WICKHAM WRAPS UP GARRY ROGERS TROPHY

One of the biggest prizes on the line across the AWC Race Tasmania was the Garry Rogers Trophy which went to 14-year-old Oliver Wickham.

Whilst only the SpeedSeries raced last weekend at Symmons Plains, the fight for the Garry Rogers Trophy took place over two tracks between a solid field of Hyundai Excels.

The contest kicked off at Baskerville Raceway where Jackson Shaw won the opening bragging rights.

Shaw dominated all three races of the first leg ahead of Jeremy Bennett and Wickham.

Jeremy Bennett and Oliver Wickham race side by side up the Symmons Plains back straight. Image: DMAC Photography

But the fate of the trophy was to be decided at Symmons Plains where a massive five races were on the schedule of a busy weekend of racing.

Bennett started the weekend with a bang by controlling the first race by 5s ahead of Shaw and Lachlan Dalton, whilst Wickham had to settle for fourth.

In race 2 Bennett hit back in a nail-biter that went down to the chequered flag as the top four were covered by just 1.7s.

As they charged to the death, Bennett snuck ahead of Shaw by four tenths of a second to secure the hardly fought win with Wickham and Dalton right behind.

Oliver Wickham with the Garry Rogers Trophy. Image: Hyundai Excel Racing Tasmania

The third race of the weekend and final on Saturday was even closer and proved to be a key part in Wickham’s Garry Rogers Trophy glory.

This time less than a second separated the final four and after leading from lap 6, Wickham muscled out his rivals to cling onto a two tenth win ahead of Bennett.

The margins continued to close as the weekend went on with race 4 bringing the racing to new heights.

Wickham started on pole but got a slow start which allowed Bennett to hit the lead.

The pair remained side by side for an entire fifth lap before Wickham edged in front, only to be relegated by both Bennett and Shaw on the next lap.

Shaw ran off the track on lap eight and Will Twining pounced to take second from Wickham and then took the lead on the next lap.

Bennett forced his way through on the inside on the second last corner with Wickham in tow, as Dalton got shuffled back to fifth, allowing Will Twining to sneak up into third in a thrilling finish.

Incredibly less than a second covered all five cars.

The final race that would decide the Garry Rogers Trophy was another thriller as Bennett, Wickham and Shaw traded spots.

In the end Wickham kept cool under pressure, snatching the lead at the hairpin on the final lap.

He was able to fend off Bennett and Shaw by four tenths to get the important win.

As Bennett won the round by nine points, Wickham took out the inaugural Garry Rogers Trophy

The Masters category went to Peter Kingston ahead of Les Axelsen, while encouragement awards go to Damien Midgley and Luke Gardner. 

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