March 25, 2009Ray Healey Wins South Coast Title.
Portland's Ray Healey has taken victory in the 2009 South Coast Modified Sedan Title in his Portland Automotive BF Falcon held at Fire Service Plus Nowra Speedway on Marsch 21. The Sydney Club driver won the twin feature races starting from position 2.
The heat races were a torrid affair with wins to Dave Ford (Reliance Brakes Falcon), Ray Healey, Kevin Sherwood (MacArthur Auto Parts Falcon) and Peter Granger (Grangers Freightlines Commodore). All 15 cars made it to feature 1.
The first of the twin 12 feature races stated as follows:
1. K. SHERWOOD 2. R. HEALEY 3. D. FORD 4. F. MURPHY 5. S. MURPHY 6. K. SIMS 7. S. HEALEY 8. C. SIMS
9. B.BASSETT 10. P. GRANGER 11. D. SIMS 12. S. GALLAGHER 13. L. DAVIS 14. B. HAMILTON 15. R. GRANGER
The first 12 lapper took three starts to get going with a ding dong battle between the front row starters of Sherwood and Healy. But a lap 2 stoppage withthe coming together of Bassett and Gallagher gave the lead to Healy. On the restart they duelled again side by side till a turn 2 coming together on lap 4 saw Sherwood tag the wall and break the steering rack. The restart saw Healey from pole and a new challenge from a flying Keith Sims which continued with Sims pressuring Healey on the outside for 7 laps only to loose 2nd to a fast moving Peter Granger. The first 12 lapper finished as follows:
1. R. HEALEY 2. P. GRANGER 3. F. MURPHY 4. D. FORD 5. K. SIMS 6. R. GRANGER 7. C. SIMS 8. S. HEALEY 9. B. HAMILTON 10. L. DAVIS DNF D. SIMS, S. MURPHY, K. SHERWOOD, S. GALLAGHER, B. BASSETT
The second 12 lapper started as they finished feature 1 and was hard going on the rough track with the big mover being Sue Healey in her Falcon moving from position 9 to 5th. But hubby Ray took a hard eared win and the Title from a great drive into second by Peter Granger and Dave Ford in the new Falcon in Third.
Final Result
1. R. HEALEY 2. P. GRANGER 3. D. FORD 4. K. SIMS 5. S. HEALEY 6. R. GRANGER 7. B.BASSETT 8. B. HAMILTON 9. L. DAVIS DNF F. MURPHY, C. SIMS, D. SIMS, S. GALLAGHER DNS K. SHERWOOD, S. MURPHY.