Dene McAllan created a little piece of history last night when he became the first driver to win back to back Laurie Matthews Memorials, holding out a determined Scott Glazebrook in what can only be described as a classic midget race.

McAllan started the main from the front row in the #21 Polar Ice Mac/Hawk and made the low line work. Glazebrook, who started from position four in the #3 Clemcorp Spike/ Hawk threw everything but the kitchen sink at McAllan but just couldn’t find a way past. The two raced hard and close for over twenty five laps and three restarts without touching. Ricky Geneve in the #4 Retravision Spike/Fontana filled the final spot on the podium, despite having spun the model on turn four but somehow managing to keep the car rolling, losing only a couple of spots early in the race.

Eighteen teams braved the 37 degree heat for the two and half hour trek south to the coal mining town of Collie. The night did not begin well for “el presidente” Ross Heywood when his #15 Valvoline Murphy/Sigma broke a diff in hot laps.

Neville Lance began the hunt for his seventh LJM in style, winning the opening heat in the #14 Lance Auto Electrics Murphy/Gaerte despite some close attention from McAllan.
Steven Doyle filled the final place in heat one in the #75 Shakerz Bakerz Stealth/Esslinger. Glen Mears looked fast early in the race but unfortunately looped the #23 GT Brake & Clutch Stealth Esslinger whilst leading at mid race. Last time Collie winner Dayne Kingshott was forced to retire his #24 Bunbury Subaru Stealth/Gaerte after destroying the exhaust in a mid race incident with Ricky Geneve.
Tom Watson took the chocolates in heat two in the #7 LF Performance Stealth/Gaerte, surviving a titanic struggle with the #12 Lang Motorsports Buzzard/Gaerte of Vaughan Manders and Paul Robinson in the #8 Aircontrol Transport Refrigeration Spike/Esslinger third.
Scott Glazebrook was able to take the win in heat three comfortably from McAllan with Jason Roser in the #54 Watsons Transport Spike/Gaerte third.
Ricky Geneve won the final heat despite feeling the wrath of the stewards when he spun onto the infield in turn four on the opening lap, charging across the infield and rejoining the field with a dust cloud that made vision near on impossible. Robinson finished second and Watson third. Lance pulled infield with a couple to go with a suspension failure.

With the preliminaries over it was pole shuffle time. Manders defeated Robinson, and was then defeated by Geneve. Geneve then defeated Glazebrook, after Scotty G biked a rut in turn one. McAllan then defeated Geneve and finally defeated top points scorer Watson to claim pole.

Thirteen cars were still running for the main as we had lost Heywood, North, Kingshott and Trevor Reakes who ventilated the motor in the #47 Premier Billiards Murphy/Sigma earlier in the night. The field however was soon to be a couple less as Manders pulled the #12 machine infield with a diff failure and Craig Lawrence’s fuel dramas with the #55 Fighter/V4 scat continued.

McAllan took the early lead from Watson and the rest is history. McAllan took his chocolates and the $2000 cheque from Glazebrook and Geneve. Lance and Mears came together at mid race, ending big Rev Nev’s quest for LJM #7, as he was sent ROF with Mears, as both needed to be restarted. Congratulations also to Perry Farcich in the #88 Salon Express Fighter/Toyota who picked up the $500 bonus for the first division two driver home in the main.

A special thanks to the team from Collie Speedway for providing an excellent racetrack and facilities, and to Jason Crowe for providing a live media coverage of the event on the internet.

The wingless brigade next hit the Perth Motorplex on December 27th.

Results
Heat 1: Lance, McAllan, Doyle, Glazebrook, Geneve, Kingshott, Mears, Matherson, Sparnon.
Heat 2: Watson, Manders, Robinson, Roser, Farcich, Lawrence.
Heat 3: Glazebrook, McAllan, Roser, Manders, Mears, Farcich, Sparnon.
Heat 4: Geneve, Robinson, Watson, Doyle, Matherson.
Main: McAllan, Glazebrook, Geneve, Watson, Robinson, Lance, Doyle, Mears, Roser, Farcich, Matherson.