Kaiden Manders tonight completed the perfect Esslinger Engineering Speedcar Triple Crown Series, winning all three feature races in succession and in the process locking away the overall series win.
Twenty cars would make their way to the Perth Motorplex tonight for the final round, with sixteen able to make it to greet the starters in the twenty-lap main event.
Manders did what he has done so often and immediately broke out into the lead as the race went green, with visiting driver and new Victorian Champion Kaidon Brown (who came from pole position after winning both of his heat races) racing into second place and Tom Payet following him.
Manders quickly set about putting a gap between himself and the field while behind him Payet moved into second as he attempted to complete lap two, but the yellows came on before it would be official after Patrick Watson and Lee Austen came together in turn four.
The next attempt at a start was aborted after Jake Robinson spun.
Manders led away the next attempt while behind him Payet, Brown and Daniel Harding in his season debut went three wide, Payet momentarily into second before Brown retook the position.
Unfortunately for Brown it didn’t last much longer, running wide in turn two, hitting the fence and tipping his Graham Jones Racing #4 machine over, his race also finished.
Manders would lead away with seventeen to go, Payet and Harding tucked in behind him while Nick Rowe was also sniffing around and hoping for an opportunity to break onto the podium.
Harding would latch onto the back of the Payet machine but was unable to make the pass despite multiple attempts after the restart.
At the same time, Payet would manage to close the gap on Manders and on lap seven momentarily slid underneath him through turn two before Manders raced back by.
Harding was still right on Payet’s tail, the top three having broken away from the rest of the field which was still led by fourth placed Rowe.
Harding would then slide by Payet on lap nine and steal second momentarily, but Payet would also fight back and cross the line in second, maintaining his position.
From here, try as they might, very few drivers were able to make any ground on anyone else, Manders going on to grab yet another feature race win ahead of Payet and Harding.
Behind them, Tyson Bryden was able to make the final pass of the race, grabbing fourth on the last lap from Nick Rowe, who would have to settle for rounding out the top five.
With the results from the three nights tallied, Manders was a clear winner of the overall Esslinger Triple Crown, while Keenan Fleming’s consistency saw him finish second overall, just two points ahead of third placed Nick Rowe.
A huge thankyou to all the sponsors and organisers who worked hard behind the scenes to present this series. The teams will now take a well earned rest and be ready to get back underway in mid February.
The 2023/24 Esslinger Engineering Triple Crown is proudly presented by Esslinger Engineering, The Pool Shop Group, Coverall Sheetmetal, Air Control Transport Refrigeration, Transwest WA, American Racing Tyres, RPM Race Products and Asteel Powdercoaters.
Release by DTN Media.
Pics Courtesy Richard Hathaway Photography.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
RPM Pole Award – Kaidon Brown
Asteel Powdercoaters Quick Time – 17.573 Kaidon Brown
Air Control 1st Division Two Driver – Tyson Bryden
Air Control 2nd Division Two Driver – Joel Watson
Transwest Hard Charger – Alfonso Guadagnino (+4)
American Tire and Racing Services Lucky 7th – Glen Mears
Division 2 Driver of the Series – Joel Watson
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Heat One, 8 laps: 1. Kaidon Brown, 2. Nicholas Rowe, 3. Tyson Bryden, 4. Cody Nash, 5. Joel Watson, 6. Lee Austen, 7. Alfonso Guadagnino, 8. Gary Mann, 9. Patrick Watson, 10. Brodie Minchin. DNF: Cory Smith (4). DNS: Bart Curnow, Vaughan Manders. Total Time: 2.24.165. Winning Margin: 0.826. Fastest Lap: 17.573 Kaidon Brown.
Heat Two, 8 laps: 1. Kaiden Manders, 2. Tom Payet, 3. Nicholas Rowe, 4. Glen Mears, 5. Jake Robinson, 6. Daniel Harding, 7. Tyson Bryden, 8. Cody Nash, 9. Keenan Fleming, 10. Rob Golding, 11. Lee Austen. DNS: Bart Curnow, Vaughan Manders. Total Time: 2.26.460. Winning Margin: 5.648. Fastest Lap: 17.956 Kaiden Manders.
Heat Three, 8 laps: 1. Kaidon Brown, 2. Tom Payet, 3. Keenan Fleming, 4. Daniel Harding, 5. Kaiden Manders, 6. Patrick Watson, 7. Cory Smith, 8. Brodie Minchin, 9. Glen Mears, 10. Joel Watson, 11. Gary Mann. DNF: Jake Robinson (1), Alfonso Guadagnino (1). DNS: Rob Golding. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.497. Fastest Lap: 18.402 Tom Payet.
Feature, 20 laps: 1. Kaiden Manders, 2. Tom Payet, 3. Daniel Harding, 4. Tyson Bryden, 5. Nicholas Rowe, 6. Keenan Fleming, 7. Glen Mears, 8. Joel Watson, 9. Brodie Minchin, 10. Alfonso Guadagnino, 11. Lee Austen, 12. Jake Robinson (19). DNF: Cody Nash (17), Cory Smith (11), Kaidon Brown (3), Patrick Watson (1). DNS: Bart Curnow, Rob Golding, Vaughan Manders, Gary Mann. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 1.894. Fastest Lap: 17.714 Kaiden Manders.
