Perth, AU — (April 13, 2013) — Luke Dillon won the Sprintcar Gold Cup which also doubled as the final round of the 2012-13 AHG Sprintcar Series at the Perth Motorplex on Saturday night from David Priolo and Ian Loudon.
At the same time Cameron Gessner clinched the series championship from Mark Wells and Callum Williamson.
Dillon started on the front row on the outside of Jason Kendrick and was up into lapped traffic within four laps.
Kendrick was running wide coming out of turn four on lap six, pulled a massive wheel stand and then rolled hard in what proved to be a cruel night for the Kendrick team after Robert Watson junior had a soul-destroying crash in an earlier heat race.
Trent Pigdon was fourth with Mark Wells fifth and followed by Ben Ellement, Cameron Gessner and Callum Williamson, Jamie Miaolo and Daniel Harding to round out the top 10.
Ellement gained enough points to win the Watsons Express Transport Sprintcar track championship over Wells while Gessner had enough points to win the AHG Sprintcar Series, also from Wells.
Priolo was Dillon’s main challenger and put on a couple of moves mid race distance but Dillon was equal to the challenge each time.
The Sydney-based Loudon was driving the Peet Motorsport entry in what was his first drive in 12 months.
“It wasn’t the most beautiful 30 laps I have ever done,” Loudon said.
“We did what we had to do to finish on the podium, that was our objective.
“It’s been 12 months since I have driven so my arms are a little tired.”
Priolo paid credit to the track curator after there has been a bit of rain on the track this week.
“It was really racey all over,” Priolo said.
“I was probably better than him (Dillon) in open air but he made better calls than me in lapped traffic.
“We have had a funny old season but one thing for sure is we have been quick.”
Dillon, who has stepped into the 26 for the second half of the season, maintained the team’s good strike rate.
“This ride, obviously they had big results…the way the run the team is awesome and I was pretty confident I could keep it going.”
WATSONS EXPRESS TRANSPORT SPRINTCARS
Qualifying: Group 1: Daniel Harding 13.654, Ian Loudoun 13.846, Robert Watson 13.858, Ryan Lancaster 14.058, Nathan Brady 14.080 and Callum Williamson 14.260.
Group 2: Ben Ellement 13.528, Trent Pigdon 13.651, Jamie Maiolo 13.747, Mark House 13.771 and Cameron Gesner 13.896.
Group 3: Luke Dillon 13.331, Jason Kendrick 13.476, Brad Maiolo 13.743, Liam Dowling 14.191, Jamie Oldfield 14.304 and Lee Nash no time.
Group 4: Mark Wells 13.617, David Priolo 13.661, Allan Nash 13.866, Darren Hickman 14.056, Luch Monte 14.091 and Sheldon Brady’s 14.100.
Race 1: 1st David Priolo, 2nd Sheldon Brady, 3rd Luke Dillon, 4th Darren Hickman, 5th Trent Pigdon, 6th Nathan Brady, 7th Daniel Harding, 8th Dayne Kingshott.
Race 2: 1st Cameron Gessner, 2nd Jason Kendrick, 3rd Callum Williamson, 4th Liam Dowling, 5th Allan Nash, 6th Mark Wells, 7th Ian Loudoun, 8th Jamie Maiolo, 9th Ben Ellement, 10th Lee Nash, 11th Ryan Lancaster.
Race 3: 1st Jason Kendrick, 2nd Mark Wells, 3rd Ian Loudoun, 4th Callum Williamson, 5th Liam Dowling, 6th Liam Dowling, 7th Ryan Lancaster, 8th Nathan Brady, 9th Allan Nash.
Race 4: 1st Luke Dillon, 2nd Ben Ellement, 3rd Trent Pigdon, 4th Bradley Maiolo, 5th Jamie Oldfield, 6th Cameron Gessner, 7th Mark House, 8th Sheldon Brady, 9th Darren Hickman, 10th Dayne Kingshott.
Bronze Dash: Trent Pigdon 13.266, Ian Loudoun 13.257, Ben Ellement 13.509, Daniel Harding 13.685.
Silver Dash: David Priolo 13.231, Ian Loudoun 13.294, Trent Pigdon 13.296, Mark Wells no time taken.
Gold Dash: Jason Kendrick 13.102, Luke Dillon 13.139, David Priolo 13.195 and Ian Loudoun 13.558.
Feature race: 1st Luke Dillon, 2nd David Priolo, 3rd Ian Loudoun, 4th Trent Pigdon, 5th Mark Wells, 6th Ben Ellement, 7th Cameron Gessner, 8th Callum Williamson, 9th Jamie Maiolo, 10th Daniel Harding, 11th Dayne Kingshott, 12th Sheldon Brady, 13th Mark House, 14th Darren Hickman, 15th Lee Nash, 16th Liam Dowling, 17th Nathan Brady, 18th Ryan Lancaster. DNF: Bradley Maiolo, Jason Kendrick, Robert Watson junior, Jamie Oldfield. DNS: Luch Monte and Allan Nash.
Speedcars
Race 1: 1st Neville Lance, 2nd Scott Glazebrook, 3rd Glen Mears, 4th Lee Redmond, 5th Daniel Golding, 6th Bryn Lake, 7th Travis White, 8th Chris Telenta 9th Rob Golding, 10th Karl Prall, 11th Daryl Clayden. DNF: Vaughan Manders, Greg Day, Philip Jeffreys.
Race 2: 1st Scott Glazebrook, 2nd Lee Redmond, 3rd Neville Lance, 4th Bryn Lake, 5th Glen Mears, 6th Chris Telenta, 7th Rob Golding, 8th Travis White, 9th Daniel Golding, 10th Philip Jeffreys. DNF: Greg Day, Karl Prall, Daryl Clayden.
Final: 1st Scott Glazebrook, 2nd Neville Lance, 3rd Lee Redmond, 4th Chris Telenta, 5th Glen Mears, 6th Bryn Lake, 7th Travis White, 8th Rob Golding, 9th Daniel Golding, 10th Karl Prall. DNF: Philip Jeffreys.