On April the 3rd we gathered old and new nuggets alike at Winton Raceway for our second season of Nugget Nationals.
As the cars rolled in, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a one make series with all the Echo’s that were present around the pits in the morning!
Photo credit: Brett Swain
With drivers briefing out of the way…
Photo credit: Ajay Rodriquez
…It was time to hit the freshly resurfaced track!
Photo credit: Ajay Rodriquez
1st Place: 1:48.2
Driver: Ying Bot
Nugget: 2002 Toyota Echo Sportivo
Leaving it until the 11th hour, Ying managed to snatch first place honours on her very last lap of the day.
Photo credit: Andy Szeto
2nd Place: 1:48.5
Driver: Viv Dilkes-Frayne
Nugget: 2001 Daihatsu Sirion GTVI
Viv didn’t waste any time by setting down a stonking lap time very early in the morning. A good strategy on his behalf as the car ran out of brake pads later in the day.
Photo credit: Happiness by the Killowatts
3rd Place: 1:49.1
Driver: Daniel Jon
Nugget: 1993 Honda Civic
Dan’s D15 powered Civic was another nugget that joined the forties club. He also wins my award for best wheels on a Nugget!
Photo credit: Daniel Jon
4th Place: 1:50.9
Driver: Liam Murphy
Nugget: 2003 Mitsubishi Mirage
Itsa Mitsy! The only Mitsubishi in the field this season, Liam is getting closer to breaking into the 40Nug club.
5th Place: 1:51.6
Driver: Thomas Bullock
Nugget: 2001 Daihatsu Sirion GTVI
Unfortunately Tom’s CRX was a last minute drop out so he took the Sirion out and subsequently destroyed the remaining brake pads it had left. He also commented that the car was not very enjoyable to drive.
6th Place: 1:52.1
Driver: Blandon Le
Nugget: 2002 Toyota Echo
After competing in our final NSW round last year, Blandon had made the trip down from Sydney to compete again. When he wasn’t being rescued from the gravel trap, he set a fantastic lap time for his first attempt at this track in a small block Echo!
7th Place: 1:52.6
Driver: Ricky Wong
Nugget: 1993 Honda Civic
Another Winton cherry popped and another nugget in the 1:52’s. Well done Ricky!
Photo credit: Brett Swain
8th Place: 1:53.8
Driver: Hayden Ryan
Nugget: 1998 Toyota Starlet
One of our earliest supporters, it’s great to see Hayden with us again this year!
Photo credit: Brett Swain
9th Place: 1:54.1
Driver: Harry Toumbos
Nugget: 2004 Holden Barina
Nugget National’s first ever Holden entry looking super cool with a splitter and purple Sprint Harts.
10th Place: 1:54.5
Driver: Matthew Doyle
Nugget: 1995 Mazda 121
Possibly the most photographed Nugget, Matt is testimony that practice makes perfect managing a new PB for himself today.
Photo credit: Andy Szeto
11th Place: 1:55.6
Driver: Paride Palmeri
Nugget: 2003 Toyota Echo
Paride liberated this Echo from his mum and it’s never looked better (despite unfortunately hitting a kangaroo on the way to the track that morning). Fully utilising his skills from bubbleblue, Paride gets bonus style points for matching his self designed livery to his self made cage!
Photo credit: Brett Swain
12th Place: 1:55.7
Driver: Jarrod Florence
Nugget: 2005 Toyota Echo
Another new entrant was Jarrod in the Area 57 Echo.
Photo credit: Andy Szeto
13th Place: 1:56.5
Driver: Jase Quach
Nugget: 2005 Toyota Echo Sportivo
No stranger to a race track, Jase was out in his newly purchased Sportivo setting a base lap time in stock mode.
Photo credit: Happiness by the Kilowatts
14th Place: 1:58.6
Driver: David Donnoli
Nugget: 2001 Toyota Echo
15th Place: 1:58.8
Driver: James Donnoli
Nugget: 2001 Toyota Echo
In some fierce sibling rivalry, the Donnoli brothers ended up with lap times split by .2 of a second. Older brother David ended up with ultimate bragging rights as the faster of the two…but only just.
Photo credit: Brett Swain
16th Place: 1:59.8
Driver: Gabriel Perri
Nugget: 2005 Toyota Echo
A joint entry for the Area 57 Echo. Super realiable Toyota’s FTW.
17th Place: 2:01.1
Driver: Douglas Eves
Nugget: 2005 Toyota Echo
If a joint entry isn’t enough, how about a triple entered Echo? Brother from another mother Doug rounds out the Donnoli crew entry.
18th Place: 2:06.4
Driver: Jess Hoare
Nugget: 1995 Mazda 121
A joint entry for the little police bubble. Jess also took a massive chunk out of her previous PB.
Photo credit: Andy Szeto
19th and 20th Place: DNS
Driver: Seb Quirit and Iain Murray
Nugget: 1991 Honda Civic
Unfortunately new aero and colour coded streamers weren’t enough with Team Neverlift retiring early due to mechanical issues.
Thank yous:
As always my eternal thanks to EXE crew and our friends who come out to support the day, drive, wave flags and take photos for us. Honestly one of the easiest track days we’ve ever run with everyone pitching in to help and being super well behaved.
See you for round 2!
More photos:
Check out the photo albums below for all the other cars in attendance.
Andy Szeto, Happiness by the Kilowatts, Ajay Rodriquez, Brett Swain, Peter McGilvery
Photo credit: Andy Szeto
