Daniel Pestka wins Max Dumesny tribute race

South Australian racer Daniel Pestka has taken out one of his biggest Sprintcar career race wins at the 2024 edition of the Max’s Race at Premier Speedway Warrnambool on Saturday night.

The event is a tribute to local racer Max Dumesny who dominated Australian Sprintcar racing for many years. Dumesny’s wins included three Australian Sprintcar Championships, and seven World Series Sprintcar series titles.

Pestka was delighted to take the big win in front of a quality field.

“Max was my hero growing up as a young kid, and to win his race and to have him here to congratulate me was unreal and pretty cool” Pestka told AUTO ACTION.

“It’s certainly one of my biggest wins given the quality of the field we were up against.

“The team and my sponsors really wanted to take a win at Warrnambool, so to do it last night was pretty special.”

“The Stark family have taken me on and have given me great support over the past few seasons, and now with John Bellato from ABSS backing the team as our major sponsor we have a good package.

“So, it’s a great result for the whole team to win this special event at such an iconic track that Warrnambool is.” He said.

It was a star studded 50 car field which assembled for the annual event, which included current Australian Sprintcar Champion Lockie McHugh.

Daniel Pestka driving for the Stark Family Sprintcar team with support from major sponsors ABSS and Moreland Holdings took a dominant win at Max’s Race at Premier Speedway Warrnambool – Image by Gavin Skene

Other contenders for the big race included Grand Annual Classic winner Brock Hallett and former Australian champions James McFadden, Jamie Veal, Marcus Dumesny and Jock Goodyer who are all recent in hot form.

Pestka moved forward from a solid qualifying result, which saw him win his heat over fellow front row starter and local hotshot Jamie Veal.

With ‘The Dash’ cancelled, Pestka moved directly to the front row alongside Veal for the start of the 30 lap A main.

At the start Pestka hung tough on the outside line for the first lap, before taking the lead and quickly opening up a solid lead.

Run on a fast and juiced up track, the A main went green for the entire 30 lap race and Pestka was never headed.

At the flag fall it was Pestka, ahead of the A1 of Lockie McHugh and the T62 of Tate Frost.

“The track was hooked up and a bit rough, it tested my fitness, but it went pretty well really.”

The win is a huge confidence booster for Pestka and his team as they head into the highpoint of the Australian sprintcar season.

Pestka whose day job is as a pastry cook at the family run bakery in Strathalbyn, 60 km southeast of Adelaide, is in his 15th year of Sprintcar racing.

Having raced in his own family run team, Pestka has shown plenty of potential over the years, but this win is no doubt a major highlight for the South Australian.

He has shown some good race form in recent events but has battled poor results in qualifying which he says he is working on.

Talking to AUTO ACTION, Pestka said “We have struggled a bit in qualifying, but we have had good race pace which has been a bit frustrating.

“We made some set up changes to the car and the last two qualifying sessions have been much better.

“It helped us Saturday night and it will be important for Speedweek.”

Some of the biggest races will take place over the next month or so, with the Brandt Sprintcar Speedweek, the Flying Horse Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Premier Speedway, and the 2025 Australian Sprintcar titles which will be held at Pestka’s home track of Murray Bridge all coming up.

The Brandt Sprintcar Speedweek will see the top Sprintcar teams race at five venues over 7 nights.

The series starts Boxing Day at Murray Bridge, the next night sees debut of the new hi-banked Tolmer Speedway at Bordertown.

The next round is a trip to the racers and a fan favourite Borderline Speedway, in Mount Gambier for night three.

Leaving South Australia, the next event is Avalon Raceway on the outskirts of Geelong, before the teams’ head west to Premier Speedway in Warrnambool on New Year’s Day.

2024/25 Brandt Sprintcar Speedweek

Round 1 – Bridge Speedway – December 26

Round 2 – Tolmer Speedway – December 27

Round 3 – Borderline Speedway – December 28

Round 4 – Avalon Raceway – December 30

Round 5 – Premier Speedway – January 1

Photos by Gavin Skene

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