Good day and welcome to another unforgettable night of racing here at Kingston Park Raceway. Tonight of course we hosted our Friday Night Challenge event and as always it didn’t fail to bring all the highs and lows we have come to expect each week here trackside. With 32 drivers joining us here tonight to take on the challenge it was all or nothing as only one can stand at the top of the podium at the end of the night. As the night rolled on we of course approach our super final for the night. Only 8 drivers made it through and those 8 were; Darryl Niesler, Toby Disher, Rob Ormond, Sean Black, Mark O’Leary, Aaron Teale, Luke Beeston and Craig Thorp. Let’s dive in and see just how it played out.
Out they go from pitlane taking their grid positions behind the pace kart making their way around to begin tonight’s super final. As the pace kart peels in all attention is on our drivers and that green light awaiting the start of the race, greens come on and they’re off! Craig Thorp holds onto first position through turn one and quickly starts making some ground on the pack as a historical battle begins to unfold behind between Luke Beeston, Sean Black, Mark O’Leary and Darryl Niesler. Under, over, side by side, three wide through turn four at one point, unrelenting for 2 whole laps before Luke Beeston finally gets some breathing room and begins to make some headway catching up on the lead that Craig Thorp has already managed to pull.
Not to be out done Sean Black and Mark O’Leary quit the battle for the moment to keep up with the leaders. The battle turned out to be a bit too much for Darryl Niesler however who starts to lose ground on our 4 current front runners. As Luke Beeston reels in Craig Thorp the battle for the lead begins. Three turns into the battle and it looks like Luke Beeston will get the better of it through turn four but Craig Thorp holds on as they exit the corner side by side and disaster! Luke Beeston not allowing enough racing room on the exit puts Craig Thorp into the tyre barrier! That results in a black flag and a disqualification for Luke Beeston and his night is unfortunately over. At the end of the day you need to race clean and give enough racing room for everyone to get around the track otherwise you might just find yourself watching the end of the race from the fence line as Luke Beeston found himself doing.
Back to the track now and with a quick recovery Craig Thorp finds himself back in 5th position battling with Aaron Teale and Darryl Niesler for third position. Through the chaos Sean Black and Mark O’Leary take the opportunity to run away with the lead for the next few laps opting to save the fight for the end. The heated battle for third now continues throughout the race with Aaron Teale, Craig Thorp and Darryl Niesler chopping and changing, pushing hard and making moves which are countered corner after corner until finally the chequered flag drops and Darryl Niesler gets the better of the battle to take home 3rd position. Our first two drivers, Mark, O’Leary and Sean Black with one last lap to go the battle erupts with an over under through turn two and three, a line up by Sean black through four and a pass mad through five to take the lead. Mark O’Leary fight back keeping pace through six and diving into seven but Sean Black holds on and side by side they come out of turn eight and across the line first is Sean Black by half a kart on Mark O’Leary.
1st – Sean Black – 62.210
2nd – Mark O’Leary – 61.960 (fastest of the race)
3rd – Darryl Niesler – 62.510
Fastest lap of the night – Craig Thorp – 60.712
Well I hope we all enjoyed the unstoppable action out here tonight and hope to see you all again. If you’re sitting there at home reading this and wishing you were here, well, what’s your excuse? Get down here and get amongst the heart pumping fun out on track every Friday night here at Kingston Park Raceway for one hell of a night out!
