AFTER seven runner-up finishes, Penola’s David Gartner powered to his first Victorian Super Sedan Title at Ballarat’s Redline Raceway on Saturday night.
Gartner has always managed to qualify well in the past Victorian title bouts and was able to do so again on the weekend, earning pole position for the 35-lap feature race.
The Penola based driver felt what he could only describe as relief when he greeted the chequered flag in first place – a feat he has been trying to achieve for more than a decade.
“I have been chasing after the Victorian Title win for a very long time and having finally now achieved it, I honestly felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Gartner said.
The Victorian title adds to a long list of achievements for Gartner, which includes winning five South Australian titles in 2003, 2013, 2015-2016 and 2017.
“You cannot start celebrating in a race until you have actually crossed the finish line and I was so focused on hitting my marks and not spoiling my chances towards the end of the race that I did not even notice the white or the chequered flags,” he said.
“It was not until I heard it over the radio that I realised the race was over and that I’d won.”
In what was only his second visit to Redline Raceway, the key for Gartner was to qualify on the front row for the feature race, which he managed to do by virtue of placing second and first in his two heat races.
After immediately taking the lead, it was almost all smooth sailing for Gartner.
However, an inside charge from Brad Wicks in the middle-stages of the race saw Gartner spin out.
Despite the mishap Gartner was reinstated first place, where he did well to navigate the lapped traffic and manage his pace around the top of what was a slick track.
The laps began to tick down and the long-awaited victory and Victorian Title was claimed by the South Australian.
Losing the lead to Steve Ellis on the final lap of what was his first Victorian Title attempt in 2003, Gartner – who has since encountered a myriad of mechanical dramas and bad luck in previous Victorian Titles which have ultimately hindered his chances of winning the event – could not have been happier to finally break the curse.
Off the back of this memorable result, Gartner now hopes to carry his form into the upcoming National Title, which will be held at Sydney’s Valvoline Raceway in New South Wales from March 2-4.
“We have tried a few new things with our setup this season and it’s taken us a little while to come to grips with the changes and how to manage them,” Gartner said.
“My crew chief Kristen Harris and I decided to persist with these changes and it’s clear from last Saturday night’s result that we’re starting to understand the car more now, so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can do in the National Title.”
Gartner will no travel to Adelaide Motorsport Park this weekend where he will be the Grand Marshall in the National Street Stocks Title where his sons Mark and Steven will be competing.
Gartner may complete a shakedown run at Valvoline Raceway the weekend before the National Title, but that is yet to be confirmed.
