There was a storm brewing in Esperance on Saturday and it wasn’t just the weather. The AMCA division headed for a somewhat cooler change and contested the longest feature race held in the state, the Electrical Service Solutions AMCA Flyin’ 40.

Drama hit the division before a single car had turned a lap with the vehicle and trailer carrying Cody Dolmans and team rolling on the way to the Bay of Isles. Fortunately the team was okay and made it to Esperance.

Cars headed out onto the track for hot laps with a number of drivers coming unstuck in turn three on the slippery surface, but no major damage was caused.

It showed in the first heat that everyone wanted a good starting position for the feature with a lot of passing. From the drop of the green flag Lionel Kirkby jumped to the lead followed by Keith Vanderleer, Brodie Plunkett, Jac Dolmans Snr and Eddie Boeg.

After sitting behind trying to find a way pass Dolmans Boeg forced his way through on the inside and put pressure on the local Plunkett for third. Eddie got a run on Plunkett down the front straight and took third by the time they hit the back straight. Vanderleer would cross the line first from Kirkby and Boeg.

Leading from the green Graham Murray led all the way to take the win in the second heat race. While he checked out the battle for second and third was enthralling with Laurens Visser showing once the tracked dried out a bit there was going to be a high line.

Visser made a number of attempts to get the pass done on Peter Smith and would be successful enough to put the nose in front, but was unable to check down to complete it. Running the highline would end up seeing Laurens have to settle for fourth behind Smith and Jason Bond, after he ran wide in turns one and two.

Heat race three would see the Kalgoorlie based Eddie Boeg hit the front and open a commanding lead, until the rear axle broke forcing the caution to come out. With Boeg now out Keith Vanderleer would go on to record his second win followed by Murray and then Kirkby.

The final heat of the night went the way of Trevor Bosveld from Jason Bond and Visser. Only one incident in this race happened on lap two when Esperance racer Brodie Plunkett turned Dolmans Snr around, the officials disqualified Plunkett.

With the track now becoming rough on the low line it was always going to be hard to get a repeat winner in the pole shuffle. It wasn’t until Peter Smith took to the track that it happened but would eventually be defeated by the Leadfoot, Lionel Kirkby.

In the end it was the form driver of the night, Graham Murray, won the shuffle and took the number one starting position. Many thanks to Sandrat Sticka Signs & Graphics for providing the prize of a new AMCA tyre for the winner.

Taking the green the field headed through the first two turns and down the back straight, three cars, Smith, Bosveld and Peter Walker all ran a bit wide tagging the wall. First caution would be brought out when Bosveld looped it around on the front straight being collected by Boeg, and Visser also spun.

No damage was done to the cars and all continued with Bosveld sent to the rear. At the restart the fluro orange car of Murray led the freight train with Vanderleer, Kirkby, Visser and Boeg all behind him.

As they got underway again the 99 of Jason Bond wouldn’t go above the cone and would be shown the blag flag, though he kept racing. This would last much longer as he would bring out the next caution after parking it up on the wall in three and four.

With the cars slowing down as the yellow lights came on Bosveld would hit Peter Walker and sustain a flat tyre while Walker had to head infield to have the panel ripped off.

Racing would resume and the two Kalgoorlie drivers Kirkby and Boeg would battle for third, Boeg would get by as Kirkby got held up by Vanderleer who had a blown tyre.

 The yellow lights would come on for the second last time when Boeg and Kirkby got together on the start line; the latter would be sent to the rear. Peter Smith would be the cause of the final caution after spinning.

Winning the inaugural 40 lap feature was Graham Murray from Eddie Boeg, Jac Dolmans Snr, Laurens Visser and Lionel Kirkby who fought back and rounded out the top five.

Thanks very much to Peter Walker & the Esperance Speedway in organising the event, and Electrical Service Solutions for their outstanding support.

'Electrical Service Solutions' Flyin Forty feature winner Graham Murray

'Electrical Service Solutions' Flyin Forty Competitors

Colin Dolmans Tow vechicle & trailer - absolute legend for making it to the track.
His son Cody only got to do 6 laps in Heat 1 before frying the clutch.

Round 6 also doubled as Round 2 of the 'Wrothy's Workshop Gear' Tri-series which Laurens Visser has built a handy lead in. The 'Cameron' AMCA Action Series moves back to the Perth Motorplex for Round 7 on the 12th of February.