Press Release Courtesy of Speedway Sedans Western Australia.
Bunbury thirteen year old Jake Leaman is tonight the talk of the town as he outlasted some of his more experienced rivals to claim the 2023 SSA Junior Sedan WA Title today at the Ellenbrook Speedway!
Leaman, who has only been racing for two seasons and earlier this season moved into the Top Stars put in a strong performance all weekend to qualify from position eight in the twenty five lap Championship event.
In a field that saw over ten clubs all across WA represented, the front row, shared by fellow Bunbury based Jaxon Buszan and Karratha’s Tyde Lovell, quickly came under pressure from the rest of the advancing field in a race that had plenty of twists and turns.
The first attempt at a start was quickly called back as cars went everywhere, most cars lucky not to suffer damage except for Port Hedland’s Hunter Downs who was unfortunately unable to restart.
Attempt number two again saw cars go everywhere, Newman’s Donny Davis the big loser as he dropped back to seventeenth from third but was able to continue on, with one lap being completed before pole sitter Jaxon Buszan found himself spinning infield in turn one, stewards judging all cars to go back into their spots.
The restart saw Buszan away while behind him cars went four wide for second, Kalgoorlie’s Tyler Scott being spat out the back as Lovell, Zach Munro and Leaman remained three wide for the rest of the lap.
Leaman made the move and was second with two laps complete as Lovell attempted to hold off Munro, but up front Buszan was beginning to pull away while behind them Geraldton’s Zak Turner in fifth place was also right in the mix.
With five complete Davis had also raced his way back up into ninth, but up front Leaman had closed the gap on Buszan and was utilising the outside line to look for a way past for the lead.
Baxter Trouchet headed infield with a flat right rear tyre as back on track Leaman was right alongside Buszan, the duo just 0.019 seconds apart with eight laps complete and then Leaman moving into the lead by 0.106 seconds with nine laps completed.
Buszan fought back on the low line, while Munro was right behind the battling duo and ready to pounce, a slight gap from the top three back to fourth placed Turner who had passed Lovell, who in turn was now coming under pressure from Albany’s Harrison Beres.
With ten laps remaining, Leaman had jumped out to a 1.244 second gap ahead of Buszan, Munro, Turner, Beres, Davis and Lovell, with the yellows coming on shortly after as Tyler Scott came to a stop in turns one and two to bring out the yellows, fifteen laps complete.
Scott would be unable to restart while Esperance’s Jacob Hill would also join him on the infield, the next start seeing Shark Bay’s Travis Strelley also coming to grief and bringing out the yellows, his race also over.
Leaman would lead away again from Buszan, with Turner putting Munro under pressure for third, Davis right behind them before the yellows came out again with sixteen complete as Jett Downs came to a stop in turn two.
This would set up another restart with nine laps remaining, Leaman again getting away from Buszan as Turner, Davis and Munro went three wide for third place.
Davis came out the best of that battle with eight laps remaining before it all came undone, the yellows coming out as Lovell came to a stop in turn two, stewards unable to determine a cause of the incident so drivers all getting their spots back.
Leaman, Buszan, Davis, Munro, Turner and Beres would be the top six as laps wound down, Davis then moving low on Buszan down the front straight, while firstly Jesse James Samuels and then Jett Downs pulled infield.
Leaman continued to run his own race as Buszan and Davis continued to run side by side, nothing separating them through every corner of the track.
With three to go Beres moved past Munro for fourth, but Munro powered back by before Beres retook the position going out of turn two with two laps remaining.
Back up front though it was all Leaman, holding a good gap on Buszan, who was still coming under huge pressure from Davis, Leaman going on to win by 0.824 seconds while Buszan held off Davis for second by just 0.017 seconds.
Harrison Beres and Zach Munro would round out the top five finishers.A huge congratulations to all competitors and their families across the weekend, and well done also to the whole team behind the scenes at the Ellenbrook Speedway.
Focus will now shift to the final WA Title of the season, the Street Stocks to be held in June at Port Hedland, while we also look forward to heading up to Newman’s Hillview Speedway for the next running of the SSA Junior Sedan WA Title.
Pics Courtesy JSP/DTN Media.
Official Result
A Main, 25 Laps- 1. W70 Jake Leaman, 2. W199 Jaxon Buszan, 3. W3 Donny Davis, 4. WA18 Harrison Beres, 5. W138 Zach Munro, 6. W10 Mitch Binning, 7. WA12 Jake Fisher, 8. W42 Tyde Lovell, 9. W83 Kai Leeson, 10. W22 Zak Turner, 11. W606 Jackson Goodwin, 12. W144 Luke Martin, 13. WA24 George Tate, 14. W40 Vince Lindsay, 15. W71 Chayse Jackson. DNF: W89 Jett Downs (19), W31 Jesse James Samuels (18), WX17 Travis Strelley (15), W08 Tyler Scott (15), WA88 Jacob Hill (15), W34 Baxter Trouchet (6), W25 Hunter Downs (0). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.824. Fastest Lap: 0.824. Fastest Lap: 23.312 W3 Donny Davis.
