DAVE Gartner has staged the perfect night of racing to claim his fourth straight South Australian Super Sedans championship at the Borderline Speedway Saturday night.
The Penola driver claimed the lead from the green flag and held out to the chequered flag, but by no means was it an easy run.
He was forced to fight the tough conditions on a fast, rough racing surface and hold off a hard-charging Ryan Alexander, who had claimed the honours just two weeks earlier, also at the Borderline Speedway.
But on a night where so much was on the line, Gartner was on the pace.
He had the chance to equal South Australia’s Steve Stewart with six titles, plus be the first South Australian to claim four titles in a row.
From the opening heat Gartner showed his intent, with a comfortable victory, despite a couple of spins which closed the field up.
Alexander finished down in fifth place.
With each driver contesting three heats each, Gartner then watched Alexander claim the second, before going head-to-head in the third.
Alexander came out on top in that one, but the final heat saw Gartner again with the win as Alexander took his turn on the outfield.
By the time the A Main arrived the scene was set, with 30 laps to run with a field of 12.
The final saw plenty of thrills and spills, as drivers struggled to tame the rough, grippy surface.
Gartner made a good jump out of pole position, immediately in a tight tussle with Alexander.
Despite a caution period Gartner remained at the front throughout, but Alexander continued to push for the top spot.
With just six laps gone Alexander began to reel Gartner in and the crowd was set for an epic battle.
Another caution came with 22 laps remaining, but from there it was racing to the chequered flag.
With 15 laps to run Gartner and Alexander began to cut their way through slower traffic, with still nothing much to separate the top two drivers.
With just a handful of laps to run Gartner managed to put a couple of slower cars between himself and Alexander, but still could not relax.
The pair were side by side with just a few laps left, but Gartner managed to pass another car to create a small margin and went on to win by just over one second.
Gartner said it was the toughest event he could recall.
“I have never been so worn out in my whole life,” he said.
“That last 10 or 15 laps I was actually running out of oxygen.
“I was fogging up my helmet and lifting my visor up.
“It was the most brutal race I have been involved in I reckon.”
Gartner said he expected the tough challenge from Alexander, which made for an exciting contest right to the final lap.
“I knew he was going to be there and with the lapped cars I just could not make a mistake,” he said.
“I had to get around them quick.
“After doing all that hard work I did not want to lose it in the last few laps.
“I split two cars and thought that might give me a bit of an edge there for a while, but then I got held up in the last couple of laps and thought he could still be there.
“I did not take it for granted, but I was hoping he might be getting tired too.”
While Gartner said he likes a track that provides plenty of grip, it made for a tough night.
“I knew Ryan would be right on me so I just had to nail it hard,” he said.
“Because the track was so hooked up and our car was a bit tight, I could not even take a breath.”
In the end it was enough to claim his sixth title, plus his fourth in a row.
“I am really happy to get four in a row,” Gartner said.
“You are lucky to get any of them.
“I enjoyed it, but I have not been on a track that rough for a while.
“I think we did maybe 20 laps at the end without a break, so it was pretty hard work.”
Overall the effort was clearly worth it, with Gartner pleased to have claimed the state title and the records that came with it.
“Stevie Stewart has six titles, so we have equalled him now,” Gatner said.
“It is an honour to do that.
“I am the only South Australian to get four in a row – I think there are only two or three other sedan drivers in other states who have done that – so that is great.
“But to do it here in Mount Gambier, that is what drove me that last few laps.
“We have not had an SA title here for over 10 years.
“I have had a couple of good wins here in the Mount, but it will be good to look back on that one I reckon.
“It was like a dream come true.”
