NEW South Wales V8 speedway driver Lachlan Onley made amends for a disappointing eighth round of the national super sedan series at Carrick on Wednesday night by winning the Tasmanian grand national in Hobart on Saturday night.
Although not a round of the national series, the majority of mainland drivers in Tasmania for the series stayed for the grand national, making it one of the best fields in the 41-year history of the event.
Onley qualified on grid 5 for the 50-lap final.
Former six-times Tasmanian champion David Nichols, of Launceston, and Devonport's Brad Smith, who started ahead of Onley on the second row, didn't make it past the first lap after an opening lap incident ended their nights prematurely.
Their demise elevated Onley to third place behind Australian champion Steve Jordan, of Queensland, and former Australian champion Darren Kane, also of Queensland but formerly of Hobart and enjoying the return to his former home track.
Saturday night's program in Hobart also saw former state champion Todd Auton, of Ulverstone, scoring an all-the-way win in the final of round 6 of the statewide street stock sedan series.
Auton was never seriously challenged during the 20-lap final.
Hobart junior sedan driver Josh Smith extended his lead in the statewide junior sedan championship series with an empathic win, lapping all but the top four cars in the final.
Launceston's Brodie Piper was a distant second, with Hobart youngster Nathan Russell also a long way back in third.
RESULTS
Tasmanian Grand National (V8 super sedans, continued from Friday night): Heat 7: D Gartner (SA) 1; L Roberts (Vic.) 2; B Smith (Tas.) 3. Heat 8: S Jordan (Qld) 1; W Randall (Qld) 2; A Beechey (Tas.) 3. Heat 9: D Nichols (Tas.) 1; L Onley (NSW) 2; D Kane (Qld) 3. Final (50 laps): L Onley (NSW) 1; W Randall (Qld) 2; S Latham (Tas.) 3.
Speedway karts mini-grand national (continued from Friday night): Heat 7: G Lawrence 1; B Jackson 2; C Abel 3. Heat 8: L Aylett 1; K Aylett 2; B Tyler 3. Heat 9: L Revell 1; H McBain 2; L Davidson 3. Heat 10: C Abel 1; B Jackson 2; Joe Breitkopf 3. Heat 11: L Aylett 1; B Boun 2; K Aylett 3. Heat 12: L Davidson 1; G Lawrence 2; L Revell 3. Junior final (10 laps): K Aylett 1; L Aylett 2; B Boun 3. Modified clubman final (10 laps): C Abel 1; B Jackson 2; G Lawrence 3. 125cc final (10 laps): L Revell 1; L Davidson 2; H MCBain 3.
Street stock sedan series (round 6): Heat 1: B McKendrick 1; C Bauld 2; J Riley 3. Heat 2: T Auton 1; B Morrice 2; R Riley 3. Heat 3: D Croft 1; A Garwood 2; J Young 3. Heat 4: A Cooper 1; B Morrice 2; R Riley 3. Final (20 laps): T Auton 1; J Young 2; C Bauld 3.
Junior sedan championship series (round 7): Heat 1: B Piper 1; J Smith 2; S Bond 3. Heat 2: J Smith 1; J Stephens 2; N Russell 3. Final (15 laps): J Smith 1; B Piper 2; N Russell 3.
Wingless sprintcars: heat 1: V Rockliff 1; D Gallagher 2; T Watson 3. Heat 2: B Herbert 1; J Padman 2; D Gallagher, 3 . Final (15 laps): D Gallagher 1; B Herbert 2; J Padman 3.
Sidecars: heat 1: N Broomhall and D Bakes 1; R Waters and C Clarke, 2. Heat 2: N Broomhall and D Bakes 1; R Barker and R Ellings 2; R Waters and C Clarke 3. Final (4 laps): N Broomhall and D Bakes, 1.
Bombers: Heat 1: S Devine 1; D Hart 2; J Knight 3. Heat 2: J Knight 1; D Greaves 2; D Hart 3. Heat 3: J Knight 1; D Greaves 2; S Devine 3. Final (10 laps): D Greaves 1; K Jetson 2; N McIllwain 3.
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