In one of the most jaw dropping finals seen in recent years, Sam McAuley has finally got the monkey off the collective family’s back, claiming the 2026 Patience Sandland SSA Modified Sedan WA Title at the Geraldton City Speedway.
With the McAuley family trying for the better part of twenty-five years to claim this Title, Sam broke through in the most unbelievable feature event seen in what was the first WA Sedan Title held at Geraldton in sixteen years.
Defending champion Clint Noakes would qualify from pole position in the forty lap final alongside Karratha’s Jack McAuley, but as the field took the green, his bonnet unbelievably flew off the car, launching into the air and was then run over by multiple drivers, bringing the yellows on and his Title defense over without a lap being done.
This would elevate Shane Brittain to the front row, and he took full advantage, racing straight into the lead with Jack McAuley and sixth place starting Luke Fraser chasing hard.
Fraser got around McAuley for second on the second lap while further back Mitchell Killen was fourth and led a pack of seven cars.
Brittain had stretched his lead out to nearly a second but over the first third of the race Fraser would slowly peg it back.
With twelve complete the gap was down to nothing, and a lap later Fraser used lapped traffic through turns three and four to his advantage, taking the lead.
On the fourteenth circulation Mark Tillett and Dean Davidson came together and bought out the yellows in turn three. Under the yellows then fifth placed Killeen retired from the race, joining the growing pack on the infield and leaving seventeen cars to restart.
After a significant time spent to separate Davidson and Tillett, both would restart, but it all ended in tears, a number of cars coming together on the exit of turn two on the very next attempt at a start, with Davidson rolling over heavily on the back straight.
Fifteen cars would take the green on the next start, Fraser maintaining the lead as Brittain came under pressure from both Jack and Sam McAuley.
Jack drew alongside Shane on lap sixteen but Brittain held strong as McAuley tried time after time to get through but was unable to make the move stick.
Fraser found himself in lapped traffic again with twenty-three laps remaining, while Brittain was able to draw clear and close the gap as the two McAuley’s and Ash Baker fought it out for the third place.
With thirteen to go the yellows were out again for Ricky Williams who came to a stop on the back straight, Fraser’s gap negated to nothing as he led away Brittain and Sam McAuley who had gotten by Jack in the last few laps.
Brittain and Sam McAuley stuck right with Fraser on the restart as Jack McAuley came under siege was passed by Baker, Jayden McCuish, Kevin Ellement and Jarrod Rick.
The yellows came on as the lap was completed for Mark Tillett who stopped in turn four, and the ensuing restart saw chaos before the line, at least five cars coming together just as the greens came on.
Jarrod Rick, Jack McAuley and Daniel Day headed infield after the incident, leaving just nine cars remaining.
Fraser led away but the car was leaning to the right with some damage to the rear end and Brittain was ready to pounce. He would try desperately to get through but was unable to make the move stick and ended up allowing Sam McAuley through for second.
Jayden McCuish stormed past Ashley Baker for fourth, while back up front McAuley was now harassing the back of Fraser and with a handful of laps to go it was still anyone’s game.
Unfortunately Paul Stevens lost a wheel to bring out the yellows once again, a five lap restart with seven cars remaining.
Seven cars would resume, just five of which were on the lead lap.
McAuley got Fraser off the curb on the restart and drew alongside, the two side by side for two laps before Luke Fraser lost the left rear tyre to bring out the cautions with four laps and six cars remaining.
McAuley led away Brittain, McCuish, Baker, Brody Day and Leon Benson, with Brittain absolutely piling the pressure on in the dying stages but he just couldn’t get through, McAuley claiming the win from Brittain by just 0.172 seconds while McCuish, Baker, Day and Benson would round out the only finishers.
Pics Courtesy Carpe Diem Media
A Main, 40 laps: 1. WA1 Clint Noakes, 2. W96 Jack McAuley, 3. W88 Shane Brittain, 4. W4 Mitchell Killeen, 5. W29 Lindsay McAuley, 6. W15 Luke Fraser, 7. W11 Ashley Baker, 8. W36 Sam McAuley, 9. W47 Jarrod Rick, 10. W84 Jamie Higgs, 11. W22 Jayke Malcolm, 12. W31 Kevin Ellement, 13. W51 Mark Tillett, 14. W24 Dean Davidson, 15. W58 Jayden McCuish, 16. W6 Paul Stevens, 17. WX11 Nuno Mendes, 18. WA11 Mason Fenner, 19. W92 Ricky Williams, 20. W17 Leon Benson, 21. W2 Daniel Day, 22. W8 Brody Day.
RESULT
1. W36 Sam McAuley, 2. W88 Shane Brittain, 3. W58 Jayden McCuish, 4. W11 Ashley Baker, 5. W8 Brody Day (38), 6. W17 Leon Benson (38). DNF: W15 Luke Fraser (36), W6 Paul Stevens (35), W31 Kevin Ellement (29), W47 Jarrod Rick (28), W96 Jack McAuley (28), W2 Daniel Day (27), W51 Mark Tillett (27), W92 Ricky Williams (27), WX11 Nuno Mendes (25), W24 Dean Davidson (13), WA11 Mason Fenner (13), W4 Mitchell Killeen (13), W84 Jamie Higgs (11), W22 Jayke Malcolm (
, W29 Lindsay McAuley (1), WA1 Clint Noakes (0). DNS: W16 Peter Katona, W98 Jayden Maughan. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.172. Fastest Lap: 17.010 W15 Luke Fraser.