From Perth Motorplex, photo courtesy of Peter Roebuck
Twelve months ago American Davey Ray promised so much when he competed in the Magic Man 34 Speedcar Race at the Perth Motorplex.
Mechanical failure in a heat race meant he had to struggle to finish fourth in the main event but he made amends when he dominated the non-stop feature race this weekend.
Ray led from pole and was never challenged in the spectacular race, winning from Nathan Smee and Scott Glazebrook.
Ray was confident of doing well in the long distance.
“Yeah 34 laps I knew we had it in us to go the distance…this car is very strong,” Ray said.
“Thanks to Mark de Rosa and his entire family and crew.”
While he accepted the $12,000 winner’s cheque Ray was quick to remind everyone what the race was really about – the memory of former champion Michael Figliomeni.
“It feels good…but I just want everyone to keep in mind this race is for him.”
Smee put in a gallant effort to challenge Ray at one stage for the lead.
“I probably missed my opportunity in lapped traffic, but Davey is a good racer,” Smee said.
“We tried had but that’s all we had.”
“A restart would have been nice.
“It was a pleasure to come over for the Figs race…thanks.”
Glazebrook was happy to finish third.
“We had trouble with the set up early on.
“34 laps green to checker – that was awesome.”
Motorplex speedway manager Gavin Migro paid tribute to the racers and to the track curator for the condition of the track which stood up well for the big night of racing.
“A huge thank you also to all the race fans who came out tonight,” Migro said.
“The speedcars put on a sensational job… I am proud to be a part of this and to have the Figliomeni family here.”
Ray led on the first lap from Brown, Smee and Neville Lance.
Lance was looking for something up high early on and ran side by side with Smee for a couple of laps before losing ground after Keith Giles moved into fourth.
Tom Watson, who won a heat race earlier in the night, withdrew after seven laps.
With 26 laps remaining Ray and Brown were into lapped traffic.
With 17 to go Ray got a momentary break over Brown in traffic.
With 14 laps remaining Ray passed Dene McAllan who won the event last year but struggled this time around after a crash in one of the heats.
Smee closed in on Ray with 11 laps to go while in traffic but as the laps counted down Ray then pulled away for the convincing win.
The Maiolo clan had plenty of reason to celebrate after they claimed first and third in the 25-lap sprintcar feature race.
Former track champion Jamie won the race from Carl Dowling with younger brother Bradley taking a well-deserved third.
Jason Kendrick got the jump but was passed by Bradley Maiolo before Troy Wilson slammed into fence in turn four.
On the restart Kendrick was sent to the rear for not holding his line on the pole and moving up the track too high.
Bradley Maiolo when led away Todd Waddell, Dowling, Wayne Russell and Kerry Madsen.
Dowling took the lead with 17 laps remaining while there was some great action a bit further back seeing the Maiolo brothers, Ryan Farrell, Madsen and Waddell involved in some great moves.
The red lights came on when Kye Scroop failed to make the turn in pits bend and slammed hard into the fence after it appeared something broke in the car.
On the restart Dowling led away Bradley Maiolo, Jamie Maiolo, Madsen, Farrell, Waddell, Bradford, Allan Nash, Ben Ellement, Wayne Russell and Luch Monte.
Farrell went high to challenge Madsen for fourth and the two were locked in a great tussle which unfortunately failed to play out until the end after Daryl Clayden and Ben Dickson clashed in front of them, putting them and others out of the race.
“That’s how it goes, I was having a great race with Kerry, a car stopped in front of me…the car’s not bad, but them’s the breaks,” Farrell said.
In the dash to the line Jamie Maiolo bolted underneath Dowling to take the win with Dowling holding on for second.
“It’s been a while, we had had a few changes in the team,” Jamie Maiolo said.
“The boys got the car working real well tonight.”
Dowling faded in the last couple of laps after suffering minor damage late.
“It just wasn’t our night, some you win, some you lose,” Dowling said.
“It was painful to lead all that way and not win.”
Bradley Maiolo was happy with his first major Motorplex podium.
“Yeah it’s good…I didn’t think we would be going this good this early in the year,” the younger of the two Maiolos said.
Davey Ray won a sensational 3rd annual Magic Man 34 in record time!
Combined Smash Repairs Speedcars Qualifying: Davey Ray 16.273, Mark Brown 16.935, Nathan Smee 17.102, Dene McAllan 17.116, Neville Lance 17.686, Steve Doyle 17.778, Scott Glazebrook 17.894, Vaughan Manders 18.233, Rick Geneve 18.18.262, Paul Robinson 18.268, Jason Roser 18.368, Glen Mears 18.385, Tom Watson 18.466, Keith Giles 18.509, Dayne Kingshott 18.997, Perry Farcich 19.138, Shaun North 20.939.
Heat 1: 1st Tom Watson, 2nd Neville Lance, 3rd Rick Geneve, 4th Davey Ray, 5th Nathan Smee, 6th Jason Roser, 7th Scott Glazebrook, 8th Shaun North. DNF: Dayne Kingshott.
Heat 2: 1st Keith Giles, 2nd Mark Brown, 3rd Steve Doyle, 4th Dene McAllan, 5th Paul Robinson, 6th Vaughan Manders, 7th Glen Mears, 8th Perry Farcich.
Heat 3: 1st Keith Giles, 2nd Nathan Smee, 3rd Mark Brown, 4th Paul Robinson, 5th Scott Glazebrook, 6th Jason Roser, 7th Shaun North. DNF: Steve Doyle, Dayne Kingshott.
Heat 4: 1st Davey Ray, 2nd Tom Watson, 3rd Rick Geneve, 4th Neville Lance. DNF: Perry Farcich, Vaughan Manders, Dene McAllan.
Feature race: 1st Davey Ray, 2nd Nathan Smee, 3rd Scott Glazebrook, 4th Mark Brown, 5th Rick Geneve, 6th Steve Doyle, 7th Paul Robinson, 8th Vaughan Manders, 9th Dayne Kingshott. DNF: Jason Roser, Keith Giles, Shaun North, Dene McAllan, Neville Lance, Tom Watson, Perry Farcich.
Watsons Express Transport Sprintcars:
Heat 1: 1st Carl Dowling, 2nd Mark Wells, 3rd Ryan Farrell, 4th Shaun Bradford, 5th Jamie Maiolo, 6th Luch Monte, 7th Darryl Clayden, 8th Bradley Maiolo, 9th Wayne Russell. DNF: Ken Sartori, David Priolo, Allan Nash.
Heat 2: 1st David Ellement, 2nd Garry Miller, 3rd Kerry Madsen, 4th Jason Kendrick, 5th Ben Ellement, 6th Todd Waddell, 7th Kris Coyle, 8th Troy Lawson, 9th Ben Dickson, 10th Jason Boland. DNF: Troy Wilson, Kye Scroop.
Heat 3: 1st Jamie Maiolo, 2nd Kris Coyle, 3rd Luch Monte, 4th Allan Nash, 5th Bradley Maiolo, 6th Kye Scroop, 7th Todd Waddell, 8th Garry Miller, 9th Ken Sartori, 10th Ben Dickson, 11th Troy Wilson, 12th Wayne Russell.
Heat 4: 1st Ben Ellement, 2nd Darryl Clayden, 3rd Shaun Bradford, 4th Carl Dowling, 5th Kerry Madsen, 6th Jason Kendrick, 7th David Priolo, 8th Mark Wells, 9th Troy Wilson, 10th David Ellement.
Feature: 1st Jamie Maiolo, 2nd Carl Dowling, 3rd Bradley Maiolo, 4th Shaun Bradford, 5th Ben Ellement, 6th Kris Coyle, 7th Todd Waddell, 8th Allan Nash, 9th David Ellement, 10th David Priolo, 11th Mark Wells, 12th Ken Sartori, 13th Wayne Russell, 14th Troy Lawson, 15th Garry Miller, 16th Jason Kendrick. DNF: Kerry Madsen, Ryan Farrell, Luch Monte, Daryl Clayden, Ben Dickson, Jason Boland, Kye Scroop, Troy Wilson.