Rising star Jorj Park dominates Albany’s Production 5000, Joe Chalmers proves superior in late model feature

Broome speedway young gun Jorj Park is $5000 richer after a dominant display in the Star Auto Parts Albany Production 5000 on Saturday, January 4 at Attwell Park Speedway. Park started the 30-lap final from the front row but had superior speed in the high quality field. He went on to win by more than seven seconds with Albany’s Calon Ball completing a superb night to grab second while national champion Kyle Sayer rounded out the podium. The battle for the minor placings was outstanding with Ball, Sayer and Drew Ogle fighting fiercely throughout. Ogle and Jamie Higgs rounded out the top five while Park set the fastest lap of the feature. There was a number of cars that failed to finish the final while Katanning-raised speedway star Kye Blight, who won his first two heats brilliantly, suffered engine trouble in his third heat and was unable to start the final. There was some wonderful racing between the production sedans with more than 30 greeting the green flag in this marquee event. Earlier there were a host of different heat race winners, with Blight, Ball and Park winning two each. Other heat race winners were Clint Noakes, Jamie Higgs, Hayden Thomas, Charlie Tate, Graeme McSweeney and Nuno Mendes. Dion Hand claimed the 12-lap B-main from Shane Dubberlin, Luke Roberts and Richard Williams who progressed to the main event. Meanwhile national late model champion Joe Chalmers stormed to an impressive win in the Albany round of the Pro Dirt Series. Chalmers was too strong in the 30-lap final, getting the better of Warren Oldfield as the pair diced through lap traffic. Former Albany resident Freddy Kinsella rounded out the podium after a last lap moment from David Nylander saw him cough up third spot. Tasmanian Brad Smith finished fifth in a feature race that had plenty of stoppages. Earlier there was some terrific heat racing with Warren Oldfield winning two preliminaries, Jamie Oldfield and Chalmers tasting victory in the other.