Author : Jason Crowe – SSA Media
Despite the very best efforts of drivers, officials and track staff, tonights opening night of the WA Junior Sedan Title has been washed out after just six heat races.
Despite threatening rain the event got underway on time, but much of the night was held under skies filled with lightning.
Prior to the event starting in earnest Bradley Short was awarded the best presented car award while John Purser was recognized with a lifetime achievement award for his services to Speedway in Western Australia.
A quick shower of rain prior to the opening heat made the track greasy, with a number of the junior cars slipping and sliding in the opening turns to bring out the yellows early on. A complete restart ensued and one lap was completed before Aiden Doak spun in turn four with Elysha Cooper and Jasmine Arnold also stopping to avoid contact. After a couple of other restarts for cars sliding around the track, Zac MInshull was able to race his way to the win after coming from position five, ahead of Blake Fletcher and Izzak Delaporte.
An early race spin by Brock Johnson set up a restart with one completed in the second heat, but the next three laps were some of the best of the night, with Blake Iwanow, Jackson Derrick, Todd Atkins and Blake Webb, coming from the rear of the field, having a huge battle until the yellows came on again for a spinning Matthew Thomson. In what continued to be a great race after the restart, Atkins spun in the final corners and keeps going but it was Iwanow winning from Derrick and Webb.
The pit gate took a hammering in heat three with first Rory Elsum Beaumont hitting it square in the middle, then Erika Vary smashed it in the same place, both lucky to be able to continue. Finally though, Chloe Dellar attempted to move the gate from its foundations, bringing out the red lights with two laps remaining, This allowed Mortimer to draw level with Parkes on the restart and then pass him for the win on the final lap, the duo side by side with Mortimer taking the win from Parkes.
Heat four was a quick race with Bradley Short making a massive charge through the field from last into second as Kayne Dellar sprinted away with the win while heat five saw Jackson Dalton lead the race from start to finish to round out the opening round of heats.
A shuffle for the starting order in heat six saw Lachlan Dellar make the most of his advancement and move into the lead early from Steel and Donohoe, the order never changing while heat seven got underway before being halted by the rain.
Despite the best effort at everyone at the track, including no less than twenty push utes and other vehicles who packed the track for around an hour, the rain began again and with the track deemed unraceable, the event was called.
Racing will begin tomorrow at midday, weather permitting, picking up from heat seven and running right through until the event is completed.
Live audio should be available once again while all results and updates will be posted on the Facebook page and website as soon as they happen.