Blight fights through field in nationals

Eaton’s Kye Blight charged through the field to come home with a respectable fourth place finish at the Late Model National Championship at Murray Bridge Speedway at the weekend.

The event was won by Queensland sedan superstar Darren Kane from Craig Vosbergen and South Australian Ryan Alexander.

Vosbergen led the entire race until six laps to go when a restart allowed Kane to rally around the outside and take the coveted Australia One title.

Blight was one of three South West late model competitors who made the trip across the Nullarbor, joining former five-time national champion Brad Blake and Paul Stubber.

Once again, Blight was quick all weekend, setting the fastest time in qualifying and winning a heat, but two average finishes in his two remaining heats put him in position 10 for the 40-Lap A-Main.

After dropping back to as low as 14th, Blight pushed hard through the field in the middle stages to be a chance for victory, but ultimately settled for fourth.

It was a weekend of “what ifs” for Blake after a cut tyre in one of his opening night heats put him on the back foot for the rest of the weekend.

Starting out of position three for the B-Main, Blake showed the ability that drove him to five national Late Model Championships by driving away from the rest of the field to come home with the win and a spot in the A-Main.

Starting well back in position 17, Blake again showed his poise by charging through the field to come home with a respectable eighth-place finish.

One of the pre-race favourites, Stubber showed his true pace again all weekend, winning his opening heat and maintaining consistency throughout the two nights to place inside the top eight point race where he finished fourth.

Starting out of the fourth position for the A-Main, Stubbers night would last only the one lap as a rear end component let go ending his run as soon as it started.

Late Models will now remove their roofs for this weekend’s $4000 topless race at the Perth Motorplex before racing in Bunbury for both nights of the Krikke Boys Shootout on March 3 and 4.