Jock Goodyer Wins Max’s Race – McFadden runs second in Hodges Motorsport debut
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Young Tasmanian Jock Goodyer has taken victory in one the biggest races of his career by winning ‘Max’s Race’ at Premier Speedway-Warrnambool.
While making his much-anticipated debut for Hodges Motorsport, Australian World of Outlaws star James McFadden ran a close second at the Premier Speedway.
In the debut of the #5 NAPA Auto Parts Sprintcar, McFadden started the feature race in P14 after a poor time trial.
The gun Speedway driver then turned it on for the feature, chopping his way through the field to finish in P2, finishing behind Tasmanian Jock Goodyer, who broke through under pressure for his biggest career victory to date, with Queenslander Ryan Newton rounding out the podium.
The popular sprintcar driver and his new team which co-owned by Tim Hodges, IndyCar star Scott McLaughlin, Tigers AFL player Jack Riewoldt and sports broadcaster Gerard Whateley, were using Max’s Race to warm up for the 50th anniversary running of the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic.
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James McFadden (L) finished second, Max Dumesny, winner Jock Goodyer and third placed Ryan Newton celebrate the results of Max’s Race in Warrnambool overnight in his Hodges Motorsport debut as preparation for January’s blockbuster Speedway week
If it weren’t for a late caution, the #5 driver might have caught the frontrunner, but Goodyer was a deserved winner nonetheless.
And although McFadden couldn’t get it done, it serves as a formidable hit-out ahead of Australia’s most legendary Sprintcar race at the same track in Warrnambool, where he is a two-time winner of the annual classic.
“Tonight wasn’t perfect but it was great for our notebook for what’s to come – especially here at Premier,” McFadden said.
“We made life difficult for ourselves with the time trial – but it’s a great result for our new team and our new sponsor NAPA and our brand-new car to get this result.
“The feature just opened up for us early on – we passed a bunch of cars and gave ourselves a shot at the thing.
“I’m bummed with the caution late – I think we had a great chance of passing Jock but as it is, second is a great start for our guys.”
The 50th anniversary Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is being run at Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway from January 27 – 29.
Hodges Motorsport is also having two more outings immediately prior at the President’s Cup at Avalon Raceway near Geelong on Wednesday January 25, and at the King’s Challenge at Borderline Speedway in Mount Gambier in South Australia, on Australia day.
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