Kurri Kurri driver John Lodge Jnr made a stunning debut in the Australian Late Model Championship leading the final for 20 laps before crashing out on Saturday night.
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Veteran West Australian Paul Stubber won the title at Sydney’s Valvoline Speedway, but Lodge and his team have already set their sights on launching a shot next year.
Lodge qualified ninth on the grid but after a great start made his to the lead at Valvoline Speedway after the six laps in just his fifth outing in the category.
He recorded the fastest lap of the race, but unfortunately his night came unstuck after a racing incident with American racer Joe Godsey.
Godsey had just passed Lodge but in a subsequent restart Lodged bounced off the infield berm and into the path of the American driver taking him out of the races.
“Joe ended up hitting the fence, ending his night, and Junior was penalised and sent to the rear of the field,” John Lodge Water Cartage Racing spokesman Peter Sunerton said.
“Junior was penalised and sent to the rear of the field. He tried to fight his was back and he over drove the car and spun out in the process and it also ended his title shot.
“He was disappointed that he knew he had a great chance of winning but reasonably happy knowing that he was able to mix it with the best of them.
“Next year’s title is in Perth so it look like we’ll head over for that and give it a shot.”
Godsey later paid tribute to his young rival despite his being forced out of the final..
“That boy is a great racer, what a talent in only like his fifth event. Of course I’m disappointed in our crash but he showed a lot of class to come down into my pits and apologise after the race,” Godsey said later.
It was an action packed two nights of racing and the eventual winner Stubber was also sent back to the rear of the field after a clash with American driver Jeff Roth, from Arkansas.
Lodge signalled his amazing rise in the category on Friday night when he finished second on night one in the preliminary mini feature and qualified ninth overall.
His next race in the category is in the NSW title on March 9.