HAMILTON has a new state champion after local driver, Benny Barker, won the Speedway Sedans Australia Production Sedans Victorian Title at Western Speedway on Sunday.

It took 20 hours longer than originally scheduled, after Saturday night’s race meet was postponed until Sunday due to the weather conditions, but the 34-year-old said it was worth the wait to claim his first state title.

“I went better than I expected,” she said.

“I am just pretty stoked, it hasn’t sunk in yet to be honest.”

Barker finished fourth last year and with another year of experience, was eyeing off an even better result this year.

He won one of his heats and finished third and fourth in the others, giving him a starting position of third for the final.

The 34-year-old said racing in front of his family and friends in a big race also added to the occasion.

“I just wanted to go better than last year,” he said.

“I knew I had a pretty good chance starting out of three and just wanted to finish there.

“My plan was just to try and stay third and I knew the two in front of me were quick and I could keep with them for the first 20 laps.

“Then hopefully I could be there for the last 15 days and it happened really early that they dropped out, so I just wanted to look after the car and get it home.”

Despite his experience at the local track, Barker said the conditions were not what he usually enjoyed, but made it work to his advantage across the 35-lap final.

“Usually, I would have hated a track like that, I don’t like rough tracks,” he said.

“I don’t know what happened (on Sunday), but it just worked.

“You do know the spots where to stay away from (as a local), but the track was completely different to any time I’d ever raced there.

“I think with titles, if any of the local cars can do well, that is the aim of the game, and I think you’re probably more mindful of not taking anyone out and just trying to give everyone the best opportunity.”

It is Barker’s second year in the production sedan class, with his experience growing with each meet.

He said he had raced in other classes prior, showing his versatility behind the wheel.

“This is my second year as a proddie (production sedan), I have had the car for three years but it was a street stock first, then I changed it to a proddie, then before that I did a couple of seasons in limited sportsman,” he said.

Following his state title win, he will now hold the Victorian number 1 plate on his car for the next 12 months, including his Australian title campaign next month.

“It’s pretty cool; in a month we go to Queensland to contest the Australian titles,” he said.

“So it’ll be great to have the number one on for that.”