CAM Dunbar erased a summer of near misses to blitz the 2010 Keilor Gift on an emotional Saturday night at the Keilor Recreation Reserve.

The 29-year-old etched his name into the Keilor Sports Club's history books, winning the showcase 120-metre handicap race in a time of 12.408 seconds, ahead of Nathan Fox and Stephen Sheppard.

"It was a great night," he said.

"I'm absoluetly stoked."

Dunbar, a product of the Ringwood Athletics Club, comes from great athletic pedigree.

His father, Rick, was a professional runner in Scotland before taking the Victorian Athletic League by storm. His mother, Sue, is a VAL director with a long involvement in the sport, while his grandfather Stewart Peterson was also a professional athlete.

"I am following in their footsteps," Dunbar said.

The Ringwood East resident admitted to feeling a lot of pressure heading into the Keilor Gift.

Dunbar was fast growing a reputation as the nearly-man of 2009-10 having reached many finals this summer only to run a place.

He did not have to wait long to celebrate as he comfortably led all runners over the line to win by about a metre.

"It felt comfortable," he said.

"I was able to celebrate straight away.

"The pressure was on so it was a bit of a relief."

Dunbar rates the win "up there" with his victory in the Maryborough Gift in 2004.

He said the Keilor Gift was an important lead-up race to the famous Stawell Gift.

"That's the ultimate. This win will give me a confidence boost."

Earlier in the night, there was hardly a dry eye in the house with the women's 120-metre handicap race being run as a tribute to former runner Billie Jo Petersen, who died aged 26 from a seizure last year.

Petersen's fiancee Mark Hignett spoke for nearly 10 minutes about the life and career of Petersen, who he was due to marry this year.