The recent inaugural 10-hour Bendigo EEV/HPV Grand Prix – held at the Bendigo Livestock Exchange – could well feature in many school’s 2015 racing calendars. With relatively fine yet cool and dry conditions for most of the race with a slight shower in the early evening, 33 teams across 6 categories took to the track for the new race. This event has stepped up from a previous October warm-up event held in Bendigo. (Note: EEV = Energy Efficient Vehicles; HPV = Human Powered Vehicles)
With racing starting at 12 noon and finishing at 10pm riders had the opportunity to practice their day and night riding skills an open and flowing 1.2 kilometre circuit ahead of the 24 hour RACV Energy Breakthrough held in Maryborough later this year.
Event organiser Lynden Francis-Wright, from Girton Grammar School Bendigo, said the race was “hopefully another event for teams to practice their skills and endurance for riders in both day and night conditions in preparation for Maryborough in November.” Francis-Wright also commented and hoped that teams would go back to their schools and bring back more teams next year.
Onto the results…
Two chargers from Cobden Technical School
Hybrids
Hybrid 1 saw only one entrant from Ballarat Christian College with their team South Star Warriors finishing on 234 laps and Hybrid 2 with three entrants from Cobden Technical School with results following first place getters Tec Industries on 270 laps, El Diablo finishing on 262 laps and Blue Thunder finishing on 96 laps in second and third place respectively.
It is great to have another much-needed opportunity for EEVs to have race practice before Maryborough too.
Primary
Ecorush from White Hills Primary School took out first place in the primary category on 258 laps only 6 laps ahead of second place getters Miss Janey from Maiden Gully Primary School on 252 laps and teammates Ziptar on 222 laps.
Junior Secondary
Son of Bendigo from Eaglehawk Secondary College proved to be victorious taking out the win for the junior secondary category on 235 laps. Second place getters Zoniac from Victory Christian College finished on 225 laps and third place went to Infusion from Girton Grammar School on 153 laps.
Middle Secondary
Creek St from Creek Street Christian College impressively took out third place overall on the day and taking out first place in their category finishing on 282 laps. Second place getters from Eaglehawk Secondary College with their team Care Factor finishing on 269 laps and a strong finish from the team at Crusoe College finishing on 261 laps and wrapping up the top 3 finishers from the middle secondary category.
Wattle Racing’s Whipstick.
Community
The team from Wattle Racing in their trike Whipstick Elite took out first place and the overall win for the day finishing on 343 laps and ahead of second place getters Mr Sparkle from Braymac Fabrications on 304 laps and third place getters Clarence Elite from Inception Racing on 279 laps.
