AFTER five years of competing at the Super Sedans Grand Prix in Latrobe, Tasmania, Lachlan Onley finally passed the winner’s post first.

The Bendigo Bank Arena hosts the event every year and Onley has previously finished second and fifth.

He said it was a relief to finally salute the chequered flag.

“It was great to finally get the win,” he said.

“The car had been all ready to go leading into it, and my preparation was good. It was a really good race.”

Onley took the lion’s share of the $45,000 purse, in the richest event in Australian speedway racing.

He earned $12,500 for winning the race, on top of lap bonuses. Drivers earn $100 for each lap they lead the race. Onley led for 32.

“It’s a good race to win, that’s for sure,” he said.

“My team did a great job all weekend, and the track provided great racing. We qualified two, outside of pole. Once we came around to lap 14 we hit the lead, but there was a stoppage and we drifted back. We grabbed the lead again on lap 18 and led right through until the end.  The track was fast and provided solid two or three wide racing, and you could race high or low.”

Onley says the next step is the National Super Sedan Series, in which he currently sits eighth.

“The grand final is early February, so we’ll keep working away and try and get ourselves a bit further up the standings there over the next few meetings,” he said.

The series has just three events for Onley to increase his standings; round six at the Mountain Dew Ice Raceway in Hobart on January 25, round seven at the Timmis Raceway in Mildura on January 31 and the grand final on February 1, at the Murray Bridge Speedway.