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
