Hooky Avalon Tests Mvb Out
MVB Racing posted Monday January 21, 2008.

The decision to run a 372 motor at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway on Saturday night (Jan 19) backfired for Mike Van Bremen on a hooky racetrack in the third round of the Eureka Garages and Sheds Super Sprint Series.

The weekend prior the MVB Racing team utilised their 372 motor at Horsham’s Blue Ribbon Raceway, but the decision to keep it strapped in instead of the larger 410 motor on a ultra quick Avalon Raceway may have been the difference for Van Bremen achieving a better result other then sixth position.

In a strong field for the Fireball Derby event, Van Bremen moved forward in both heat races to record a second and fourth place, which clocked him sixth highest on points and entered him into the time trial dash.

Van Bremen progressed one position with a time of 12.482, but says had he of been further up on horsepower a quicker lap may have been set.

“I look back now and it’s probably the biggest regret of mine from the meeting, not putting the 410 motor back in the car,” he said.

“The track was unbelievably fast and I wonder had I of had extra horsepower I may of timed better then fifth place in the top six time trial.”

Van Bremen started the 25-lap main event from fifth position and occupied that place on the racetrack comfortably until a restart with 14 laps to go. On the restart, Van Bremen made a mistake, which forced the Action Blast Cleaning V6 Maxim to receive a huge push from the racetrack through turn two and lose a position.

“It was frustrating to make that error on the restart, but credit to Darren Hickman who got by me and he was using a 360 motor!” said Mike.

The Lilydale flyer crossed the line in sixth and gathered important points to stay in second position in the Eureka Garages and Sheds Series.

“Towards the end of the race the car got worse, generally the car gets better towards the end of the race but not this time. The track got hookier as the race went on, when usually it slicks off a bit,” Van Bremen said.

The multiple SRA Series Champion said he has not seen a track like that at Avalon for sometime.

“I haven’t seen a track like that at Avalon for about four years and that was at Easter. It was unbelievable, very fast and remarkably hooky. It caught a lot of drivers out that’s for sure,” he said.

Van Bremen will return to Avalon Raceway this Wednesday night (Jan 23) and in the lead up to that, he is playing the weatherman.

“We are certainly strapping the 410 motor in let me tell you,” he laughed.

“I’m predicting this drizzly, overcast, cooler weather to stick around to Wednesday and I’d expect the track to be something similar to Saturday night’s. Well I’m hoping it is,” Van Bremen said.

The MVB Racing team will also contest the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic this Australia Day long weekend at Warrnambool’s Sungold Stadium.

Supporting the MVB Racing team for 2007-2008 are Action Blast Cleaning, CSR Methanol, Speedway Motors and National Rod Ends.

Release by Jarryd Stokes
stokesy24@hotmail.com

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