Diamond sparkles in Collie win

Diamond Motorsport driver Ryan Farrell left his rivals in his wake on Saturday night at the QUIT Collie Speedway after a dominant performance in round one of the Battery All Types Southern Thunder Series.

Sixteen cars started the 30-lap AMain.

From pole, Farrell weaved his way through lapping the back markers and took advantage of a red-light stoppage on lap 16 to claim victory.

Queensland champion Cameron Gessner was second in the W41 car while Mark Wells finished third.

The open red proved a blessing for Diamond Motorsport.

After noting the temperature in his car was rising on the gauge, Farrell’s team found a hose clamp had come loose.

The stoppage allowed the minor repair work to be done at just the right time.

Farrell was never headed thereafter and even a stoppage five laps from the chequered flag after Robert Watson shredded a tyrecould not stop the in-form hard charger claiming another well deserved triumph — his second in five days after winning the rescheduled Magic Man 34 Memorial at Kwinana last Tuesday.

Earlier, Farrell was a standout in the time trial with a brisk 13.82s lap time which none of the other 15 drivers came close to.

This set up some of the best heat racing of the night as Farrell pushed the No.26 Maxim into third place in the first heat.

Farrell’s second heat proved tougher.

He was running third, but was pushed back to fifth for a pass on the infield.

The six-time WA Champion made light work of his A Dash, speeding away to claim pole position for the feature.

In the A-Main, LJM drivers Brad Maiolo and Jamie Maiolo were fourth and fifth respectively while defending Southern Thunder Series champion Jason Kendrick came in seventh.