From WSS
Perth, AU — (February 22, 2013) — Steven Lines may have felt like his luck has been well and truly out the window over the last week in particular, but all that turned around in 50 metres for the Mt. Gambier throttle stomper with a spectacular win in the 25 lap preliminary A-Main for Round Twelve of the ENZED World Series Sprintcars Championship (presented by Hogs Breath Cafe) at the Perth Motorplex Kwinana Beach.
Lines led every lap of the main event but remarkably snapped a right rear axle coming off turn four within sight of the chequers in his #3 Bridgestone Tyre Centre Albany KPC Chassis and smacked the main straight wall before sliding across the finish line on three wheels and grinding to a halt.
“I can’t believe our luck right now,” grinned the bemused South Aussie as he climbed out of the car, “I felt something tighten up in the car with a lap to go and I guess the axle was about to let go. Thank God it didn’t stop us from crossing the line.”
Lines led home WA based Queenslander Cameron Gessner in second and fellow South Aussie Luke Dillon third, ahead of Mark Wells, Tim Kaeding, Jamie Maiolo, Robbie Farr, Randy Hannagan, Ian Madsen and Shane Stewart rounding out the top ten.
Eleventh home was Carl Dowling ahead of Shaun Bradford, Sheldon Brady, Trent Pigdon, Mark House and Jeff Leisk.
Gessner again showed good car speed at Kwinana with his new COOL Chassis after destroying one the weekend before at Bunbury during the first lap of the A-Main for Round 11 of WSS.
Dillon again showed his liking for the bigger faster circuits with his strong third place.
“I like car speed,” he conceded, “I seem to go better when you can carry lots of car speed into the corners, and you can definitely do that at Kwinana and Bunbury.”
DNF’s went to Kerry Madsen (who flipped in the middle of turns three and four after Shaun Bradford’s car dropped radiator coolant on to the track) Jason Kendrick (motor), Ben Ellement and Daniel Pestka (crash).
From all that Daniel Pestka’s exit from the competition was the wildest with the young South Aussie flipping heavily down the main straight after contact with a lapped car whilst he was poised beautifully in second place.
“I wasn’t even driving that hard,” admitted Pestka at the crash scene, “I was just taking my time but the lapped car moved up and I had nowhere left to go. That’s definitely the biggest crash of my career.”
Though he felt ‘not too bad’ (his words) at the time Pestka was later taken to hospital for observation and treatment for a sore back that he’d received the weekend at before with a crash after the chequered flags at Bunbury during the A-Main.
“I doubt we’ll be back tomorrow night,” said Pestka major sponsor James Rosenberg from the pits, “we’re out of spares, the chassis is badly damaged and Daniel’s pretty sore. I think we need to sit this one out.”
The shock of the night was undoubtedly defending WSS and Australian Champion James McFadden not even making the A-Main transfer.
The Totally Workwear #1 never really got going after a disappointing qualifying session, culminating in the first non A-main appearance since the series began on December 26.
Shane Stewart also competed in the B-Main and went on to win it, clawing back some points of McFadden for the Championship fight and although he closes to within 218 points now it would seem unlikely mathematiclly he can steal the title from James.
“I’m gonna give it all I can,” smiled the American, “we have to go out and lay it all on the table. James hasn’t had the best run tonight and we need to capitalise.”
The second and final night of ENZED World Series Sprintcars, presented by Hogs Breath Cafe is held tonight at the Perth Motorplex.