MARSDEN THE AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPION
Dongara lady racer of Shannon Marsden is fast becoming one of the leading drivers in Australian Junior Sedan racing, confirming this last Saturday night by winning the 2015/2016 Australasian Junior Sedan Championship at Kalgoorlie International Speedway.
With a quality field of 32 drivers nominated for the international event, including 6 of New Zealand’s best ministock racers, the racing promised to be great and well and truly didn’t disappoint.
Hayden Fitzpatrick moved through the field quickly in the opening heat race to take the first win of the championship while Kalgoorlie’s Jacob Potts won the second. The third heat race of the night was a cracker, with Kiwi Todd Hemingway and Travis Armstrong duelling for the lead. Armstrong would prove too strong and record the victory.
Hayden Thomas and Jacob Potts would be victorious in the fourth and fifth heats of the night, while Kiwi James Wong gave Team New Zealand some hope, driving a brilliant race to win the final heat of the night.
The A Dash would see Kalgoorlie local Jacob Potts continue his fine form throughout the evening, claiming the win to start on pole for the A Main to come later in the night. The B Dash would be won by Shannon Marsden, who would join Potts on the front row, while Blake Fletcher would claim the B Main to transfer through to the A main with Chantelle Bate, Hayden Mortimer and Alex Fraser, who had a drama filled night of racing.
The A Main promised to be great, with 24 cars set to do battle over 20 laps. As the field headed into turns 1 and 2 it would all come undone for Gisborne’s Hamish Moore, who lost a right-rear wheel careering the car into Mitchell Bosveld, who ultimately rolled bringing on the red lights.
The race got underway and was set at a high pace, as James Wong started to move through the field, applying the pressure to Alex Swift who was sitting in seventh position. Todd Hemingway was moving quickly towards the front of the field until he was caught up in an incident between Jackson Derrick and James Wong who spun on the main straight. Hemingway and Wong wouldn’t be able to continue, nor could Blake Webb and Jayke Malcolm who also retired at this point.
When the green lights came on again, the battle at the front of the field started to heat up, with Shannon Marsden, Travis Armstrong, Jake Avins and Hayden Thomas swapping places continually behind Potts. As the race continued, Brooke Watson almost rolled her Toyota Corolla in turn 2 before coming to a stop. Chantelle Bate would then make heavy contact with the rear of Watson’s car and suffered serious damage. The red lights would the come on as Bate was checked by ambulance personal and an ambulance transfer was called for.
The race was shortened at this point, as there were some concerns with Bate’s condition and it was getting late. From here, the race was on in earnest as Jacob Potts, Shannon Marsden, Travis Armstrong, Jake Avins and Hayden Thomas continued to battle at the front of the field. Jacob Potts would then retire from the event suffering serious mechanical dramas, handing the lead to Marsden who had driven a great race up to this point.
As the white flag came out, Travis Armstrong continued to apply immense pressure to close friend Shannon Marsden, who would prove too strong and hold on to take one of the best victories of her racing career, celebrating with some attempted donuts on the front straight in front of a very happy Marsden Motorsport team.
(L-R) 5th: W89 Hayden Fitzpatrick, 3rd: W43 Hayden Thomas, 1st: W93 Shannon Marsden, 2nd: W6 Travis Armstrong, 4th: W11 Jake Avins
HOME TOWN HERO TAKES THE WIN
Kalgoorlie local Jacob Potts has claimed round 5 of the JSRA Country Super Series at his home track Kalgoorlie International Speedway last Saturday night.
With a quality field of drivers entered following Saturday’s Australasian Championship, only Chantelle Bate was forced to withdraw after suffering serious damage.
Potts, who had a feature race to forget on Saturday night, worked tirelessly over night to rectify mechanical problems and started the night by winning the opening heat race. The heat racing was of the highest quality with many close finishes, which saw Shannon Marsden and Jake Avins win the second and third heats, as Jacob Potts scored yet another heat victory.
The A Dash saw Jacob Potts start on pole position and take the win to once again start on pole position for the 20-lap feature race, while Shannon Marsden also won the B Dash for a second successive night to join Potts on the front row.
The B Dash was full of dramas with Dominic Rifici and Hayden Fitzpatrick getting caught up in an incident that ended their nights, while Hayden Thomas had a spectacular rollover in turns 1 and 2 that also forced him to retire from the rest of the nights racing action.
With 20 laps ahead of them, a field of 17 cars faced the green flag and headed into turns 1 and 2 at a cracking pace. Australasian Champion, Shannon Marsden quickly made a move for the lead and led the field for numerous laps. Blake Webb started to charge towards the pointy end of the field, as the remainder of the field battled throughout.
The yellow lights would soon come on, as Hawkes Bay resident Cameron Swift spun on the main straight. With the field reset, the green lights came on with Alex Fraser starting to charge through the field past the kiwi of Sarah Harris. James Wong also started to make an impact on the field duelling with Travis Armstrong. Blake Webb now made a charge for second position, passing Jacob Potts. This gave Shannon Marsden a comfortable buffer, as she continued to lead at the halfway point of the race.
Jackson Derrick would bring on the yellow lights, spinning down the back straight after contact with Hamish Moore who soon became the first retiree of the event. With nine laps remaining, a thrilling finish was in store as the green flag flew. Jacob Potts dived to the inside of Shannon Marsden to the pleasure of the Kalgoorlie crowd. Marsden tried to fight back, however would settle for second position as Jake Avins, Blake Webb, James Wong and Travis Armstong jostled for the minor placers. Todd Hemingway now moved through the field, as did Jayke Malcolm.
The leaders then came upon Cameron Swift who span in turn 2, which closed the gap between Potts and Marsden. With one lap remaining Shannon Marsden was right behind Jacob Potts, as Blake Webb made a pass on Jake Avins. As the chequered flag flew, Jacob Potts would hang on to win his second round of the JSRA Country Super Series over Shannon Marsden and Jake Avins.
(L-R) 3rd: W11 Jake Avins, 1st: W81 Jacob Potts, 2nd: W93 Shannon Marsden
This was the final time that our New Zealand racers took to our Australian tracks. Each of them did a fantastic job over the last two weekends and we congratulate them for their awesome racing in foreign cars on foreign tracks.
HEMINGWAY PROVES HE IS THE BEST KIWI IN KALGOORLIE
Todd Hemingway has claimed bragging rights in the all Team New Zealand race ahead of Sarah Harris, Hamish Moore, James Wong, Cameron Swift and Ethan Levien
TEAM NEW ZEALAND (L-R) James Wong, Cameron Swift, Ethan Levien, Sarah Harris, Hamish Moore, Todd Hemingway
Media Release: Mitchell Berliner (JSRA Media and Commentator)
