Commitment to Venue Improvements
Western Australia’s Dayne Kingshott denied challengers from around the world to earn the Australian Speedcar Championship on Saturday night at Perth Motorplex.
Kingshott, who also earned his fifth State championship recently, couldn’t be stopped on the way to the title.
He completed a near perfect night, winning all three heat races and leading the feature race from start to finish.
Kingshott believed finding a rhythm helped ensure he was able to put space between himself and the pursuing teams.
“I think the key to winning on Saturday night was being the fastest and most consistent car,” he said. “Being at Perth Motorplex, there is nowhere to hide, so you have to be consistent lap after lap.
“The feature actually went a lot quicker than I expected. My car was dialled in from the start and I felt like I was setting the pace all along”.
“I cruised through the middle section of the race but when we had a restart with 15 laps to go, I knew it was time to step it up and put in the 15 best laps I could.”
As the laps counted down, Kingshott had to keep his emotions in check as he raced towards a long anticipated first national championship.
“I was pretty nervous towards the end, I was listening to every noise the car was making and just hoping it would make the distance”.
“When I got the chequered flag I was more relieved than anything. I feel like we have been close (to a national championship) a lot of times in the last five years, but I wasn’t sure if I would ever get one. To do it at home in front of my friends, family and sponsors was even more special. It really felt like it finally just all fell into place for us.”
Kingshott clinched the title from veteran NSW driver Adam Clarke and the USA’s Jason McDougal.
The Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series also lit up the track as Jason Kendrick racked up his fourth feature win of the season so far.
Kendrick said the track was tricky to master, with a narrow window of opportunity.
“There was a pretty big berm right next to the wall and some moisture on the exits,” he explained. “If you sailed the car in too hard it was so slick just below the berm that you would get loose and smash it into it. You had to keep your right rear tyre in just the right spot.”
World Series Sprintcars is now imminent, beginning in Albany this weekend and followed by the Grand Final at Perth Motorplex. Kendrick won the Motorplex Grand Final last season and said for him it was just more drivers to test his skills against.
“All of us race as hard as we can every week. I’m trying to lap everyone in the field. We are all racing as hard as we can, so when those guys are here it means there are some more guys we can beat.
“We’ve been really good at the Motorplex. We have that home ground advantage and hopefully we can do it again this year.”
Also taking wins on Saturday night at the Motorplex were Ash Hounsfield in the Wingless Sprints and Blake Iwanow in the Junior Sedans.
Photo Credit – Bruce Russell
Story Written by – Luke Nieuwhof
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