Katanning speedway star Kye Blight too strong for rivals in Albany Production 5000 feature race

Katanning’s Kye Blight successfully defended his Albany Production 5000 crown with a strong performance at Attwell Park Speedway on Saturday night.

Blight, State champion in the division, started the 25-lap final from the second row of the grid behind former winner Kyle Sayer and Albany star Jason Batchelor.

The late model sedan star drove the Nudo Mendes-owned car for the event.

He quickly wrestled the lead from that pair and then was involved in a terrific battle with Sayer for much of the journey.

Blight, however, proved too strong, crossing the line 1.8sec. ahead of Sayer to pocket the $5000 prize for first place and make it back-to-back victories in the Albany feature race.

Albany’s Aydan Trewern started eighth on the grid and charged through the pack to finish third in the final while Batchelor rounded out the top four.

Josh Fraser was the only other driver to finish on the lead lap and the feature was run with only one restart.

Wade Rigney, Peter Katona, Shane Devonshire, Wayne Coleman and Rowan Burrell completed the top 10.

Earlier in the event, Blight, Sayer and Batchelor dominated the qualifying races.

Blight was successful in heats two, six and eight while Sayer also won three preliminary races.

Batchelor was too strong in heats five and nine, and the only other heat race not won by that trio was the opener when Mitch Killeen drove away for victory.

Sayer was the pick of the drivers in the top six shootout, defeating Batchelor to start on pole position for the final.

The visiting V8 pro modifieds were also in action on the night and it was Damien Birch who claimed the feature race spoils.

Birch won a thrilling finish over Mathew Bosveld, with just 0.787sec. separating the pair, while Brendan McKeagg was third across the line.

State champion Brad Ludlow had the fastest lap of the 20-lap final but retired to the infield after 10 laps.

Lindsay McAuley won the modified sedan final as drivers continue to tune up for the national title in Albany over the Easter long weekend and Cody Colmer downed Riley Udez in the junior sedan final.