Local resident Ryan Jones has begun the defence of his Australian 360ci Sprintcar Championship by winning the preliminary A-Main of the Murray Machinery and Sheds supported event at the Murray Bridge Speedway. After starting on the pole position, courtesy of his third and first placed heat results, he led the entire 25 lap journey to win the feature, which doubled as the 3rd Annual Ross Wright Memorial, ahead of Mount Barker resident Craig Vanderstelt and Darwin’s Jason McIver.

“Tonight was all about collecting points for tomorrow night but this is still a great race to win. When I was a kid I used to sit in turn four, which was turn one for the Hotrods, and watch him race every week. He was a legend around this place and it is fantastic to win the race that is named in his honour” commented Ryan on the podium.

Unfortunately the A-Main was littered by a series of huge accidents, the first occurring on lap one when Mount Gambier’s Karl Enderl got sideways in front of the pack resulting in a three car rollover on the exit of turn four. In the end a total of five cars were involved with Enderl, Shane Hendry and Darren Hickman all going upside down. Alan Barlee and defending Ross Wright event Champions Josh Ruhs also sustained enough damage to keep them out of the restart.

Later in the journey Mark Burford, who had also rolled over in heat three, inverted his racecar while Darryl Wright tagged the wall before rolling over with three laps remaining.

Fourth place went the way of Shannon Barry, with Adam Currie, Phil Lock, Scott Hoskin, Ricky Barrand and Jamie Hendry completing the finishers.

Earlier in the night the South Australians continued their dominance of the night’s racing by winning all six heat races. Vanderstelt claimed the opening heat while Shane Hendry and Josh Ruhs won the final two heats of round 1. Shannon Barry, Karl Enderl and Ryan Jones were victorious in the second round of preliminaries.

A further 2 rounds of heats will be conducted tomorrow night with the all important 40 lap final to decide who will win the 2010 Murray Machining and Sheds Australian 360ci Sprintcar Championship.