Victorian speedster Dylan Willsher, made it two wins from two starts this season at Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge speedway on the weekend, when he powered his DW Motorcycle repairs, Dutchman Performance v27 Triple X to victory in round one of the Southern Showdown State series.

Including the King of the Bridge last season, it is now Willsher’s second feature win at the venue featuring a last lap pass to take the win. This win was the most dramatic, with the pass for the lead only being completed metres from the finish line. The result so close, there was some initial confusion to who had won the event between Willsher in the v27 and local ace Angelo Karoussis driving the s27.

After a couple of late withdrawals, nineteen drivers including the two rookies of Steph Munn and Patrick Merrett battled through the heats which were all conducted at a rapid rate, free of any major incidents, which Karoussis qualify on pole with reigning track champion Scott Dungey on the out side of the front row. Two local drivers filled the second row with Cates and Michelmore ahead of the Victorian duo of O’Keeffe and Willsher in row three.

A very wet slippery track greeted the field for the twenty lap feature which saw Karoussis jump to an early lead, opening that up as the race went on. The track eventually started to dry as the race continued seeing the pace get faster deeper in the race.

Three laps from home, and Karoussis had a length of the straight away lead over Willsher who had made through the pack to be running second and closing fast until the last corner where Karoussis’s lead was cut substantially after being caught up by two back markers fighting for position. The resulting drag race down the front straight saw Willsher carrying more momentum to just edge out Karoussis.

A simular result occurring in the battle in the Speedway Australia rookie of the year series with Steph Munn holding the lead in the rookies race until the last lap where Bordertown resident Patrick Merrett executed a pass to take the round one honours.

The feature win was the perfect lead up for Willsher as he prepares to defend his King of the Bridge title the next time the Formula 500’s hit the Murray Bridge clay on December 7.