Schoen wins an enthralling Gas Dash
Troy Schoen has made it 2 different winners in the first 2 rounds of the 2017 CAMS Carnarvon Motel WAORC. In an impressive display, Schoen maintained his overnight lead to win the Horizon Power, Kickstarters Gascoyne Dash for 2017.
Sundays first section of 2 laps saw Troy Schoen pick up where he left off taking the section by just under 30 seconds from a charging Harleigh Uren. After issues on day 1 dropped him back through the pack, the One Speed Off Road Racing driver fought his way through the dust to beat Mal Yeardley and Jared Percival who were locked in a tight tussle in their prolites. Locals Brett and Kevin Renton lost the right front wheel which put paid to their 2017 assault whilst throughout the field there were tight battles all round. Unfortunately for #721 Gary Kirkwood and David Michelmore rolled their Production 4wd Pajero putting them out of the event
As the competitors went out for Section 2 the intensity appeared to be raised to another level! Schoen continued to lead out front, but after a short pit stop at the end of lap 1 to their lead on the road had shrunk to just 30 seconds. Uren was charging in the dust, but unfortunately mechanical gremlins took him out of the race whilst a podium position was in his grasp. Mal Yeardley and Jared Percival were going toe to toe for 2nd and 3rd outright as well as the Prolite class win, trading lap times in what was to be a very close finish. In the end it was Jared Percival who would storm through to take 2nd outright, with Yeardley not far behind in 3rd. In Super 1650, Daniel Allen had a clean run in challenging conditions to finish 1st in class, a great result for the team. Darryl Hardman won the Extreme 4wd class Mark Murray and Mitchell Davies waged a collossal battle for class honours with Murray being the victor in his Turbo Diesel powered Patrol. The Production 4wd battle turned into a race of attrition. Ben Armstrong cracked the radiator and didnt make it out for Section 3, whilst Steve Baxter blew a motor taking him out of the class lead. Graeme Bentink inherited the top spot, only to break his front shock mounts. Chris May was the only vehicle in the class left running, but a DNF on the last lap handed the class win back to Graeme Bentink in his GTurbo sponsored LandCruiser. Matthew Beck endured a difficult day in the WA Off Road Junior Development Performance 2wd, but a strong finish the event saw him take out the class win in an awesome debut effort
There is now a brief hiatus from the WAORC as the multiclub event, the Narrogin Chase held by WAORRA is run in May, before the Bencubbin 360 sees the third round of the 2017 CAMS, Carnarvon Motel WAORC in early June
