4/21/2025
Late Model Racing Western Australia
Blight Again!
For the second night in a row, Australian Late Model Champion Kye Blight (Kye Blight Racing) showed absolute dominance at the Albany Speedway Club, making every post a winner as he claimed the AFI Towing Easter Grand Prix.
Joe Chalmers (Team BCM Motorsport:) hit the front early, drifting high and into the loose stuff in the opening turns, but Blight simply raced by through turns three and four to take the lead.
Chalmers would hold down second while David Nylander (Nylander Motorsport), Abbey Pickering and Glynn McBeath would fill out the top five.
Blight was on the back of lapped traffic within the first five laps, but the yellows came on before he could make any moves as McBeath spun in turn two.
Cars went everywhere on the restart and it was Damian Hudson who came off worse for wear as he collected the turn two wall to bring out the yellows straight away.
Blight led Chalmers and Nylander on the restart, while Darren Ahearn was able to get by Pickering for fourth.
The yellows were out shortly after for Greg Horan who spun, with Chalmers collecting the wall in turn two and dropping a number of spots on the resumption.
Luckily for Chalmers the yellows were out yet again without a lap being complete as Wayne Coleman also came to a stop.
Blight was well clear on the restart, Chalmers, Nylander, Ahearn and Jay Bassanelli, back after a rollover the previous night, now rounding out the top five.
Unfortunately Bassanelli would spin a couple of laps later, the rest of the field very lucky to avoid him.
On the restart it was business as usual for Blight and Chalmers, but Pickering fought back and was able to get by Nylander for third, with Ahearn in hot pursuit.
A couple of laps later Nylander got back by, and just as Pickering was lining up for a move back by, the yellows were out yet again, this time for a spinning Jeff Dickerson. The restart wasn’t kind to Pickering as she dropped a heap of spots, the top three of Blight, Chalmers and Nylander remaining unchanged.
Blight would again make the race his own, lapping cars with ease and getting all the way past fifth place, well clear ahead of Chalmers and Nylander.
In the dying stages Chalmers would collect the wall once again and this allowed Nylander to close back on him, then through lapped traffic in the run to the chequers, Nylander was able to get through.
Blight crossed the line nearly ten seconds ahead of everyone else, with Nylander coming home in second, holding off Chalmers who challenged him right to the line in what was another great night of racing for the Late Models.
Release by DTN Media.
Pic Courtesy Albany Speedway Club.
Official Results
Qualifying, 2 laps: 1. A1 Kye Blight 15.219, 2. 23 Joe Chalmers 15.297, 3. 54 David Nylander 16.853, 4. 62 Glynn McBeath 16.859, 5. 19 Darren Ahearn 17.094, 6. 81 Peter Walker 17.179, 7. 57 Mat Robbins 17.314, 8. 04 Greg Horan 17.408, 9. 80 Damian Hudson 17.440, 10. 199 Jeff Dickerson 18.408, 11. 7 Shaun Cubbage 19.432, 12. 95 Abbey Pickering NTT, 13. 36 Jay Bassanelli NTT, 14. 123 Wayne Coleman NTT.
Heat One, 10 laps: 1. A1 Kye Blight, 2. 54 David Nylander, 3. 19 Darren Ahearn, 4. 36 Jay Bassanelli. DNF: 80 Damian Hudson (5), 7 Shaun Cubbage (4). DNS: 57 Mat Robbins. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 5.109. Fastest Lap: 15.817 Kye Blight.
Heat Two, 10 laps: 1. 23 Joe Chalmers, 2. 62 Glynn McBeath, 3. 81 Peter Walker, 4. 04 Greg Horan, 5. 199 Jeff Dickerson, 5. 199 Jeff Dickerson, 6. 123 Wayne Coleman (9). DNF: 95 Abbey Pickering (1). Total Time: 2.57.258. Winning Margin: 9.527. Fastest Lap: 17.071 Joe Chalmers.
A Dash, 8 laps: 1. A1 Kye Blight, 2. 54 David Nylander, 3. 19 Darren Ahearn, 4. 04 Greg Horan, 5. 36 Jay Bassanelli, 6. 123 Wayne Coleman, 7. 7 Shaun Cubbage (7). Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 8.516. Fastest Lap: 15.670 Kye Blight.
B Dash, 8 laps: 1. 23 Joe Chalmers, 2. 62 Glynn McBeath, 3. 95 Abbey Pickering, 4. 81 Peter Walker, 5. 199 Jeff Dickerson (7). DNS: 57 Mat Robbins, 80 Damian Hudson. Total Time: 2.19.466. Winning Margin: 8.162. Fastest Lap: 16.644 Joe Chalmers.
Feature, 30 laps: 1. A1 Kye Blight, 2. 54 David Nylander, 3. 23 Joe Chalmers, 4. 19 Darren Ahearn, 5. 81 Peter Walker (29), 6. 95 Abbey Pickering (29), 7. 62 Glynn McBeath (29), 8. 04 Greg Horan (29), 9. 36 Jay Bassanelli (29), 10. 7 Shaun Cubbage (29), 11. 199 Jeff Dickerson (28). DNF: 123 Wayne Coleman (17), 80 Damian Hudson (4). DNS: 57 Mat Robbins. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 9.962. Fastest Lap: 15.659 Kye Blight.
Article Credit: DTN Media
Submitted By: Scott Beattie