THE Wingless Sprints descended on Portland on Saturday night for round two of the Victorian Super Series and two Mount Gambier drivers were on the pace in the big field.
Kirby Hillyer managed an impressive second place in the A Main feature race to record his first series podium in his first run at the tight Portland circuit.
He was joined by Mitchell Broome, who pulled off a strong drive in the A Main, after battling through the B Main to qualify in 13th for the feature race to then lock in third place with a wounded car.
The pair faced plenty of tough competition from the likes of eventual winner Travis Millar, along with Daniel Storer and plenty of other top contenders.
The level of competition showed through the heats, where Hillyer managed a third place, followed by fifth place in his two runs to qualify third for the main race.
Broome managed a fifth and a third, but with so many drivers across the night there were many on similar points, which forced Broome into the B Main.
Once the feature race began Hillyer dropped a spot, but continued to hold his own.
Some early carnage threatened to take Broome out of the running, but he managed to avoid an incident and picked up several positions through the field as a result.
Before long he rounded up Hillyer to claim fourth spot, before two drivers ahead crashed out, leaving Broome and Hillyer in second and third respectively.
Upon the restart Broome pushed a bit too much and hit the wall hard, causing a fair amount of damage to his car.
Hillyer took his opportunity and pushed on past to challenge for the lead.
He did not quite have enough car speed to pass Millar, but claimed a well-deserved second place, with Broome holding on for a gutsy third.
Hillyer said he was pleased with the final result after such a tough night of racing.
“Dad sets the car up to come on in the second half of the feature, so he told me to be patient, the car would come to me,” Hillyer said.
“I knew Mitchell was a fair way back and when he passed me I thought I did not have the pace to keep running up the front.
“But when Mitchell hit the wall I thought I might have a chance to win.
“I let the car come to me and gave it my best shot, but just could not quite pull it off.”
In just his second year in the category it was certainly an impressive effort.
He said each time he goes out he learns more and Saturday night was no different.
“To finish on the podium and beat Mitchell was pretty cool,” Hillyer said.
“He knows how to read the track a lot better, which is where I have struggled.
“When he passed me and went up high I followed him and it worked well.”
For Broome it was a tough night, especially having to fight through the B Main and qualifying so far back in the A Main.
However, he simply pushed on and tried to avoid any carnage, which paid off in the end.
“It was a tough track and every time we went out it changed,” Broome said.
“I struggled through my heats against the top contenders in the series.
“Then I had the fun job of coming through the B Main.”
Broome led the B Main from start to finish, which he said helped work out the fastest way around the circuit.
By the time he reached the A Main he needed that pace, but once the dust had settled after some early carnage – which almost ended his own run – he found himself in a favourable position.
“I passed Kirby when he was in fourth, then second and third crashed,” Broome said.
“That put me into second and I got a good restart, but hit the wall pretty hard.
“The right rear radius rod snapped in half and the left rear shock pin got snapped off, so the car bounced all over the place for the next 15 laps.
“It was tough, but I got there in the end.”
Broome said he was pleased to see his mate go so well again.
“It was good to sit back, try to defend myself and watch Kirby,” he said.
“He has been driving well.
“He got pretty close and nearly won.”
