By Darren O’Dea
PERTH, Australia — Dayne Kingshott became the first local driver to win a round of WA Sprintcar Speedweek this season, when he won the feature race at the Perth Motorplex on Friday night.
In the first six rounds of the series, that started at the Perth Motorplex on Boxing Day, American drivers claimed wins each time.
This time around it was the local teams that dominated, with Kingshott, in the Krikke Motorsport W2, winning from Callum Williamson in the Williamson Motorsport W3 and Kerry Madsen in the Diamond Bay Motorsport W26.
Kingshott started from p3 in the 30-lap feature race that was part of the Slinglift Speedweek finale, powered by Totally Workwear, that wraps up at the Perth Motorplex tonight, Saturday, January 10.
This was after he was second quickest in his qualifying group at the start of the event, before moving from fourth to second in his heat race and then crossing the line second in the Revolution Racegear A Dash.
He was fourth in the opening laps, and when Kris Coyle slowed with a flat left rear tyre with only a handful of laps completed, he was third, behind polesitter Kaiden Manders and Williamson, who also started on the front row.
Coyle was able to resume from the rear of the field after going to the work area – the last time the work area was open as the track was under time restrictions after the venue lost power for a significant amount of time earlier in the evening.
Williamson muscled his way to the lead, momentarily about four laps later and it was not long before Kingshott grabbed the lead position.
Another caution period was activated at about one third race distance when Williamson slowed and officials disconnected the traction control device from the rear of his car, before he was allowed to resume in his original position.
On the restart Kingshott led from Williamson, Manders, Madsen and the A1 of James McFadden, who at the start of the night set the Victory 1 Performance Quick Time.
With four laps remaining, the J&S Racing U60 of Carson Macedo slowed on the back straight, being a DNF, along with fellow American Justin Whittall, Brad Maiolo and Jye McKenzie (on the last lap).
Williamson was third quickest in his qualifying group and then won his heat race, along with the Revolution Racegear B Dash.
Madsen, in his best result so far for his Bunbury-based team over Speedweek, was third after being second quickest in his qualifying group, went from third to second in his heat race and took third in the Revolution Racegear B Dash, setting up a p6 start in the final.
McFadden was fourth (started p4), from Manders who dropped back to fifth.
American Brock Zearfoss was sixth (started from p7), while fellow countryman Cole Macedo put in one heck of a drive, charging from 25th to finish seventh, enough to win the Kincrome Hard Charger award.
The finish:
1st Dayne Kingshott, 2nd Callum Williamson, 3rd Kerry Madsen, 4th James McFadden, 5th Kaiden Manders, 6th Brock Zearfoss, 7th Cole Macedo, 8th Daniel Harding, 9th Taylor Milling, 10th Jason Kendrick, 11th Andrew Priolo, 12th Aaron Reutzel, 13th Ryan Lancaster, 14th Jaydee Dack, 15th Cameron McKenzie, 16th Tim King, 17th Kris Coyle, 18th Chris Harrison, 19th Chad Pittard, 20th Jason Pryde, 21st Jack Williamson, 22nd Kodi Clayden. DNF: Jye McKenzie, Carson Macedo, Brad Maiolo and Justin Whittall.
