Images by Peter Roebuck
Busselton’s Kyle Sayer has put together a perfect day of racing at the Allwest Plant Hire Ellenbrook Speedway earlier this afternoon to claim victory in the prestigious RDA Production Sedan Classic for the second year in a row.
Sayer went through the heat racing undefeated before leading the last twenty four laps of the main event to claim a seven second victory from Barry Rose & Geraldton’s Benny Curtin.
Thirty Four SSA Production Sedans were in attendance for one of Western Australia’s largest paying races in the state for the class, as a picturesque father’s day greeted competitors and the healthy crowd who converged on the venue located on the northern outskirts of Perth.
The 2021 RDA Production Sedan Classic doubled as the final round of the Natrad SSD Four Crowns Series with Barry Rose looking to wrap up a ninth series title.
Over the course of the nine qualifying heat races & ten lap B Main there was hardly any incident to speak of as the SSA Production Sedans provided some great action for the paying public.
Notable casualties from the preliminary events were Josh Fraser (steering damage) & Jayden McCuish (Engine Issues) preventing them from taking part in the thirty lap decider.
Sayer was joined on the front row for the main event by Katanning’s Jake Blight who also collected three heat race victories over the course of the day.
The first attempt to get the main event underway was aborted when Kane McDiarmid spun his Holden Commodore in turn one after starting from the fourth row.
Blight lead the opening two circulations before McDiarmid would again be facing the wrong way leading to the first single file restart of the race.
Just two more laps would pass before Michael Clark & Brenden Higgs came together heavily in the front straight as they battled at the back end of the top ten as Clark took his wounded Ford Falcon to the infield.
Blight continued at the front of the field but was soon under pressure from Sayer, Barry Rose and the Western Australian Champion Drew Ogle.
Sayer hit the front on lap six as Blight ran wide in turn four as Rose began to harass the back of the Holden Commodore’s in front of him.
Ogle brought the yellow lights on just one lap later when he spun the Mick’s Auto Works Holden Commodore in turn one.
The two time state champion from Manjimup restarted from the back of the bus and soon made very quick progress through the field.
Jamie Higgs would be the next one to suffer serious misfortune as he brought the Baldivis Bulk Haulage backed entry to a stop after enduring an indifferent afternoon which was plagued by mechanical woes.
Lap fourteen brought about a spin for Benny Curtin who would also be sent to the rear of the field which would be the final stoppage of the race.
Just as Ogle began a challenge for a podium position a engine failure saw his stirring fight back come to an end on lap seventeen.
As the race began its final stages the further in front Sayer got as lead Blight, Rose with Mitchell Killeen a distant fourth.
Jake Blight began to slow within sight of the finish robbing the driver of the Blight’s Auto Electrics Holden Commodore of a podium position as he fell to position sixth by race end.
It would be Kyle Sayer’s day as he crossed the line well clear of Rose with Benny Curtin recovering from his earlier spin to finish third.
Mitchell Killeen limped his Ford Falcon home ahead of Ethan Cooper who enjoyed his strongest run in SSA Production Sedan competition to round out the top five.
Blight, Shane Dubberlin, B Main winner Robbie Trenaman, Ricky Williams and Jackson Derrick were the final cars to finish on the lead lap.
After his victory today Kyle Sayer will now set his sights on a big campaign in the South West of Western Australia over the course of the 2021/2022 season.
Official Result of the 2021 Absolute Tax Production Sedan Classic
A Main 30 Laps- 1. W95 Kyle Sayer, 2. W181 Barry Rose, 3. W99 Benny Curtin, 4. W4 Mitchell Killeen, 5. W31 Ethan Cooper, 6. W61 Jake Blight, 7. W131 Shane Dubberlin, 8. W26 Robbie Trenaman, 9. W92 Ricky Williams, 10. W27 Jackson Derrick, 11. W616 David Francis (29), 12. W8 Brenden Higgs (29), 13. W51 Cody Blight (29), 14. W57 Kelsey Beard (28). DNF: W3 Frank Does (25), W17 Craig Lenane (17), WA1 Drew Ogle (16), W21 Rick Musarra (14), W33 Reece Parton (14), W86 Wayne Leviston (10), W84 Jamie Higgs (4), W7 Tylar Main (3), W28 Michael Clark (3), W30 Kane McDiarmid (2). DNS: W5 Josh Fraser. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 7.310. Fastest Lap: 21.989 W95 Kyle Sayer.
