By Allan Smallwood – American Steve Francis has continued his brilliant form in the Supatilt Wild West Late Model Tour with another win this time in Round Two held at Manjimup Speedway in the South West of Western Australia.
Francis led every lap of the thirty lap A Main to win comfortably over Warren Oldfield and Matt Goodlad.
Sixteen cars fronted for the Second Round of the Wild West Tour with a number of drivers not having their cars ready in time after a torrid opening two nights of the series at the Perth Motorplex.
The opening heat race at Manjimup went the way of Warren Oldfield who charged away from the field to win by a big margin over Clint Noakes and Lee Watt who was making his first start of the season in Late Models. Young American driver Devin Moran would be competing in a borrowed car at Manjimup which was kindly donated for him to use by the Blake family from Bunbury. Moran would not finish the first heat along with Craig Vosbergen.
The second heat race of the night would see Bert Vosbergen who was starting from the front row slow in the first turn, with a number of drivers spinning to avoid the slowing Vosbergen. Vosbergen would be sidelined for the remainder of the night with defending Hoosier Racing Tire Pro Dirt Late Model Series champion Jamie Oldfield also retiring from heat two after he lost oil pressure in the Ultra Tune Morley WA51. Steve Francis would win the second heat from Jay Cardy and Matt Goodlad.
American Steve Francis would again charge away from the field in heat three winning by over half a lap over Matt Goodlad and Warren Oldfield.
The final heat race of the evening at Manjimup would go the way of multiple national champion Brad Blake who would put in a stirring drive to win over Jay Cardy and American Devin Moran.
The two dashes races that were program to be run were cancelled due to time constraints.
The thirty lap a main would be a race of attrition right from the first lap with Devin Moran spinning in turn one. South Australian Matt Crimmins would get caught up in the first lap incident and retire to the infield when the car would not refire.
Francis would jump away at the restart and lead the opening laps before a restart would be called for the spun Simon McNab. McNab would then be disqualified for running over the witches hat on the main straight.
The yellows would come again with twenty laps remaining when Devin Moran would retire to the infield. Brad Blake would spin while running in third place in turn two. Blake would retire with a bent axle in the Bunbury Honda & KIA Rocket.
Craig Vosbergen who started near the rear of the field would start charging his way through the field on the highline. Vosbergen would move into fourth before spinning in turns three and four.
Vosbergen would then again charge back through the field from the back into third place before retiring with another damaged radiator.
Another restart would then be called for the slowing Vosbergen with Clint Noakes and Lee Watt heading to the infield with mechanical woes.
Jay Cardy who was running inside the top five for the majority of the race would lose the left rear wheel from his Cardy Racing Components machine. Michael Holmes would also head to the infield with an overheating engine leaving five cars remaining in the event.
Francis would again storm away from the field in the remaining laps winning over Warren Oldfield who ran a lonely race in second place for the entire event. Matt Goodlad would finish third from Ben Nicastri from New South Wales with the two making contact after the chequered flag. Dean King would run out the finishers in what was a torrid thirty lap main event.
Francis was once again pleased with his victory “Great to win again my guys just giving me a great race car and we are happy to keep this momentum going into next week at Collie and then the Australian title at Bunbury”
Attention now turns to the finnal Round of the Supatilt Wild West Late Model Tour to be held at Quit Collie Speedway on January 5th2013.
For More Information about the Supatilt Wild West Tour log ontowww.latemodelracingwa.com.au or find us on Facebook.
The Supatilt Wild West Tour is apart of the season long Hoosier Racing Tire Pro Dirt Late Model Series.
Supatilt Wild West Late Model Tour Round 2 Manjimup Speedway A Main- 30 Laps: 1. USA91 Steve Francis, 2. 15 Warren Oldfield, 3. 18 Matt Goodlad, 4. NSW99 Ben Nicastri, 5 21 Dean King, DNF 23 Clint Noakes, USA6 Devin Moran, 8 Craig Vosbergen, 10 Lee Watt, 49 Simon McNab, 0 Brad Blake, SA10 Matt Crimmins, 91 Michael Holmes, 52 Jay Cardy
Late Model Racing Australia would like to thank its 2012/13 corporate partners:
Hoosier Racing Tire
Racin Tyres & Accessories
Genesis Racing Shocks
Able Finance
Southside Engine Centre
MTi group
Empire Graphics
Tillco Engineering
Ultra Tune Morley
Snap On Tools – Kalgoorlie
Lucas Oils – Brad Ludlow
MDR Trans
Carbusters
Ian Diffen Bunbury