From WSS
Brooke Tatnell was a jubilant winner of Round Eleven of Hi-Tec Oils World Series Sprintcars at Kalgoorlie Case and Drill Speedway tonight, but even he was the first to admit he was ‘better to be lucky than fast’ after American Shane Stewart crashed out lapping traffic while leading handsomely earlier in the event.
“I’ll admit it, we didn’t have anything for him (Stewart) and we were probably only good enough for second place tonight, but we’ll take it. You always take it because tomorrow night it could be you crashing out or chasing someone else home. I feel bad for Shane but I’m pleased for our boys and it’s a great to get some points back in the Championship.”
Shane Stewart was dead unlucky in the Miracle Recreation Equipment #17 Monte Motorsport J&J.
The current ASCS Champion had the field well and truly covered as he used the lowline and the crowing rubber content to maximise his car speed but when Grant Anderson spun coming out of turn two the hapless Oklahoman had nowhere to go and crashed straight into the #37.
Kerry Madsen was strong in second place behind Tatnell with Jason Johnson trailing in third ahead of Robbie Farr, Steven Lines, James McFadden, Trevor Green, Dylan Jenkin, Danny Reidy, Max Dumesny, Ben Ellement, Ryan Farrell and Trent Pigdon.
DNF’s in the A-Main included David Murcott, Shane Stewart, Shaun Bradford, Grant Anderson, Shaun Dobson, Jason Kendrick and David Priolo.
Madsen tried his best to run down Tatnell but when the rubber brought the bottom line out there was no way he could run down the five times Aussie champ in front of him.
“I saw Shane go out and I felt bad for him because he really read this racetrack better than anyone and he seemed to have a pretty handy lead. I did the best I could to catch Brooke but we weren’t really going forward. I really want to thank the fans for sticking by us tonight and for the track staff here for working so hard to try and give us something to work with tonight,” said Kerry at the podium.
Jason Johnson was grateful for a podium finish tonight.
“It’s an honour to finish on the podium tonight in Allan Haynes’ (car owner) home town and the place where he’s been recognised as a World Series Sprintcars Grand Marshall. I’d like to have got a win for him, but we’ll have to take this podium finish and head towards Albany with some points.”
Robbie Farr pedalled hard on the highline in turns three and four lap after lap trying to edge past Johnson but the lowline in turns one and two was the place to be so each time the East Coast Pipeline #7 would drive up alongside his American rival the #47 Haynes Mechanical Maxim would drive back past.
James McFadden had to work hard early to storm his way to an eventual 6th place finish behind Steven Lines with the Totally Workwear #25 COOL flying around the highline to pick up several positions before reluctantly having to settle on the lowline where the rubber had eventually proven a factor late in the race.
“It wasn’t a very fun race,” admitted fifth placed Steven Lines, “you really had to just tow the line because nobody wanted to get caught out of position when the rubber started to come into play.”
Ryan Farrell was lively to say the least in the #41 car, putting on a clinic on the highline to come back from the rear of the field in the B-Main to eventually scrape back into the transfer position and then finishing fifth.
The multiple WA champion was on fire in the A-Main early too but faded late in the event when the top line went away and the rubber sped up the inside groove.
Brooke Tatnell now closes in slightly on series leader James McFadden to edge towards a close finish on the 2012 contest with three rounds still remaining in the Championship.