Brooke Tatnell won the final round of ENZED World Series Sprintcars tonight at the Perth Motorplex in a fantastic come from behind performance but even that wasn’t enough to stop Steven Lines from scoring the Championship victory.
Lines wrapped up his first ever WSS Championship victory for the Halls Haulage team by a mere 68 points from Tatnell in second, James McFadden third and Luke Dillon fourth overall.
Kerry Madsen dominated the early proceedings in the 30 lap A-Main in the American Racing Custom Wheels #29 KPC but when the track laid rubber and Madsen went to the sanctuary of the low line Tatnell began his blast around the outside groove.
“Normally when it’s rubber down you have to get down to the low line as fast as you can so that’s what I did,” lamented Kerry, “but Brooke just sailed by on the outside and did a great job to get the win. Congratulations to Brooke and also to Linesy (Steven Lines) for winning the Championship.”
For Tatnell his 72nd WSS career win was bitter sweet as he brought the Toyota Genuine Parts KMS home to a rousing reception from the Motorplex crowd.
“We knew once we finished the Adelaide round that the only way we could still have a shot at this Championship was to win races,” he grinned, “and that’s what we did. We threw everything at this and only just came up short. Congratulations to Linesy and the Hall’s Haulage team they deserved their first series win, they aren’t getting their second one though.”
Tatnell dedicated the win to his long time crew chief (in seasons gone by) and good friend Peter Caporn’s wife Taryn who had major surgery during the week and appears to be on her way to recovering towards better health.
Outgoing series champ James McFadden finished third in his Totally Workwear #25 Cool after running some inspired laps right up on the cushion near the wall in the last few laps.
“I’m sick of finishing third and fourth,” he lamented, “I just wanted to win a round in this series at least. We had a good shot at it tonight when the rubber went down but Brooke went to the top when I did and we just couldn’t get through enough from there to have a shot at him or Kerry.”
For Steven Lines the Championship win capped off an amazing series for the Hall’s Haulage #3 KPC with three wins and five podium finishes to his credit.
“This is for our guys,” beamed the new champion, “Brian Hall and Craig Bennett and everyone associated with this team have given me such a great car to drive night in and night out. This is such a great result for the team, I can’t thank them enough for this opportunity.”
Robbie Farr brought the ECP Racing #7 Maxim home in fifth ahead of David Priolo’s #8 Watson’s Express Transport entry in sixth and Luke Dillon placing seventh in the Diamond Bay Motorsport Maxim despite dropping a cylinder in the motor early in the race.
Eighth across the line was Jamie Veal (Mototech #35 Maxim) trailed by Mark Wells’ #21 Oval Track Diecast & Racing Collectibles J&J) in ninth, Brad Maiolo’s LJM Produce #77 Maxim in tenth, Daniel Pestka eleventh (Gawler Farm Machinery #27 J&J) and Tim Kaeding soldiering home with motor issues in the second KMS #2 Cool for twelfth.
Shaun Bradford (GKR Transport Cool) finished thirteenth ahead of Dylan Jenkin (Gericke Bulk Handling Cool) fourteenth, Shane Stewart fifteenth (Milwaukee Racing #7 J&J) and Jordyn Brazier’s Capalaba Wreckers #21 Schnee rounding out the field in sixteenth.
The only red light stoppage of the main event came on the opening lap when Cameron Gessner’s #41 Cowara Contractors Maxim spun in turn two and Garry Brazier rolled the Capalaba Wreckers Schnee in the resultant melee which also involved and took out Matt Egel (Muir Motorsport #53) and Carl Dowling (Di Candilo Steel #87).
Ian Loudoun retired the #65 Peet Motorsport Maxim with an engine misfire in a separate incident.
Final Championship standings:
Steven Lines 3453
Brooke Tatnell 3385
James McFadden 3204
Luke Dillon 3097
Jamie Veal 2901
Shane Stewart 2422
Dylan Jenkin 2382
Robbie Farr 2369
Daniel Pestka 2344
Jackson Delamont 2063
Garry Brazier 1908
Daniel Harding 1760
Jordyn Brazier 1512
Ends release…