Munday and Cheeseman crowned at Keilor Yokomo Invitational

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By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

Race report by Ray Munday:

Munday & Cheeseman win 2017 Keilor Yokomo Invitational

Leigh Cheeseman (17.5) and Ray Munday (Modified) have taken out the Invite classes at the 2017 Keilor Yokomo Invitational, a Reedy Race style event in Melbourne Australia January 14/15, to kick off the Australian 1/10 Offroad racing season. 

The Keilor club had worked hard over the New Year break to build a completely new track which was fast, flowing and encouraged wheel to wheel racing. 

For the invite classes, 10 x 17.5 racers and 18 x modified class racers battled over 5 heats of 2WD and 5 heats of 4WD heads up racing with rotating grids. Invites were sent out based on 2016 race results and racers came from all around the country.

In addition, ‘open’ classes were offered to allow all racers to vie for direct spots into the 2018 Invitational. Around 140 entries were received in total and the track copped over 9000 laps over the course of the weekend!

No laps were allowed on the new layout until midday Friday, however a rainstorm meant a very muddy start to the event. The summer sun and traffic soon grooved up the track, with perfect weather on Saturday and Sunday. 

17.5 Invite Class:

National champ and racing veteran Leigh Cheeseman (TLR / Proline) was the favourite for this class but had his work cut out with strong challenges from young gun 12yo Jordan Isergin (AE/JC), 2016 Nats TQ Brayden Miller (AE/Yokomo), Simon ‘sticks’ McHugh (Kyosho) and West Aussie / NZ youngster 13yo Brayden Johnston (AE/JC). Leigh held a narrow 1 point overnight lead after the 2WD day from Jordan, but on 4WD day Miller and McHugh fought back. Going into the last round Cheeseman, Miller and Isergin all were in with a chance of victory, but Leigh used his experience to do enough to take the overall win from Miller and Isergin who tied on points, just 2 behind Leigh.

Modified Invite Class:

18 drivers were split over 2 heats in the Modified class. Cameron Zammit (AE/Proline) and Matt Kellett (AE / JC) opened their accounts with a win in the first round, before Ray Munday (AE/JC and 2014/2015 Invitational winner) took 3 wins in succession to take an overnight lead from Glen Bonetti (AE/JC) and Zammit. Tasmanian Brady Anthes (Xray / Proline) impressed with 2 heat wins and the always fast Andrew Selvaggi (AE/JC) and Chris Mitchell (AE/AKA) also took heat wins. 4WD day began with heat wins for Munday and Selvaggi, then Zammit got into his stride with 3 heat wins but it wasn’t enough to peg back Munday who took another win and 3 second places, Munday taking the overall victory and his 3rd title by 3 points over Zammit, Bonetti just 1 point behind and Anthes, Selvaggi and Kellett rounding out the top 6. 8 drivers took heat wins over the course of the event showing how close the competition was!

2WD Modified ‘Open’ Class

The winner of the Open classes gets a direct invite to the 2018 Invitational class. With 1 x 10 minute final to decide the winner, the pressure was on and Adrian Spinazzola (TLR / Proline) was the man on a mission, the youngster taking a hugely popular win on his return to racing after a 1 year break for final year high school studies. 2nd place was Dave Warner from NSW just 6s behind after 10 minutes, Simon Roberts 3rd with Rob Jones and Andrew ‘Scoobs’ Crowe rounding out the top 5.

4WD Modified ‘Open’ Class

Dave Warner was on a mission, taking TQ and hoping to go one step better than his 2WD result. However a couple of early mistakes dropped him back, allowing TLR racer Shane Kelly to stretch out a lead he would hold to the end. Dave fought back to 2nd place but could not catch Shane, with local Luke Chmielewski (HB) a popular 3rd from Jon Philpott and Ant Howard rounding out the 5.

2WD 17.5 ‘Open’ Class

Local racer Nathan Krohn took TQ but a lap 1 crash dropped him back in the pack. Jamie Chesher (Xray) & Mark Mason (AE) both took turns leading before Mildura’s Ivan McKenzie (TLR) took over the lead on lap 5 from grid position 6. Krohn fought back and actually got back into the lead around 7:30, but then 3 laps from home McKenzie re-took the lead and held it to the end by 5s from Krohn and Paul Slifka. Special mention for young Dustin Densley for making the top 10 in the large field.

4WD 17.5 ‘Open’ Class

Jamie Chesher from ‘Warped Designs’ took TQ with his Xray and got out to an early lead in the final. Nathan Krohn took over the lead from lap 5, then Ben Howard (Schumacher) took the lead on lap 13 which he held to the end from Chesher and Krohn. Howards win was even more remarkable as he was not able to attend practice!

2WD 17.5 Junior Class

This class does not qualify for the Invitational, but gives the younger drivers a chance to learn on the same track as the Invitational and Open class racers. LiveRC’s very own Chris Mitchell commentated the race and the track was lined with racers from the pits cheering on the youngsters and doing some impro repair work! Brothers Shane and Brian Lawrance have only been racing a short time but qualified 1st and 3rd, sandwiching Tyrell Mckenzie (son of Ivan, 2w 17.5 winner). Shane snuck through on lap 1 to take the lead, but Brian soon fought back and stretched out a 25s lead. Tyrell finished 2nd from Shane Lawrance, Hope Densley top girl in 4th, Mitchell Isergin in 5th with Rex M 6th and Tyrell’s sister Katie an unfortunate 7th after some mechanical issues.

The 2017 Keilor Yokomo Invitational was a hugely successful event and plans are already underway for the 2018 edition. Massive thanks to the Keilor committee and track crew who worked tirelessly to prepare the event, Nicola from Hearns Hobbies for his support of the event, and all of the interstate racers who travelled to the event. 

Full results and videos can be found at:
keiloroffroadcarassosiation.liverc.com/events/

Photo credit: Andrew Selvaggi, Chris Mitchell, Shane Kelly