Last night at the Albany Speedway Club Tom Payet signalled to all and sundry that he is back, winning every race he started en route to claiming the ASPHALT RECYLERS AUSTRALIA SOUTHWEST SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP!
A good field of eleven cars fronted at the southern venue, with solid racing throughout the night.
Dan Golding was an all the way leader in the opening heat while a stoppage ridden heat two, including a heavy rollover by Beau Doyle, would eventually be won by Tom Payet.
The final heat would see Vaughan Manders lead for much of the way before a restart bunched the field up once again, Payet taking the opportunity to shoot on by and grab his second win of the night.
This would give Payet enough points to start on the front row of the twenty-lap feature alongside Dan Golding while Patrick Watson and Vaughan Manders would share the second row, all eleven cars able to take the green in the feature event.
Payet got the jump on the field and lead away with Dan Golding behind him, the top two quickly gapping the field as third placed Cory Smith came under pressure from Manders, Manders getting under him in turns one and two before Smith got back by in three and four.
The same thing would happen the next lap, but this time Manders was able to hold the position.
Not long after this, Beau Doyle would find himself in fifth, the team having made repairs to the car, missing their final heat and starting off the rear in the feature race.
The yellows would come on just before half race distance as Patrick Watson spun in turn three. He was able to restart but brother Joel pulled infield during the yellow light stoppage to become the first retiree of the race.
Payet would lead away on the restart, but it didn’t last long as Gary Mann spun to a stop at the top of turn one, bringing Beau Doyle to a stop with him. Mann went rear, while Doyle was placed back into his position by stewards.
Payet and Golding would draw side by side on the restart before Payet again raced away, while behind them was now a three-car battle for third between Manders, Smith and Doyle.
Manders would clear into third while Doyle and Jake Robinson both got past Smith, the duo now fighting side by side for a number of laps for fourth until Doyle moved past Robinson for the position.
The yellows were back on shortly after for two cars who spun to a stop in turn two, Robinson and Smith the two offending vehicles, Robinson’s night ending on the infield while Smith resumed at the rear having come to a stop.
Payet easily broke away at the restart, with Manders sliding past Golding to take second on lap fifteen in an impressive move.
Golding fought back and retook second place coming out of turn four a lap later, while Payet was well ahead in the lead at this point, giving Golding plenty of work to do to close the gap in the remaining laps.
Behind Manders, fourth placed Doyle was closing quickly, able to then take third in the dying stages of the race but up front it was all Payet, completing a Grand Slam night to defeat Golding and Doyle.
Manders, Patrick Watson, Mann, Smith, Stuart Yates and Aron Sharp rounded out the finishers.
It was another great event at the Albany Speedway and we look forward to returning to the venue in the future.
A big thanks also to Asphalt Recyclers Australia for being the naming rights sponsor for the Southwest Speedcar Championship, as well as GT Brake and Clutch and Bennett Motorsports for coming on board.
Release by DTN Media.
Pics Courtesy WASDA Media.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
Sprintcar Parts Australia Overall points - Tom Payet
Powdawerx Lucky 7th Place - Cory Smith
Beau Doyle Motorsport Last Man Standing - Aaron Sharp
DTN Best Presented - Beau Doyle
Energy Hire Hard Charger - Beau Doyle
Perth Isotropic 1st Division 2 - Patrick Watson
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Heat One, 8 laps: 1. Dan Golding, 2. Patrick Watson, 3. Cory Smith, 4. Vaughan Manders, 5. Gary Mann, 6. Stuart Yates. DNS: Joel Watson. Total Time: 2.14.436. Winning Margin: 2.523. Fastest Lap: 16.153 Dan Golding.
Heat Two, 8 laps: 1. Tom Payet, 2. Dan Golding, 3. Cory Smith, 4. Gary Mann. DNF: Beau Doyle (2), Aron Sharp (2), Jake Robinson (1). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 3.447. Fastest Lap: 16.208 Tom Payet.
Heat Three, 8 laps: 1. Tom Payet, 2. Vaughan Manders, 3. Stuart Yates, 4. Patrick Watson, 5. Jake Robinson. DNF: Aron Sharpe (6). DNS: Beau Doyle, Joel Watson. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 4.291. Fastest Lap: 16.222 Tom Payet.
Feature, 20 laps: 1. Tom Payet, 2. Dan Golding, 3. Beau Doyle, 4. Vaughan Manders, 5. Patrick Watson, 6. Gary Mann, 7. Cory Smith, 8. Stuart Yates, 9. Aron Sharp. DNF: Jake Robinson (13), Joel Watson (6). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 3.181. Fastest Lap: 16.513 Tom Payet.
Podium Placegetters (left to right): 3rd Beau Doyle, 1st Tom Payet, 3rd Dan Golding with son Will
