The 2018/2019 Junior Speedway Racing Association has come to a close, with the Annual Trophy Presentation Evening held last night at the Canning Districts Social Club in front of a crowd of life members, junior drivers and families.

The evening began with all attending junior drivers introduced and presented with a 2018/2019 participation medallion, key-ring, memento mug and prize bucket.

JSRA President, Jason Webb then thanked everyone for their support through the past season and had the pleasure of awarding Adam Arnold Life Membership of the JSRA. Adam has been a driving force behind the JSRA for nearly a decade, fulfilling a variety of roles on the committee during this time, many of which saw him as the club President. This season, Adam was again on the committee as Vice President and continues to be a fantastic advocate for Junior Sedan racing.

The first of the awards to the Junior Drivers were then announced, as below:
Most Improved New Star Junior Sedan Driver – Olivia Earle
Most Improved Top Star Junior Sedan Driver – Jasmine Arnold
Rookie of the Year – Brock Lake
New Star Sportsperson of the Year – Erika Vary
Top Star Sportsperson of the Year – Nikita Donohoe
New Star Best Presented Car & Crew – Ahearn Racing
Top Star Best Presented Car & Crew – Iwanow Racing
Hard Luck Award – Emma Ahearn

Drivers Driver – Blake Webb

2018/2019 Team Australia were then presented with their commemorative plaques for representing Australia and the JSRA.
Alex Swift (Captain)
Hayden Mortimer (Vice Captain) – Absent
Tanika Webb
Jade McKeagg
Kurtis Blackburn
Taj Vanzetti

The JSRA then recognised a number of drivers who were graduating from the Junior Sedan ranks this season. We would like to thank these drivers and their families for their support of the JSRA in the current and previous seasons and wish them all the very best of luck in their future racing aspirations. We look forward to keeping in touch and hearing all about your successes.

Jason Webb then presented his 2018/2019 President’s Award to Publicity Officer, Mitch Berliner for continually being the voice of the JSRA and his willingness to undertake a variety of roles throughout his time on the JSRA committee this season.

The awards for the 2018/2019 JSRA Metropolitan Series were then announced:
New Star Fairest and Best – Erika Vary
Top Star Fairest and Best – Blake Iwanow

New Star Metropolitan Series Points
1st – Erika Vary – 332 pts
2nd – Olivia Earle – 286 pts
3rd – Emma Ahearn – 268 pts
4th – Jade McKeagg – 194 pts

Top Star Metropolitan Series Points
1st – Blake Iwanow – 640 pts
2nd – Darryl George – 470 pts
3rd – Blake Webb – 444 pts
4th – Bryden Southwell – 344 pts

The JSRA Country Super Series Awards for 2018/2019 were then presented:
New Star Fairest and Best – Chloe Dellar
Top Star Fairest and Best – Brody Day

New Star Country Super Series Points
1st – Chloe Dellar – 339 pts
2nd – Brock Lake – 223 pts
3rd – Jade McKeagg – 56 pts

Top Star Country Super Series Points
1st – Blake Webb – 751 pts
2nd – Kurtis Blackburn – 746 pts
3rd – Brody Day – 732 pts
4th – Jasmine Arnold – 378 pts

Finally, the 2018/2019 Overall Championship standings were announced:
New Star Junior Sedans
1st – Chloe Dellar – 451 pts
2nd – Brock Lake – 337 pts
3rd – Erika Vary – 332 pts
4th – Olivia Earle – 286 pts
5th – Emma Ahearn – 268 pts

Ultra Tune Malaga Top Star Junior Sedans (Presented by Fab and Wendy Martinelli)
1st – Blake Webb – 1195 pts
2nd – Kurtis Blackburn – 1038 pts
3rd – Brody Day – 794 pts
4th – Blake Iwanow – 784 pts
5th – Darryl George – 685 pts

The JSRA would like to thank the following sponsors for their support in 2018/2019:
Webbcrete
Cranecorp Australia
KCLD Cleaning
Torquewear Australia
Racin Tyres & Accessories
Moyle Race Parts
Pilbara Drilling

As yet another JSRA season comes to a close, the JSRA committee would like to thank all of our drivers, families and supporters for their support and for helping make the season so successful.

Carnarvon’s Jack Buzzard and Narrogin’s Brody Day, last night claimed the 2019 Fab Martinelli Cup, which doubled as the 2019 North West Championships at Carnarvon Speedway.

After a great first night of racing action, night two again promised great things and the Junior Sedan competitors surely did not disappoint.

Travis Strelley started the night with a heat win in the New Star Junior Sedans, before local hero Jack Buzzard would taste success for the first time of the night.

Come the feature race, Buzzard and Strelley would start on the front row, with Buzzard making the better jump and leading into the first turn. Strelley was slow to move away, which allowed Jayden Blackburn to move his Hyundai Excel up into second position. It wouldn’t be long and Strelley would soon start to attack the back bumper of Jayden Blackburn, making his way past for second.

Buzzard continued to lead and withstood some late race challenges from Travis Strelley, who was trying everything to get past. Jack Buzzard would go on to record the feature race win, which included two crowns; the Fab Martinelli Cup and North West Championships. Travis Strelley would finish a gallant second ahead of Jayden Blackburn, Jaidyn Turner and Jacob Bell.

Brody Day and Kurtis Blackburn began the night in the best possible way, winning their opening heats of the night in the Top Star Junior division. Geraldton’s Rory Elsum-Beaumont returned for night two of action, after not completing a race on Saturday evening and won the third heat of the night, before Brody Day would again defeat his fellow competitor to go through the qualifying heats undefeated.

Brody Day would start the twenty lap feature from pole position courtesy of his two heat race wins, as the final race of the weekend for the juniors promised greatness. The charge of the light brigade would come from behind, as Kurtis Blackburn looked for a pass on Day, while Rory Elsum-Beaumont, Bradley Short, Jasmine Arnold, Jared Coutts and Blake Webb had a tremendous battle for the minor positions, which continued for multiple laps.

Bradley Short, in his final Junior Sedan race would soon fall off the pace, with continuing mechanical dramas on-board his number nineteen machine. While sitting on third position, Jared Coutts would soon retire from the event with a flat tyre, ending his weekend, which saw him again put up a challenge to some of the states best racers.

Brody Day continued to lead, as Kurtis Blackburn tried everything to get to the race lead. Even with a couple of yellow light stoppages, Day continued to lead, as Jasmine Arnold further back in the field started her charge towards the front. Dane Francis was having a great night at the office and was keeping up with the leading pack. Tanika Webb, David Andreoli, Bradley Chant, Chayse Jackson and Zach Tattam continued to circulate, battling for positions.

With only a handful of laps remaining, it became apparent that the final race of the 2018/2019 JSRA season would go right down to the final lap, as Kurtis Blackburn continued to harass race leader Brody Day. Blake Webb, also in his final Junior Sedan race now found himself in third place, as Jasmine Arnold continued to race with Rory Elsum-Beaumont.

With the white flag flying, a grandstand finish was well and truly in store, as Blackburn looked for any opportunity to get past Brody Day. The duo moved down the back straight side by side, which continued right through the final turn and down the main straight in sight of the finish line. As the checkered flag flew, the winning margin would be 0.029 seconds, with Brody Day just pipping Kurtis Blackburn for the Fab Martinelli Cup and North West Championships. Blake Webb would finish third, ahead of Jasmine Arnold and Rory Elsum-Beaumont.

At the end of racing, Blake Webb would thank his parents and family for their support throughout his seven year Junior Sedan career, as well as the Martinelli family for all of the help to get him to this point in his career. Webb also thank the JSRA for giving him the opportunity to race with some of the best junior competitors and helping him gain the skills required to be one of Australia’s leading Junior Sedan competitors.

This weekend would not have been possible without the support of Jason and Shannan Webb of Webbcrete, along with the Carnavon Speedway who hosted a fantastic weekend of racing action. Last night was also a great opportunity to celebrate the continued contribution that JSRA Life Member, Fab Martinelli gives to our club, as well as the entire speedway scene throughout the nation.

Attention will now turn to the JSRA Trophy Night and Presentation Evening to be held on Saturday June 22nd at the Canning Districts Social Club. All members are reminded that to be eligible for end of season trophies, prizes and tow money, they must be present at this evening. For tickets, please contact Kirsten Derrick via email ([email protected]) by the 10th of June. Adults are $30 and Juniors are $20.

Official Results:
New Star Junior Sedan Feature: 1. W79 Jack Buzzard, 2. W17 Travis Strelley, 3. W171 Jayden Blackburn, 4. W44 Jaidyn Turner, 5. W72 Jacob Bell

Top Star Junior Sedan Final: 1. W8 Brody Day, 2. W17 Kurtis Blackburn, 3. W108 Blake Webb, 4. W28 Jasmine Arnold, 5. W26 Rory Elsum-Beaumont, 6. W21 Dane Francis, 7. W343 Tanika Webb, 8. W5 David Andreoli, 9. W52 Bradley Chant, 10. W71 Chayse Jackson, 11. W6 Zach Tattam DNF: W77 Jared Coutts, W19 Bradley Short

Geraldton’s Travis Strelley and Perth’s Kurtis Blackburn have claimed top honours in Night One of the JSRA Country Super Series Grand Final and North West Championships at Carnarvon Speedway.

With two heat races and a final for each driver, the first night of competition did not dissapoint, with some great racing action in both divisions of Junior Sedans. Carnarvon’s Jack Buzzard showed great promise winning both heats of the New Star Juniors, after battling throughout the races with Travis Strelley and Tyson Blackburn.

Come the ten lap feature, Travis Strelley would work his way to the front, as Blackburn would again start to wind his car up closing the distance between himself and race leader Strelley. Jack Buzzard would settle for third position, while Jaidyn Turner of Geraldton would sit in fourth.

As the laps slowly ticked off, Tyson Blackburn was knocking on the door of his first JSRA feature win, though Travis Strelley would be up for the challenge and continued to lead. Blackburn would make a lunge for victory on the last turn of the final lap, although could not quite make the pass, leaving Travis Strelley to take the win, ahead of Tyson Blackburn, Jack Buzzard and Jaidyn Turner. Unfortunately Jacob Bell, who contested the heat races could not make the start of the final.

In the Top Star ranks, Jasmine Arnold would start her weekend off in the best possible fashion, recording a dominant victory in heat one of the night. Blake Webb would start his final weekend of Junior Sedan racing in the best way also, winning a drama filled second heat, which saw Rory Elsum-Beaumont have a half lose and get collected from behind, breaking his rear suspension, before Jared Coutts would hit the main straight wall in a mighty way ending his race, as well as that of Kurtis Blackburn who suffered a flat tyre.

The third and fourth heats would be a little less dramatic, although saw some great racing, as Kurtis Blackburn would redeem himself to win heat three comfortably, while Blake Webb had to fight hard with Bradley Short, though would triumph to win his second heat of the night.

Courtesy of his two heat wins, Blake Webb would start the fifteen lap final on the front row with Jasmine Arnold, with Webb leading the field into turn one. Brody Day would also make a great start moving to the front of the field and fighting with Webb and Arnold, as Jared Coutts started his charge from the rear of the field after not finishing each of his heats.

Jasmine Arnold had the bit between her teeth and would soon hit the front, as she fought hard for position with Webb, Day and Kurtis Blackurn would looked quick in his Hyundai Excel. Arnold would continue to lead, before Blackburn would take the race lead and Brody Day slotted himself into second. Webb and Arnold would race for third and fourth, as Kurtis Blackburn started to extend his lead.

As the leaders made their way through traffic, further back in the field Tanika Webb who was having her best night of racing would fight with local, Chayse Jackson, ahead of David Andreoli, Bradley Chant and Zach Tattam. The action in front would soon heat up, as Jasmine Arnold and Blake Webb would almost come together, allowing Coutts to move through for fourth position.

Kurtis Blackburn would prove too strong though, recording another JSRA feature race win ahead of Narrogin’s Brody Day and Blake Webb. Jared Coutts would be rewarded with fourth position after a hard night at the office.

Night Two at Carnarvon Speedway will get underway from 6pm tonight, with the running of the Fab Martinelli Cup for all Junior Sedan competitors. Tonight will also see the crowning of the North West Champion, with points across the entire weekend going towards crowning the champ.

Of course, the JSRA cannot thank Jason and Shannan Webb from Webbcrete enough, for their support of the final round of the JSRA Country Super Series.

Official Feature Race Positions:
New Star Junior Sedan Feature Race: 1. W17 Travis Strelley, 2. W171 Tyson Blackburn, 3. W79 Jack Buzzard, 4. W44 Jaidyn Turner DNS: W72 Jacob Bell

Top Star Junior Sedan Final: 1. W17 Kurtis Blackburn, 2. W8 Brody Day, 3. W108 Blake Webb, 4. W77 Jared Coutts, 5. W28 Jasmine Arnold, 6. W343 Tanika Webb, 7. W71 Chayse Jackson, 8. W5 David Andreoli, 9. W52 Bradley Chant, 10. W6 Zach Tattam DNF: W19 Bradley Short DNS: W26 Rory Elsum-Beaumont, W21 Dane Francis