Western Australia’s Perth Motorplex saw a fitting tribute to ‘The General’ John Day, with an epic feature race that saw Nick Rowe claiming the biggest feature race of his career.
The night began with 19 cars making it to the track, Daniel Harding setting the quickest time in qualifying before going on to win both of his heats. Teammate Kaiden Manders would claim the other two preliminaries, setting up a DGR – Dan Golding Racing lockout on the front row for the thirty-lap feature race.
As the field lined up and went four wide, the John Day utes formed an emotional tribute to John and his daughter Kylie around them, Mitchell Harris (son of Kylie) joining Lisa and Courtney (Day family) at the front of the field, while the rest of the drivers moved into a pyramid formation behind the field.
With the crowd now on an emotional high, the field formed up and took the green for the first time, Harding hitting the line first line and moving high in front of Manders for the lead, but the race would not last long, Alfonso Guadagnino spinning in turn one with Aron Sharp spinning to avoid him.
The second attempt saw a reversal as Manders broke into the lead, Harding forced to settle for second as Kiwi visitor Michael Pickens quickly arrived on the scene and got the nose past Harding on the line for second at the completion of lap one.
Harding pulled a massive slide job on Pickens in turn four the next lap, but Pickens held strong, just 0.026 seconds ahead on the line.
The yellows would come out with two laps complete as Rob Golding spun in turn four.
Manders led the field away, the top three unchanged as Cody Nash, Beau Doyle, Rowe and Jake Robinson fought it out in close quarters for fourth.
Pickens and Harding picked their battle up right where they left off, Harding putting another slide job on Pickens in turn four to take second from Pickens on lap six once again.
All of a sudden, with seven laps complete and with a big lead over the rest of the field, Manders went high through turns three and four, half spun and nudged the wall. Harding was committed to his line coming through the corner and was left with nowhere to go but slam into him, Manders going upside down in what was a heavy hit. Both drivers would be unable to resume.
Pickens would lead the field back to green, but on the restart Rowe came from nowhere, passing Pickens at a rate of knots through turn two to take the lead on lap eight, but Pickens would get back by him in the exact same spot the next lap to retake the lead on lap nine.
Pickens would continue to lead Rowe, with Robinson now into third ahead of Doyle and Nash, Nash coming under significant pressure from Chris Dymock who was also desperate to make his way into the top five.
Pickens made his way into lapped traffic at the halfway point, but it did nothing to slow him down, running line astern with Rowe and Robinson while Nash was now putting the hard word on Doyle, taking fourth on lap sixteen.
With eighteen complete Guadagnino spun in turn four just as Patrick Watson and Corey Smith, who were battling hard for position and trading slide jobs, approached him, Watson hitting Guadagnino and spinning while Smith was somehow able to squeeze through.
The restart saw twelve cars resuming, Pickens leading Rowe, Robinson, Nash and Doyle.
Sixth-placed Dymock went high on the restart and clouted the wall but was able to continue, while Nash took advantage further up to take third from Robinson. A lap later, with ten to go, Robinson fought back and retook third, with Doyle also able to get by Nash the next lap for fourth.
Rowe closed the gap on Pickens and Doyle closed the gap on Robinson, two distinct battles forming for the top positions. Rowe put another slide job on Pickens in turn two to take the lead on lap twenty-four but Pickens was again able to switch lanes and retake the position.
Nash retired with a few laps remaining, while Dymock got past Smith for fifth, the order now Pickens, Rowe, Doyle. Robinson and Dymock with five laps remaining.
Rowe continued to apply the pressure on Pickens through every corner, another slide job in turn four on lap twenty-eight seeing the duo make contact and somehow keep going, Rowe now ahead.
Pickens did all he could to fight back, but it wasn’t enough, Rowe racing away to the biggest win of his career ahead of Pickens with Doyle coming home in third.
Robinson, Dymock, Keenan Fleming (from the rear), Smith, Tyson Bryden, William Douglas, Golding and Sharp rounded out the finishers.