Four years after his first Western Australia Late Model title win, Kye Blight has made his way back onto the top step of the podium at Perth Motorplex, claiming this year’s title against a tight field of contenders.
The racing was hot and heavy all night and Blight, starting from seventh in the 30-lap feature, would have his work cut out for him.
As the race to the green flag, it was an Oldfield Racing one-two-three, with Jason Oldfield getting the jump on Warren Oldfield with Jamie Oldfield just nudging in behind.
Jamie went low in turn two and came out in position two, with the Oldfield’s still one-two-three to end the first lap. Jamie then nabbed the lead on lap two, but all of a sudden American visitor Doug Drown on the scene, grabbing the lead on lap four after working his way round the whole trio.
There was a mass of eleven cars from fifth back fighting it out in a pack, Drown leading Jamie, Warren and Veronica McCann, who got past Jason Oldfield with five laps complete.
Drown began to pull away, Jamie and Warren running side-by-side for second and Blight raced into fourth, but the sixth lap wouldn’t be complete as Jay Cardy found himself facing the wrong way in turn one to bring out the yellow flag, seeing Blight back behind on the restart.
It was chaos on the start once again back in the pack, while up front there was still a mess of cars fighting it out, Drown leading away Jamie, Warren and a group of battling cars. The inevitable happened as Jason Oldfield and Joe Chalmers came together and Chalmers crunched the turn one wall to bring on the yellow flag again.
Drown led away with Jason Oldfield shooting into second, Blight also joining the fray to grab third and then drive right around the outside of Jason for second as lap nine was completed.
With 10 laps done it was Drown only just holding off a charging Blight, with Jason leading Warren, Jamie, McCann, Craig Vosbergen, Matt Goodlad, Brad Blake and David Nylander, who had come from 23rd.Â
Blight would run the high line and drive right on by Drown for the lead, the duo pulling away from the fighting Oldfield brothers as they made their way into heavy lapped traffic.
At the halfway point Blight had a two-and-a-half second lead on Drown with Warren getting by Jason shortly after for third as McCann loitered just behind in fifth.
Drown went high in turn one on lap 20 and lost a heap of ground, but he was far enough away from third placed Warren Oldfield that it didn’t make a difference, while McCann was also able to get past Jason Oldfield for fourth.
Jason fought back and a few laps later retook fourth, but McCann fought back again and gained the position back once again on lap 23.
Back up front with five laps to go Blight was two seconds ahead as Drown began to peg back the gap, Warren a further four seconds further behind in third.
With two to go Blight, Drown and Warren Oldfield were well ahead still but the battle for fourth was on in earnest with McCann leading Jason, Jamie and Blake in an epic battle, Jason just getting by on lap 29.
Blight would go on to win the title once again, defeating Drown and Warren, with Jason holding off McCann in the closing stages for fourth, while Jamie, defending champion Blake, Vosbergen, David Nylander and Matt Nylander would round out the top 10.