CORY READ COMPLETES THE HAT TRICK IN PERTH - by Greg McKay South Australian V8 Dirt Modified driver Cory Read returned to Western Australia to successfully defend his State Title Crown adding to the previous two he gained in 2006 and 2007. Read was initially to have a rumble with the Western Australian drivers at the Perth Motorplex on Friday 18th April but unfortunately due to the current deluge of rain in Perth this month the track surface was unable to be prepared thus canceling the final Fast Friday meeting scheduled for there this season. But the weather did not dampen the spirits of the Racing Drivers Association as their Ellenbrook Speedway circuit had been freshened up with the addition of a new top surface which ideally appreciated the damp conditions prevailing as the track preparation crew were hoping for as much of mother natures moisture as possible so as to bed the new surface in for the opening of the 2008 season on April 20. After an initial nomination of 12 cars this was reduced to 10 with the late withdrawals of LeRoy McKay and Nigel Smith due to mechanical issues. HEAT ONE: The wily veteran Peter Cox drew pole in the first heat and on his outside was Peter MacPherson who was having his second race meeting after a two year layoff. The field in order from there was Vin Smith, Cory Read, Mike Coles, Greg McKay, Greg Brumby, Norm Kennedy, Daniel Forbes with Bryn Lake bringing up the rear of the grid. Cox jumped straight to the lead from the start from Read, Smith and a snarling pack headed by Coles. The yellow lights were illuminated before all cars crossed the line to complete lap one as Coles came to a halt existing turn four after a birdcage let go on the rear of the car allowing the diff to circulate 20 degrees off its normal axis, the result of an earlier altercation with ironically the turn four wall in the earlier hot lap session. After a full restart was ordered the resulting first lap order was not to change from the initial start with Cox maintaining his advantage from his pole position draw. At half race distance Read made his move on Cox and passed without drama allowing him to go on to victory from Cox, Smith, Lake, Kennedy, McKay and Brumby. The DNFs were Coles (Birdcage/Diff), MacPherson (Dropped Cylinders) and Forbes (Differential). HEAT TWO: The withdrawal of Coles and Forbes turned out to be terminal for both as they were not to be seen again for the rest of the days racing. Both Coles and Forbes had suffered identical differential/drive line failures and it was a disappointing end to the first State Title runs for both rookies. The draw for heat two had Lake off pole from Read, Kennedy, MacPherson, McKay, Smith, Brumby and Cox bringing up the rear. From the outset, Read dominated as he led the field a merry dance all race distance and crossed the line at the completion of ten laps 50 metres clear of Cox who had made up seven positions from his rear of field starting draw. Lake came in third in a car that was struggling to handle the conditions with the left front wheel hiking up to 2 feet off the ground through the turns for the entire race distance. Vin Smith was close up in fourth and was starting to come on strong as the race progressed. Rookie Greg Brumby drove his best race of his short career finishing within sight of the leaders. The DNFs included Norm Kennedy (Differential), Peter MacPherson (Blown Head Gasket), Greg McKay (Deflated right front tyre). HEAT THREE: On comes more of Perths record April rainfall. During the break between heats two and three, a shower of rain interrupted proceedings thus calling for a decision to be made by all drivers of whether to gamble against the weather and attempt to run the third heat or to have a track grade after the passing shower and go straight into the final of the WA Championship. The clever decision was made to accept the latter option so heat three was abandoned at the agreeance of all drivers and after a track grade and two events from supporting divisions the final would be the next event on the card utilising points accrued from the first two heats. 2008 EARTHWEST CONSTRUCTION AND MINING SALES WESTERN AUSTRALIAN V8 DIRT MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL During the break, Norm Kennedy and crews from all cars had tried desperately to alleviate the problem in his differential but after toiling (in the rain) for an hour, he was a withdrawal which is was another blow to the big bloke who has not had any luck in the last three State Titles and must be a bitter pill to swallow again for the popular club character. So the line up grid for the final would see Read from 1, Cox 2, Lake 3, (who had tied on points with Smith), Smith 4, Brumby 5, McKay 6 and comeback kid MacPherson from 7. Read jumped straight to the front from Cox, Lake, Smith, McKay, MacPherson and Brumby. MacPherson slid under McKay on lap 3 to move up one spot and that is the way it stayed until lap 9 when Read started to lap cars. After comfortably negotiating two lapped cars, Read hammered on with Cox in second place now approaching the lapped traffic. This is where it all went wrong once again in a title race for the veteran as he found a small gap between McKay and Brumby close as he was about to enter turn three on lap 10. He rode the right rear tyre of Brumby careering across the path of McKay and slammed head on into the wall forcing the weight of the car onto the left hand side thus causing a series of sideway rolls and finished some 50 metres further on down the track from the initial contact point on his roof. The medicos and track safety staff were quickly on hand and extricated the shaken but unhurt Cox from his shattered wreck of a racecar and after an initial medical check he was able to walk back to the pits to view the rest of the action. At the restart Read continued to lead the rest of the field for a procession with some intense struggles happening between Lake and Smith and another further back in the field between McKay and Brumby. On lap 17 Smith sensed his chance and attempted an inside pass on Lake which would have had him placed second but to no avail as he collected the inside windrow and turned the Digga West car around bringing on the yellows and setting up a four lap sprint to finish. Smith was sent rear of field but with McKay and Brumby a lap down it meant he was only placed back to fourth in proceedings and so held his spot to the finish. So at the chequered flag it was Cory Read making three wins in succession of the Western Australian V8 Dirt Modified Championship with Lake again placed second after the same result for him last year at Bunbury and Peter MacPherson took out third place, Smith fourth and McKay fifth. Brumby unfortunately withdrew on lap 18 after hearing possible expensive rattles from under the bonnet of the number 86 charger.
WHAT THE DRIVERS SAID:
CORY READ: Great to win again . . but the boys over here in the West are certainly getting closer BRYN LAKE: Struggled with car set up all day. Just could not get the left front to stay anywhere near the ground PETER MACPHERSON: Good to get there in the end after a head gasket let go in the hot laps VIN SMITH: Disappointed after challenging for second late in the race. I was coming on strong at the finish GREG MCKAY: Not quite on the pace all day. Running out of tear offs and fuel isnt the easiest way to go racing at the end of twenty laps GREG BRUMBY: Great to race up there in only my second race meeting. Looking forward to turning some laps during the winter PETER COX: I tried to take a gap that just closed up as I got there. Its been a great season all the same. Pity about the car but Im OK NORM KENNEDY: Breaking my the differential at Manjimup set me back during the week as I had heavy work commitments which hampered my preparation time DANIEL FORBES: My first State Title and it had to end on lap three of heat one. I suppose theres always next year MIKE COLES: Thats racing! Just lacking the reliability at the moment for different reasons. Looking forward to the good times
The Dirt Modified Association of Western Australia sincerely thanks EARTHWEST CONSTRUCTION & MINING SALES for their valuable assistance now and into the future.
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