and got to the chequered flag.
“I have to thank my family and this is a family sport.”
Brazier showed plenty of tenacity to come back from third when at one point Farr gained a comfortable advantage as Brazier fought to try and pass Maher for second position.
The top three were followed across the finish line by Grant Tunks, Ian Madsen, Mitchell Dumesny, Allan Woods, James Thompson, David Doherty and Stuart Williams.
The 46th running of the Rod Bowen’s Prestige Smash Repairs-sponsored Australian Sprintcar Championship started on a sensational note when Nathan Smee and Dave Lambert were involved in a spectacular crash on the back straightaway two laps into the event.
Smee flipped wildly into turn three however both drivers escaped unscathed, but it set a trend that followed in the opening laps.
Just a couple of laps later the second red light was thrown after Andrew Wright’s car dug in on turn four and flipped.
Brazier led the field away at the restart followed by Ken Sartori, Farr, Maher, Madsen, Tunks, Sam Walsh, Ian Loudoun, James McFadden, and Ryan Farrell.
One of the most controversial incidents in the race occurred at the next attempt to get the race re-started as second-placed Sartori and third runner Farr came together.
Farr attempted to make a lung on the inside of Sartori entering turn one but Farr’s outside rear clipped the inside front wheel of Sartori’s machine.
Sartori turned hard right and careered off the circuit and rolled the #92 over the cushion and finished up against the outer concrete wall.
At this point officials gave Farr the protest flag as the race was set to return to green.
Only four laps were completed, while two laps later Roddy Bell-Bowen flipped wildly off the circuit in turn four.
Brazier maintained his advantage at the top of the field over Farr, Maher, Madsen, Tunks, Walsh, Loudoun, McFadden and Farrell.
When the race resumed, David Murcott wheel stood the #2 Garry Rush-owned Pick ‘N’ Payless car on the back straight and dropped back through the field.
Farr then took the race up to Brazier and had a “few looks” on the inside.
The next laps were the most exciting of the national title.
The top two ran through lapped cars and Brazier maintained his advantage – that was until he was forced off the track by a lapped car and slid over the cushion entering turn one.
Right there and then it looked like Brazier’s race was run.
Farr had bolted away and Maher followed as they left Brazier in their wake.
Farr ran the ragged edge and then in turn four it all came unstuck as he caught the ridge on the cushion, slipped over the top of the cushion and lost valuable ground.
Maher shot through into the lead and Brazier by this time was right on Maher’s tail.
Then Brazier shot into the lead.
A yellow light by Doherty also punctuated the action with 13 laps to go.
Ben Atkinson’s race also came to a spectacular end on the approach to the back straightaway.
Then yet another red light appeared soon after for Adrian Maher who was involved in a big flip on turn four as he chased leader Brazier.
When the race was ready to resume, the stage was set for one of the best finishes in more recent history of the Australian Sprintcar Championship.
Brazier led the field away followed by Farr, Loudoun, Ian Madsen, Tunks, Mitchell Dumesny who had driven strongly to force his way into the top ten.
Kelly Linigen, who was the subject of a feature story in Saturday's Daily Telegraph Cars Guide supplement, rode out a wild flip almost in the same spot that she crashed on April 5.
Kelly escaped unscathed and even had time tell the fans over the PA “that it might make the TV.”
It was now left to Brazier and Farr to race out the Australian Sprintcar Championship.
Just five laps remained.
At the green Brazier shot clear but in only a few laps he was again up to lapped traffic – and this situation presented Farr with his last opportunity to snatch the title from Brazier.
He was right on Brazier’s tail with one lap remaining.
The pair raced down the back straight and Brazier kept his right rear planted firmly on the cushion.
Farr charged to the low line to try to come up underneath Brazier as they ran off turn four, but just got slightly crossed up and Brazier gained a car’s length advantage as he took the chequered flag.
Brazier was more than a deserving winner. It was something special that legends are made of.
He was the man chiefly responsible for providing one of the best Australian Sprintcar Championships in the long and illustrious history of the event.
Farr was second, while Ian Loudoun was a very worthy third placegetter.
The top ten were rounded out by Grant Tunks (with a great drive), Ian Madsen, Mitchell Dumesny, Allan Woods (in his best-ever TPCR performance), James Thompson, David Doherty and Stuart Williams.
Meanwhile Doherty turned in a good drive - and set a new track record for the 20lap distance - as he raced to victory in the B-Main over James Thompson and Kelly Linigen.
Mitchell Dumesny filled fourth spot, while the eight who transferred to the A-Main Championship Final were Dave Lambert (fifth), Andrew Wright (sixth), Nathan Smee (seventh) and Stuart Williams (eighth).
Dean Thomas rolled on the first lap in the only incident in the B-Main.
The C-Main was won by Wright over Daniel Needham, Peter Gordon and Matthew Thomas.
A highlight of the race was the battle between Wright and Needham in the latter stages of the race.
Maher was the winner of the first A-Main dash, while Sartori earned the pole position in the national Championship when he took out the second A-Main Dash.
The two B-Main Dash winners were James Thompson and Andrew Wright.
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Congratulations To Garry Brazier
5/10/2008 10:13:35 AM ... Ross Allen
 Garry Brazier showed his remarkable driving skills, his wealth of experience and his ability to handle Championship pressure to become the 2008 Australian Sprintcar Champion at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway. When the green flag fell to start the 40 lap Championship final, Brazier clearly indicated his desire to win by aggressively beating pole-sitter Ken Satori to the first corner.
As can be the case in Championship deciders, the opening laps of the event were a ‘stop-start’ affair with the opening 6 laps taking 25 minutes to complete. Drivers were pushing right to the limit and in some cases beyond and the rhythm of the race became a test of patience for the leading drivers.
Brazier did show the effects of the broken rhythm of the race and he made an error to allow both Robbie Farr and Adrian Maher to get by. However, he kept his composure and went on to score victory, despite a serious challenge from Robbie Farr in the last two laps to the chequered flag.
Brazier has now won the prestigious title five times to now join Hall of Fame driver Dick Briton in second place on the all-time winners’ list behind ten times title holder Garry Rush. Brazier first won the title back-to-back in 1994 and 1995 and last held the honour in 2000.
Robbie Farr led the 40 lap final at one stage but he, too, made an error to surrender the lead to Adrian Maher. Farr threw everything into the last two laps of the race and almost pulled off a dramatic last turn grab at the lead. Farr took second place giving him another podium placing in the title.
Parramatta specialist Ian Loudon drove a patient race to finish third and appear on the Championship Honour Roll for the first time.
The Championship now heads across the nation to Perth where the 2009 title will be held at the Perth Motorplex from 5 to 7 February.
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