In what was a rough and tumble night, Kaiden Manders last night emulated his car owner Graham Jones’ efforts to claim his first New Year Speedcar Derby, doubling as round two of the Esslinger Engineering Triple Crown.
The 50th Annual New Year Speedcar Derby, held at the Perth Motorplex, was always going to be a tough one to win and it was that way from the get go, the first heat race of the night seeing Keenan Fleming infield before the start, Glen Mears and Tom Payet coming together ending their race before a lap was completed, then Lee Redmond and Patrick Watson coming together in turn one to cause another stoppage which resulted in a significant delay.
Redmond had clouted the wall heavily and required medical assistance, and our thoughts are with him as he recovers.
Dan Golding would go on to win that race, while the second race would go the way of Manders from Golding, while Payet would bounce back to claim the third and final heat.
This would put Golding on the front row alongside Tom Callaghan, while Manders started from position three in the twenty-four-lap feature, honouring Geoff Pilgrim (12 + 12!).
As the race went green, Golding was away quickly, then Callaghan went high, Manders low and both passed him, Callaghan on the highline leading the opening lap, while Golding held on for third and Payet rocketed into fourth after starting from position ten.
Payet then put a slidejob on Manders and Golding at the same time to grab second, with the yellows coming on shortly after for Patrick Watson, who came to a stop in turn four.
Payet and Callaghan went side by side on the restart, Payet trying a number of times but unable to get the position until they went through turn two.
Callaghan fought back through turn four and retook the lead but it was only momentary, as Payet simply drove away.
Unfortunately less than half a lap later, Payet appeared to misjudge the corner, clouted the wall and then rolled heavily through turn four. Callaghan followed him into the wall and also rolled over, while further behind them Alfonso Guadagnino also went upside down, three cars now upside down in almost separate incidents bringing on the red lights.
All three cars would be out of the event, as would Patrick Watson who was disqualified.
This would leave Kaiden Manders now in front at the restart with twenty laps remaining, ahead of Dan Golding, Nick Rowe, Beau Doyle and Keenan Fleming rounding out the top five, eleven cars still on track.
Manders was away quickly from Golding, with Rowe followed by Fleming, Doyle, Ross Heywood, Glen Mears, Andrew Charles, Cory Smith and Gary Mann.
Fleming made the moves and grabbed third from Rowe on the sixth circulation, then a lap later went underneath Golding in turn three to take second.
From here Fleming set about pegging back the gap on Manders, cutting it by 0.6 second on one lap, then reducing the gap down to just 0.003 seconds with ten laps complete.
Manders was able to pull away slightly, but the yellows came out again with thirteen complete as Andrew Charles spun in turn four.
Charles then spun again in turn one to be disqualified.
Manders and Fleming again resumed their battle, but it would only last a couple more laps as Fleming suddenly slowed and pulled infield a dropped battery cell later proving to be the culprit.
The field was now spread out, with Manders leading Golding, Rowe, Mears, Doyle, Heywood, Smith and Mann.
From here the only change was Smith passing Heywood, meaning Manders would go on to claim his first New Year Derby ahead of Dan Golding and Nick Rowe.
Courtesy of his win, Manders is now equal second in the Esslinger Engineering Speedcar Triple Crown standings with Glen Mears, while Dan Golding is six points clear in the lead with just one round remaining of the series.
Speedcars now have a short fortnight break before they return to action at the Perth Motorplex on the 15th of January where they will compete in the third and final round of the Esslinger Engineering Speedcar Triple Crown!
Release by DTN Media.
Pics Courtesy Cochrane Photography, Richard Hathaway Photography and WASDA Media.
Official Results
Heat One, 8 laps: 1. Dan Golding, 2. Tom Callaghan, 3. Nick Rowe, 4. Alfonso Guadagnino, 5. Rob Golding, 6. Beau Doyle, 7. Gary Mann. DNF: Patrick Watson (0), Lee Redmond (0), Tom Payet (0), Glen Mears (0). DNS: Keenan Fleming. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.908. Fastest Lap: 16.856 Dan Golding.
Heat Two, 8 laps: 1. Kaiden Manders, 2. Dan Golding, 3. Alfonso Guadagnino, 4. Ross Heywood, 5. Tyson Bryden, 6. Keenan Fleming, 7. Cory Smith, 8. Andrew Charles, 9. Patrick Watson. DNF: Rob Golding (7). DNS: Lee Redmond. Total Time: 2.19.355. Winning Margin: 2.574. Fastest Lap: 17.063 Kaiden Manders.
Heat Three, 8 laps: 1. Tom Payet, 2. Beau Doyle, 3. Tom Callaghan, 4. Nick Rowe, 5. Kaiden Manders, 6. Ross Heywood, 7. Andrew Charles, 8. Cory Smith, 9. Gary Mann (7). DNF: Glen Mears (1). DNS: Tyson Bryden. Total Time: 2.18.359. Winning Margin: 2.087. Fastest Lap: 17.003 Tom Payet.
Feature, 24 laps: 1. Kaiden Manders, 2. Daniel Golding, 3. Nicholas Rowe, 4. Glen Mears, 5. Beau Doyle, 6. Cory Smith, 7. Ross Heywood, 8. Gary Mann (21). DNF: Keenan Fleming (13), Alfonso Guadagnino (4), Tom Callaghan (4), Tom Payet (4). DQ: Andrew Charles, Patrick Watson. DNS: Rob Golding, Tyson Bryden, Lee Redmond. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 1.761. Fastest Lap: 16.959 Keenan Fleming.
