GOODLAD WINS ANOTHER JOHN DAY LATE MODEL CLASSIC

After nine years of waiting for a Pro Dirt Late Model feature race win, it all came together for Matt Goodlad (Daytona Racing) at the Perth Motorplex, (Saturday, December 4).

He finally found his way back onto the top step of the podium in the Pro Dirt Series round presented by McPhee Transport.

Making the 2021 John Day Classic win even more special, his first victory in 2013 was the inaugural John Day Classic and now, with the event entering its tenth year, Goodlad drove the race of his life to steal the victory in the dying stages by the barest of margins.

For the fourth time in as many rounds Brent Vosbergen (Team Vosbergen Racing – TVR) qualified on pole position for the feature race, with former Australian Champion Kodee Brown (McCorry Brown Racing Team) on his outside, while Goodlad and Jamie Oldfield (Oldfield Racing) shared the second row.

As the race went green Vosbergen and Brown were side by side, a position they held for the entire first lap, Brown only just leading as Goodlad settled into third followed by Jamie Oldfield.

Vosbergen would get his nose in front by 0.015 seconds on lap two and from here looked to extend his lead until the yellows appeared for the first stoppage of the race after Luke Halliday (Ryan Halliday Racing) came to a stop in turn three with just two laps complete.

Cars went four and five wide on the back straight as the race resumed, but up front Vosbergen was pulling away as Goodlad began to make his presence known, taking second from Brown on lap four. Brown fought back and would reclaim second on lap five.

Shortly after a rare event occurred after Matt Nylander (Nylander Motorsport) hit the wall in turn one hard and rolled over heavily to bring out the red lights. Although shaken, Matt emerged unhurt but his once pristine #34 machine had certainly seen better days.

Vosbergen again led the field away on the restart, with Brown still in second while Brad Blake made the big move into third followed by Kye Blight (Kye Blight Racing), who had come from position nine, while Goodlad dropped to fifth.

Blight then grabbed third and set out after Brown, while Goodlad was hounding Blake for fourth, followed closely by Jamie Oldfield.

With ten complete Vosbergen was over three seconds ahead and a few laps later Blight moved into second.

Another rare event unfolded when the yellow lights came out on lap fourteen for a stranded Jamie Oldfield in turn two. He was able to restart, albeit at the rear of the field.

This time the restart was chaotic, with cars going everywhere desperately looking to make up positions.

Vosbergen led Blight while Goodlad and Brown continued to battle for third. Michael Holmes (Michael Holmes Racing) moved into fifth while a whole gaggle of cars fought behind him for sixth in what was fast becoming a race within a race.

Goodlad cleared Brown by lap twenty, while Blight closed the gap on Vosbergen to just a small margin, setting up for an exciting ten lap dash to the finish. Unfortunately, Jason Oldfield (Oldfield Racing) then spun in the same spot as his brother just a few laps earlier to bring the yellow lights out once again.

Warren Oldfield (Oldfield Racing) was the big mover on the restart, racing into fourth place, but ahead of him, the front three cars were three abreast across the track at times, with Goodlad using the lowline and looking for a way by both Vosbergen and Blight.

He grabbed second on lap twenty-four and was desperately looking for a way past Vosbergen while Warren Oldfield then joined the party, the top four pulling away from the rest of the field and putting on a great dice as they switched positions every corner.

Blight bobbled and touched the wall, allowing Oldfield through for third on lap twenty-seven, but Blight went back outside him to retake the position, while ahead of them, Goodlad drew alongside Vosbergen and made his move, grabbing the lead, by 0.008 seconds with two laps to go.

Blight fought back, passed Oldfield and went under Vosbergen for second, while Goodlad began to pull away, but all of a sudden lapped traffic began playing its part, catching Goodlad unawares and allowing Vosbergen, Blight and Oldfield to catch up once again.

Blight used the high line to get back by and the cars all converged on the finish line at once, but Goodlad did enough, running down low as Blight went high. Goodlad won by 0.027 seconds in an incredible finish. Vosbergen was third while Oldfield was officially fourth, with Kodee Brown getting back into the top five as the chequers fell.

Amazingly, by the end of the race eight different drivers had been inside the top five at different points during the race, showing just how good the Late Model racing is right now.

It was a great show for the fourth round presented by McPhee Freight and the even better news is that fans don’t have to wait long until the next one, as the next show will be next weekend when the Pro Dirt Series travels down to South to the picturesque Albany Speedway Club for Round Five!

The 2021/22 Pro Dirt Series proudly bought to you by ABN Trade Mates, CTM Recruitment Pty Ltd, McPhee Transport, Global Testing Services, the PTE Group, SupaFit Seat Covers, APM Roofing and Gutters, Boyes Eqs and Dirt Track Nutters.

Release by DTN Media.
Pics Courtesy JSP/DTN Media.

Contingency Awards
DTN Pole Position – Brent Vosbergen
APM Roofing Hard Charger – Kye Blight
Boyes Equipment SVS All Star Award – Veronica McCann (Veronica McCann – Red Hot Racing)

Official Results

Heat One, 8 laps: 1. 4 Brent Vosbergen, 2. 52 Jay Cardy, 3. 11 Jason Oldfield, 4. 54 David Nylander, 5. 18 Matt Goodlad, 6. 50 Veronica McCann, 7. 21 Rod Musarra, 8. 94 Luke Halliday, 9. 318 Freddy Kinsella, 10. 22 Richard Wells, 11. 34 Matt Nylander, 12. 55 Peter Mewett (7). DNF: 23 Joe Chalmers (4). Total Time: 2.12.693. Winning Margin: 4.189. Fastest Lap: 16.277 Brent Vosbergen.

Heat Two, 8 laps: 1. 07 Kodee Brown, 2. 51 Jamie Oldfield, 3. 15 Warren Oldfield, 4. 83 Daniel Ameduri, 5. 0 Brad Blake, 6. 71 Jamie Moon, 7. 91 Michael Holmes, 8. A1 Kye Blight, 9. 47 Warren Minshull, 10. 74 Nathan Richards (7). DNF: 20 Graham Murray (7). 55L Brad Ludlow (4). Total Time: 2.11.182. Winning Margin: 3.580. Fastest Lap: 15.865 Kodee Brown.

Heat Three, 8 laps: 1. Michael Holmes, 2. Freddy Kinsella, 3. Brent Vosbergen, 4. Jamie Oldfield, 5. Jamie Moon, 6. Matt Nylander, 7. Daniel Ameduri, 8. Jason Oldfield, 9. Richard Wells. DNS: Rod Musarra, Brad Ludlow. Total Time: 2.10.769. Winning Margin: 3.428. Fastest Lap: 15.922 Michael Holmes.

Heat Four, 8 laps: 1. Matt Goodlad, 2. Kye Blight, 3. Brad Blake, 4. Kodee Brown, 5. David Nylander, 6. Warren Oldfield, 7. Luke Halliday, 8. Veronica McCann, 9. Graham Murray, 10. Jay Cardy, 11. Warren Minshull, 12. Nathan Richards, 13. Peter Mewett (7). Total Time: 2.12.524. Winning Margin: 1.077. Fastest Lap: 16.099 Kodee Brown.

Feature, 30 laps: 1. Matt Goodlad, 2. Kye Blight, 3. Brent Vosbergen, 4. Warren Oldfield, 5. Kodee Brown, 6. Michael Holmes, 7. Brad Blake, 8. Jamie Oldfield, 9. Veronica McCann, 10. David Nylander, 11. Jamie Moon, 12. Daniel Ameduri, 13. Jay Cardy, 14. Jason Oldfield, 15. Graham Murray, 16. Warren Minshull (29), 17. Rod Musarra (27), 18. Peter Mewett (27). DNF: Freddy Kinsella (9), Nathan Richards (5), Matt Nylander (5), Luke Halliday (2), Joe Chalmers (2). DNS: Richard Wells, Brad Ludlow. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.027. Fastest Lap: 16.107 Kodee Brown.