Carlin Defends National Crown Back to Back Wins

04/04/15…Pam Franz…courtesy of www.speedwaysedans.com

Victorian Mark Carlin, has tonight won his third Australian Modified Sedan Title, in the Streeflands Logistics Solutions, Carrick Speedway Drivers Association sponsored event, at the Cranes Combined Carrick Speedway, with a thrilling victory in the 40 lap main event.

Carlin would start on pole for the National Final with West Australian Kye Blight starting on his outside.  Victorian Brody Chrystie would start from position three, with Allan Nash of Queensland starting from position four.

It would be Kye Blight though, who would get the best of the start, taking the lead with Carlin chasing the Adam Holt owned car driven by Blight from the outset.

In a brilliant spectacle, the race was set at a cracking pace, with three wide racing right throughout the field.

Through the first eight laps, Blight would lead Carlin by one car length, as the pair opened a small lead over the chasing packed, headed by Brody Chrystie who was in turn being challenged by Allan Nash and Justin Drew.   Behind the lead five cars, positions changed constantly as the drivers continued to race three wide.

On lap eight, the first of three stoppages would be for Bryan Galley, who would exit to the infield with a small fire, which was quickly extinguished.

On the resumption Blight would continue to be harassed by the National Champion, but Blight was up to the challenge.

A three car pile-up in turn four on lap eleven would involve Daniel Simpson, Greg Worling and Brett Barron.  Simpson would be forced to withdraw with steering issues.

At the half way mark, Blight still held a one car advantage over Carlin, with Nash now under pressure from Justin Drew who had moved to fourth, with Todd Doyle and Brody Chrystie challenging at the same time.   David Jacobi started to make a massive presence in the race, with a sweeping move around the outside, moving to fifth place.

Rodney Pammenter would spin on lap twenty one, issuing the third and final caution on the race.  Blight again had to withstand the pressure applied by Carlin, with Jacobi moving to fourth, relegating Drew to fifth, with drivers still running two and three wide.

Carlin pounced on lap twenty five (right), seizing on a small gap left by Blight, putting the Australian Champion in front.  Blight immediately tried to get back under Carlin in turn three but was unable to do so, as the pair moved clear of the remainder of the field, who were still continually changing positions.

Brodie Boss who started out of position eleven, started to make his presence felt with twelve laps remaining, moving to fifth place, with the seventeen year old driving brilliantly.

With ten to go, Boss put a great passing move on Allan Nash to move to fourth place, and then set out after Jacobi, as the race intensified in the concluding stages, with light rain starting to fall

Carlin continued to lead, and the small gap of three car lengths he had on Blight, diminished again, as Blight had another challenge.

Brodie Boss had a brilliant battle over the last seven laps with Jacobi, as the pair ran side by side for third place, with Boss showing driving ability well beyond his years. With four laps remain Boss moved into third, but Jacobi fought back, with the veteran driver taking back third place with two laps remaining.   Brenton Mills meanwhile, who had been sixth or seventh for the majority of the second half of the race, moved to fifth with four laps to go.

Carlin though, was a deserved winner, seizing on his one opportunity to take the win by a car length over a gallant Blight, with Jacobi beating Boss to the line for third by a mere 0.101.

Eighteen of the twenty drivers would finish the A Main, all on the lead lap.

“I new Kye would get a good start, I just had to wait for my time, and make sure I took the opportunity when it presented itself”, said Carlin.  “This feels great to win at a venue other than Albany, I am very happy”, he added.

“I can’t thank Adam Holt and his crew enough for an awesome car, Mark is a class driver, so not disappointed to be beaten by him”, said Blight after the race.

“What is it with me finishing third”, said a happy Jacobi, who has a spate of third place positions in National Titles.

Earlier Bryan Galley won a very entertaining B Main, downing Daniel Simpson, Trent Quillerat and Nathan Russell, who all advanced to the National Final

RESULT

A Main – 40 LAPS 1. A1 Mark Carlin, 2. V4 Kye Blight, 3. V32 Brody Chrystie, 4. Q22 Allan Nash, 5. Q8 Rodney Pammenter, 6. V7 Justin Drew, 7. Q93 Jason Beer, 8. V61 Matt Nelson, 9. N3 Greg Worling, 10. V14 Brenton Mills, 11. Q2 Brodie Boss, 12. Q77 Todd Doyle, 13. Q44 Ashley Barron, 14. V5 Ash Parkinson, 15. Q48 Brett Barron, 16. N36 David Jacobi, 17. V88 Bryan Galley, 18. V33 Daniel Simpson, 19. T46 Trent Quillerat, 20. T28 Nathan Russell

Result

1. A1 Mark Carlin, 2. V4 Kye Blight, 3. N36 David Jacobi, 4. Q2 Brodie Boss, 5. V14 Brenton Mills, 6. Q22 Allan Nash, 7. V7 Justin Drew, 8. V5 Ash Parkinson, 9. Q8 Rodney Pammenter, 10. Q77 Todd Doyle, 11. V32 Brody Chrystie, 12. Q48 Brett Barron, 13. Q44 Ashley Barron, 14. N3 Greg Worling, 15. T46 Trent Quillerat, 16. V61 Matt Nelson, 17. T28 Nathan Russell, 18. Q93 Jason Beer, 19. V33 Daniel Simpson (11 laps), 20. V88 Bryan Galley (7). Time: No Time, Winning Margin: 0.487, Fastest Lap: 16.865 V5 Ash Parkinson

L:R: 4th Brodie Boss, 3rd David Jacobi, 1st Mark Carlin, 2nd Kye Blight, 5th Brenton Mills

*Photos courtesy of Angryman Photography