Congrats on winning the competition, having never won any competition it must have been a great feeling when you found out.
I have recently taken up motor sport photography and it's not so easy as point and shoot. So don't jump on me when I say the first photo for me is just ok! But the second one you posted is so much better in many many ways - composition, focusing, exposure etc..... I can only imagine what you would have won if you'd entered the second photo.
Here's a great forum for motorsports photography....
Motorsports - Canon Digital Photography Forums
It is mainly for Cannon enthusiasts, but all the techniques apply to any camera.
Again congrats, you must be stoked!!
Matt