PERTH MOTORPLEX: MADSEN WINS MIDWEEK MAHEM

Feature photo by: Bruce Russell Photography

Kerry Madsen won the Midweek Mayhem event at the Perth Motorplex on Wednesday night, February 12, from Lachlan McHugh and Kaiden Manders.

The 30-lap feature race was the third of five shows as part of the Festival of Sprintcars.

There was a big moment in the first lap in pits bend involving Luke Oldfield, Jock Goodyer, Harrison Peet and a few others taking evasive action.

A few laps later Daniel Harding was out of the show after contact with Michael Pickens saw the W18 slide infield with front-end damage.

McHugh was the early leader over Ryan Newton and Madsen and he was leading as the front runners hit the lapped traffic with just six laps in the books.

There was a caution with 12 laps to go after Myles Bolger had a spin.

On the restart McHugh led away from Madsen and Newton, and Australian champion James McFadden, who started from p24, by this stage was up to seventh.

Madsen and McHugh traded blows on the restart and it was Madsen who won the battle and set sail for home.

Newton, who was running third at that stage, was out of the contest with a handful of laps remaining.

McFadden finished fourth, ahead of Cory Eliason, with Marcus Dumesny, Jock Goodyer, Michael Pickens, Brad Maiolo and Michael Keen rounding out the top 10.

Manders was the quickest in qualifying, setting the Victory 1 Performance Quick Time with a best lap of 12.819 seconds – with the result coming from the first qualifying group.

Eliason was quickest in the second qualifying group with a best lap of 12.887, while Pickens was quickest in the third qualifying session with a 12.962.

Taylor Milling failed to get a qualifying lap with a leaking differential.

Manders won the first heat race from Keen and Oldfield – in what proved to be a damaging race for some, including Australian champion McFadden.

Contact between Oldfield and McFadden put the A1 on the infield and he missed the next round of racing.

The second heat to McHugh over Chircop and Elaison, while Madsen won the third and final heat race from Newton and Goodyer.

Madsen earnt his front row start after winning the A Dash from Manders and Pickens, while McHugh won the B Dash, to also start on the front row, winning that bout from McHugh and Newton. 

Coyle won the Midpack Dash from Jason Kendrick and Brad Maiolo.

Racing returns to the Perth Motorplex on Friday and Saturday nights, with the next two rounds of the 2024-25 Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series, the annual Krikke Boys event – the final two nights of the Festival of Sprintcars.

Feature: 1. Kerry Madsen, 2. Lachlan McHugh, 3. Kaiden Manders, 4. James McFadden, 5. Cory Eliason, 6. Marcus Dumesny, 7. Jock Goodyer, 8. Michael Pickens, 9. Bradley Maiolo, 10. Michael Keen, 11. Jason Kendrick, 12. Taylor Milling, 13. Kris Coyle, 14. Jay-Dee Dack, 15. Mick Saller (29), 16. Jason Pryde (29), 17. Jack Williamson (29), 18. Jacob Smith (29), 19. Aaron Chircop (29), 20. Dylan Menz (29), 21. Myles Bolger (29), 22. Daniel Golding (29), 23. Harrison Peet (28). DNF: Ryan Newton (23), Daniel Harding (1), Luke Oldfield (0).