PERTH MOTORPLEX: A SWEET VICTORY!

All photography by: Richard Hathaway…Feature photo. From left: Dayne Kingshott, Brad Sweet and Callum Williamson.

American Brad Sweet claimed his first win of the current WA Sprintcar Speedweek series, at the Perth Motorplex on Thursday night, January 2.

Sweet crossed the line ahead of local stars Dayne Kingshott and Callum Williamson at the Merger Contracting Sprintcar Muster that was round 11 of the 2024-25 Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series.

It was a return to form for Sweet who crashed out the previous night at Bunbury Speedway. He started from p3 for the 30-lap final after at the start of the show setting the Victory 1 Performance Quick Time.

In his heat, Sweet went from fourth to second and was also second in the A Dash. He hit the lead on lap six and survived some surging efforts from both Williamson and Kingshott who were unable to make a move stick.

Kingshott won the battle to lead on the first lap over American Brock Zearfoss who started next to him on the front row. The race was six laps deep when the caution came on after Kerry Madsen and Ryan Lancaster’s campaigns ended early.

From then it was a drag race through lapped traffic for the front runners as they jockeyed for track position until the caution lights came on with a handful of laps remaining – seeing Matt Egel’s car being pushed to the infield.

Shortly after, the red lights were activated after Taylor Milling crashed in turns 1-2 and was collected by Jason Kendrick who was unable to stop in time.

Sweet said it was fun to race with Kingshott and Williamson, saying “people don’t realise probaby how good they are when you travel all the way over here to Perth to their stomping ground, they are really hard to beat”.

“They were hot on my heels all night and we were good early, I kinda found the right line and drove to the lead and these guys were breathing down my throat at the end, so just happy to get the win,” Sweet said.

“I could just tell my car wasn’t getting down the straight aways, I wasn’t getting off the corner and I was kinda protecting, I wasn’t sure where to be and when you are like that, you know somebody is coming.

“I have been doing this a long time and I tried to put the last few laps together the best I possibly could.”

Kingshott, who struggled midpack with Williamson the night before, set up pole position after being third quickest in his qualifying group, moving from second to a win in his heat race and winning the A Dash.

After getting to the lead early, he dropped back to third before claiming second with a handful of laps remaining.

Williamson, who started from p5, was second from lap nine until surrendering the spot in the dying stages.

The previous night’s winner, James McFadden, started and finished fourth, while Zearfoss took fifth from Jock Goodyer, who started p8 and finished p6, Kaiden Manders, who started p14 and finished p7, Andrew Priolo, who started p9 and finished p8, American Cory Eliason who started p24 and finished p9 and fellow American Cole Macedo,  who started p7 and rounded out the top 10.

Kris Coyle, who started p27 and finished 12th, claimed another Kincrome Hard Charger award,

Teams now regroup before heading back to Bunbury this Saturday night for Rd 12 of the Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series.

Results

Qualifying 1: James McFadden 13.423, Luke Oldfield 13.492, Kaiden Manders 13.541, Andrew Priolo 13.551, Matt Juhl 13.605, Aaron Chircop 13.620, AJ Nash 13.814, Joel Ettridge 13.881.

Qualifying 2: Cole Macedo 13.394, Ryan Newton 13.414, Dayne Kingshott 13.458, Matt Egel 13.487, Michael Keen 13.516, Myles Bolger 13.617, Kris Coyle 13.691 and Jaydee Dack 13.824.

Qualifying 3: Brock Zearfoss 13.233, Justin Whittall 13.325, Callum Williamson 13.383, Jack Williamson 13.452, Taylor Milling 13.522, Jason Pryde 13.559, Cory Eliason 13.559, Jamie Maiolo 13.655, Wayne Russell 14.347.

Qualifying 4: Brad Sweet 13.208, Daniel Harding 13.215, Jason Kendrick 13.385, Jock Goodyer 13.440, Ryan Lancaster 13.442, Kerry Madsen 13.485, Gio Scelzi 13.485, James Inglis 13.504 and Brad Maiolo 13.545.

Heat 1: 1st Luke Oldfield, 2nd Andrew Priolo, 3rd James McFadden, 4th AJ Nash, 5th Kaiden Manders, 6th Matt Juhl, 7th Aaron Chircop, 8th Joel Ettridge.

Heat 2: 1st Dayne Kingshott, 2nd Cole Macedo, 3rd Matt Egel, 4th Ryan Newton, 5th Michael Keen, 6th Kris Coyle, 7th Jaydee Dack, 8th Myles Bolger.

Heat 3: 1st Callum Williamson, 2nd Brock Zearfoss, 3rd Justin Whittall, 4th Jack Williamson, 5th Jason Pryde, 6th Taylor Milling, 7th Cory Eliason, 8th Jamie Maiolo, 9th Wayne Russell.

Heat 4: 1st Jock Goodyer, 2nd Brad Sweet, 3rd Kerry Madsen, 4th Ryan Lancaster, 5th Daniel Harding, 6th Gio Scelzi, 7th James Inglis, 8th Jason Kendrick. DNF: Brad Maiolo.

Revolution Racegear A Dash: 1st Dayne Kingshott, 2nd Brad Sweet, 3rd Callum Williamson, 4th Cole Macedo, 5th Andrew Priolo, 6th Justin Whittall.

Revolution Racegear B Dash: 1st Brock Zearfoss, 2nd James McFadden, 3rd Luke Oldfield, 4th Jock Goodyer, 5th Daniel Harding, 6th Ryan Newton.

King Racing Products Midpack: 1st Matt Egel, 2nd Kaiden Manders, 3rd Kerry Madsen, 4th Jack Williamson, 5th Michael Keen, 6th Ryan Lancaster.

B Main: 1st Cory Eliason, 2nd James Inglis, 3rd Jamie Maiolo, 4th Kris Coyle,  5th Jaydee Dack, 6th Joel Ettridge, 7th Aaron Chircop, 8th Myles Bolger, 9th Wayne Russell. DNS: Brad Maiolo.                        

A Main: 1st Brad Sweet, 2n Dayne Kingshott, 3rd Callum Williamson, 4th James McFadden, 5th Brock Zearfoss, 6th Jock Goodyer, 7th Kaiden Manders, 8th Andrew Priolo, 9th Cory Eliason, 10th Cole Macedo, 11th Ryan Newton, 12th Kris Coyle, 13th James Inglis, 14th Michael Keen, 15th Justin Whittall, 16th Daniel Harding, 17th Matt Juhl, 18th Jason Pryde, 19th Jamie Maiiolo, 20th Joel Ettridge.  DNF: Luke Oldfield, Jason Kendrick, AJ Nash, Taylor Milling, Matt Egel, Jack Williamson, Ryan Lancaster and Kerry Madsen.

Hoosier tyre draw: AJ Nash.

Victory 1 Quick Time: Brad Sweet 13.208.

Kincrome Hard Charger: Kris Coyle – 27th to 12th.

—