Press Release by WA Modified Sedans, Image by Richard Hathway Photography.
Sam McAuley has started the 2022/2023 speedway season in the best possible way by winning the opening event of the season at Narrogin Speedway last night.
McAuley started the afternoon off by winning the opening heat ahead of a fast-finishing Luke Fraser and Anthony King.
The second heat would see Jason Batchelor stretch away from the field before the yellow lights would come on for Adam Houston, who suffered a mechanical failure, leaving Lee Watt with nowhere to go but making heavy contact.
Jason Batchelor would go on to easily defeat Michael Clark, Paul Stevens and Laurie Dowsett.
Heat three would be a closely contested heat race with Branden Fraser feeling the pressure from brother Luke, Jason Batchelor and Sam McAuley. Sam McAuley would soon find his way past Batchelor and Luke Fraser, though he would ultimately have to settle for a very narrow second place finish behind Branden Fraser.
Anthony King was credited with the win in the fourth heat of the afternoon to defeat Laurie Dowsett and Michael Clark. Brett Mills would lead the field away in the fifth heat, as Jason Batchelor and Sam McAuley wasted no time moving their way through the field.
Jason Batchelor would be credited with the race win after a post-race relegation, leaving Jamie Higgs in second and Sam McAuley third. Albany’s Laurie Dowsett would claim the final heat of the evening, holding off a fast-finishing Luke Fraser, with Branden Fraser finishing third.
Come the Top Six Shootout, Sam McAuley who qualified on top points would hold off Jason Batchelor to claim pole position for the feature race to follow and would be an early favourite to take out the win going on his form throughout the night.
With light rain starting to fall, the first feature race of the season got underway with Sam McAuley and Jason Batchelor sharing the front row.
Laurie Dowsett and Luke Fraser would start off the second row and did not let the front runners get away.
Further back in the field, Anthony King, Jamie Higgs, Branden Fraser and Paul Stevens would jostle for the minor placings, before Branden Fraser would retire from the event.
At this point, Sam McAuley had started to stretch out his lead over the rest of the field, with Anthony King now starting to buy into the battle for the podium places along with Jason Batchelor, Laurie Dowsett and Luke Fraser.
From this point, Sam McAuley would not be headed and would go on to claim first place and the winner’s cheque, while Jason Batchelor would lead the remaining freight train of cars across the line narrowly defeating Laurie Dowsett, Luke Fraser, Anthony King, Michael Clark, Jamie Higgs, Paul Stevens and Brett Mills.
The West Australian Modified Drivers Association would like to thank the Narrogin Speedway and Perth TQ Car Club for holding this event, as well as Speedway Sedans Western Australia for their support of the Modified Sedan division in WA and the WA Modified Drivers Association.
Attention will now turn to the opening round of the 2022/2023 WA Modified Sedan Series on Saturday, October 22nd at Moora Speedway, with more information about series sponsors and nominations coming throughout the week.
Official Result
A Main, 20 Laps- 1. W36 Sam McAuley, 2. W1 Jason Batchelor, 3. W14 Laurie Dowsett, 4. W15 Luke Fraser, 5. W51 Anthony King, 6. W28 Michael Clark, 7. W84 Jamie Higgs, 8. W6 Paul Stevens, 9. W22 Brett Mills (19), DNF W2 Branden Fraser (17), DNS W27 Jason Higgs, W18 Adam Houston, W4 Lee Watt.
