Motor Racing
10 February, 2026
State champion crowned: Ansell claims Victorian Limited Sportsman title
Blue Ribbon Raceway hosted a massive night of racing on Saturday, culminating in the crowning of a State Champion.
The HA26 of Craig Ansell was the feature winner in the Limited Sportsman Victorian Title, ahead of Malcom Siely and Darren Adams.
Horsham's Jock Baker, who was competing for his eighth State Title, was fast out of the gates and set the quickest time on lap one, but retired from the race on lap 23.
It followed an otherwise impressive night of racing for Baker, who claimed his first, second and final heat races, earning himself a pole position start.
The largest class competing on Saturday was the ESSS Sport Sedans.
A combination of heats and pole shuffles was held, with the AX6 of Brendan Miller earning himself a first position start in the feature, alongside the DS6 of Damian Miller.
Damian might have been the bridesmaid at the drop of the green flag, but he got the better start, overtaking Brendan, with the pair finishing one and two, respectively, after 30 laps.
Nathan O'Brien finished the final in third.
Other classes racing included Open Juniors, Open Ladies Sedans and Open Sedans.
The action was fast and fierce in the juniors, with Horsham's Jack Mills earning himself a heat race win in the class's first hit out on track.
Fellow locals Rebecca Johnstone, John Hooton, Archie Thomas and Ollie Mills all raced well, with Johnstone finishing third.
The Wang78 of Liam Callanan claimed the chequered flag in heat two, despite brilliant competition from Hooton, who finished second and Mills, who finished the heat in third.
On track for the final, Callanan continued his brilliant form, earning himself the feature win, followed by Ty Claridge and Mills.
The competition in the Open Ladies was even, with the Wang9 of Emma Threlfall claiming heat one, before the Wang78 of Larissa Ahearn crossed the line in first in heat two.
Ahearn had a front row start in the final and was able to capitalise on it, leading the race from lap one to 15.
Threlfall finished second, Tara Lee third, and the Horsham registered Shelley Fax finished fourth.
Finally, in the Open Sedans, Lachlan Hamilton had a brilliant night of racing, claiming the first heat win in front of Tim McKenzie and Horsham's Peter Dowling, and later getting the feature win.
Dowling had a better second hit out, driving to the win, and finishing just ahead of Hamilton and McKenzie.
Hamilton started the feature from pole, and held the front position all race, crossing the finish line ahead of Dowling and McKenzie.
Horsham's Graham Gerlach and Thomas Fax rounded out the field for the final.
The next event at Blue Ribbon Raceway will be the track’s 30th anniversary, held alongside the Street Stocks Victorian Title on March 14 and 15.
