INGLIS AND DIAMOND BAY ARE WINNERS
The new partnership between James Inglis and Diamond Bay Motorsport struck gold after only a handful of shows together, when they claimed the Ampol Sprintcar Legends round of the Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series at Perth Motorplex Kwinana Beach, Saturday night, March 12.
It was round 15 of the 19-round series, with Inglis taking the 50-lap feature race from David Priolo and Dayne Kingshott.
The retro round saw teams opt for retro paint schemes, throwing back to the speedway yesteryear days.
Inglis raced his own team for a few shows prior to Christmas before taking a break with his family for a holiday and only recently got the call up from Diamond Bay Motorsport to fill the seat vacated by David Priolo who has since gone on to race for his own reformed team.
The main event started with Daniel Harding, who opted for a tribute to his family’s Formula 500 days with a livery that also saw him change to the #22 from his #41 he has been campaigning, from pole position, with Tasmanian Jock Goodyer alongside him in the Monte Motorsport #17.
Inglis started from position three, with Williamson by his side, while Jason Kendrick and Dayne Kingshott occupied row three. David Priolo meanwhile, started back in position 18.
Harding got the jump at the start but was soon under pressure from Inglis and they were setting up a great battle before the caution lights came on with just three laps completed after Shaun Bradford and Andrew Priolo came together in turn four and they were both able to resume from the rear.
Harding again got the jump at the green and led from Williamson who was up to second, while Kendrick advanced to fifth over Goodyer at the same time.
The next caution period was for Jarin Bielby and Ryan Lancaster after both spun in the first turns.
Williamson then shot to the lead and seconds later Kendrick spun around and had to go to the rear of the field, all with only a handful of laps in the books.
Five laps down and Williamson was into traffic, leading over Harding, Inglis, Kingshott, Goodyear and Coyle.
With 15 laps completed Williamson was still leading and Harding still second, but now Goodyer was into third over Inglis and Kingshott.
With 20 laps down Harding had closed the gap on Wiliamson and the pair set a cracking pace, holding down a massive gap back to the rest of the field.
The compulsory pit stop was called and this created a chain reaction in the order with many of the front runners opting to change tyres as the track surface was brutal on the rubber.
Williamson, Harding and Krikke were some of the teams to change rubber, surrendering their spots and going to the rear.
So on the restart it was now Goodyer from Inglis, Coyle, Kye Scroop (subbing for Trevor Jolly), Kendrick, David Priolo and Lancaster.
Kendrick raced by two cars to slide into third on the restart and for the next few laps a lot of attention was on Williamson, Harding and Kingshott who had better tyres and were clawing their way through the field.
The red lights came on when Harding attempted a move around the outside of Williamson in pits bend that didn’t pay off, flipping hard and ending his night.
On the next restart it was Inglis to lead away from Kendrick, Scroop, Williamson, Kingshott and David Priolo. Williamson got by Scroop and then Kendrick for second.
There were battles everywhere, with Goodyer starting move back up the order and David Priolo also making up some serious ground.
With 15 laps to go Inglis led from Williamson, Kendrick, Scroop, David Priolo, Kingshott, Wormall and Goodyer.
A couple of laps later David Priolo got by Scroop as his brother Andrew Priolo spun out in turn four, with Williamson taking evasive action to try and avoid him.
As the field regrouped and Williamson was pushed away he was not happy with officials and pulled up on the main straight to remonstrate, but he was directed to the rear of the field on the restart, so now Inglis was to lead away from Kendrick, Scroop, David Priolo, Kingshott and Goodyer.
Kendrick tried a move that didn’t work and he tagged the fence and damaged the jacobs ladder under the car, while David Priolo was on a mission and got to second on the next lap and Scroop was in third with 10 laps to go.
David Priolo with hit the lead with nine remaining and Kingshott was moving forward as the cautions came on again, this time for Goodyer who had slowed up on the back straight.
Now it was a game of go as hard as you could, while looking after your tyres at the same time, with little grip left .
David Priolo again led the field off and others had ideas of leading too and then Scroop hit the lead just before Milling stopped on the main straight with five laps to go.
Scroop led off from David Priolo, Inglis and Kingshott for the run to the checkers which then saw David Priolo and Inglis push hard that ultimately saw Inglis win the battle and take the popular win.
Coyle, who originally started position ten, was fourth, with Scroop taking fifth (from P12), Wormall taking sixth (from P14), Kendrick seventh (from P5), Dack eighth (from P17), Nash ninth (from P11), Bradford 10th (from P8), Darren Mewett 11th (from P16), Lancaster 12th (from P13), Williamson 13th (from P4), Brad Maiolo 14th (from P7) and Milling 15th (from P9).
The non-finishers were Goodyer, Andrew Priolo, Harding and Bielby, with Matthew Cross being a non-starter, David Priolo was this round’s winner of the Kincrome Hard Charger award while Scroop was the winner of the Hoosier tyre draw.
At the start of the night Kendrick set the pace with the Victory 1 Performance Quickest Time while heat wins went to Williamson, Coyle and Inglis.
Round 16 of the series will be held at the Perth Motorplex next Saturday night.
Kendrick has extended his lead in the 2021-22 championship over Williamson with four rounds remaining.
Feature race: 1st James Inglis, 2nd David Priolo, 3rd Dayne Kingshott, 4th Kris Coyle, 5th Kye Scroop, 6th Mitchell Wormall, 7th Jason Kendrick, 8th Jaydee Dack, 9th AJ Nash,
10th Shaun Bradford, 11th Darren Mewett, 12th Ryan Lancaster, 13th Callum Williamson, 14th Brad Maiolo, 15th Taylor Milling: DNF Jock Goodyer, Andrew Priolo, Daniel Harding, Jarrin Bielby. DNS: Matthew Cross.
Maddington Toyota Sprintcar Series Championship points after Rd15: Jason Kendrick 2276, Callum Williamson 2224, Daniel Harding 2136, Dayne Kingshott 2128, Brad Maiolo 2100, Andrew Priolo 2028, Taylor Milling 2018, Kris Coyle 2004, Ryan Lancaster 1992, Jason Pryde 1904, AJ Nash 1814, Mitchell Wormall 1776, Jaydee Dack 1566, Matthew Cross 1502, Trevor Jolly 1460, Jack Williamsonn 1446, David Priolo 1356, Shaun Bradford 1348, Darren Mewett 1240, Trent Pigdon 1152, James Inglis 880, Cameron McKenzie 874, Todd David 654, Kaiden Manders 610, Chace Karpenko 400, Robbie Farr 278, George Eaton 278, Kye Scroop 278, Jarrin Bielby 276,
Rod Howe 250, Jock Goodyer 118.
Hoosier Tyre Draw winner: Kye Scroop.
Kincrome Hard Charger: David Priolo.
MACEDO’S TULARE USAC MIDGET WIN