WARRNAMBOOL, Australia – James McFadden’s win at Premier Speedway during the fifth race of the World Series Sprint Cars season netted the Monte Motorsport driver a $20,000 payday, as he sealed the Speedweek title in the process.
McFadden’s win was not without controversy however, as a slide job on leader Kerry Madsen working lap seven of the main event caused contact with the front of the Krikke Motorsport No. W2 and ended Madsen’s race.
“I honestly thought I was well past him,” McFadden said in victory lane, “because he stuffed up his run with a lapped car coming out of four, so I thought I had a run on him. I apologize to Krikke Motorsport, but I really thought I was clear.”
Madsen entered the event with a 46-point lead over McFadden and Eliason who were tied on points, and amazingly, though Madsen claimed Revolution Racegear Fast Time honors in qualifying, all three drivers had 67 total points after the addition of their first heat results.
The trio were in separate heats throughout the night, with McFadden bagging a first and fifth, Madsen claiming a fourth and a second, and Eliason finishing third and second.
Later on, the Gold Shootout shuffled Grant Anderson and Eliason to the second row of the grid for the feature, with Madsen and McFadden sharing the front row.
From the drop of the green flag Madsen was in command, opening up a menacing lead and meeting the tail end of the field within only five laps. While negotiating the traffic however, he made contact with Jake Tranter in turn four, opening the door for McFadden to dart to the bottom in an attempt to pass on the main straight.
That was when McFadden’s car made right-rear contact with the left-front corner of the No. W2 on the exit of turn two, ultimately ending Madsen’s race.
The restart produced no change in the podium order, despite the best efforts of Eliason, who made bold approaches on Anderson on occasion.
However, the order of the remainder of the field received a sizable overhaul.
Corey McCullagh advanced from ninth to fourth, while Brooke Tatnell kept his championship hopes alive by climbing from 10th on the grid to sixth behind Jack Lee.
Jordyn Charge was impressive in his run from 13th to eighth, however, Lockie McHugh claimed his second American Racer Hard Charger Award after ascending from 18th to seventh.
Jock Goodyer and David Murcott were the final drivers inside the top 10.
The finish:
1. W17-James McFadden, 2. V37-Grant Anderson, 3. W26-Cory Eliason, 4. V90-Corey McCullagh, 5. V25-Jack Lee, 6. V55-Brooke Tatnell, 7. W60-Lachlan McHugh, 8. V60-Jordyn Charge, 9. T22-Jock Goodyer, 10. V88-David Murcott, 11. USA5-Lucas Wolfe, 12. V3-Darren Mollenoyux, 13. V42-Jye Okeeffe, 14. S45-Jake Tranter, 15. W25-Taylor Milling, 16. S14-Brendan Quinn, 17. V70-John Vogels, 18. W2-Kerry Madsen, 19. V77-Brayden Parr, 20. S13-Brock Hallett.