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MELVIN'S DOMINANT DISPLAY....

Ken Melvin arrived at Shark Bay Speedway with a point to prove. He left with two feature race victories, four heat race wins from five starts, and a commanding 62 point championship lead that has the rest of the TKL Contractors Legend Cars WA Championship Series field scrambling for answers.

Racing at Western Australia's most remote speedway venue, the Collie driver delivered a masterclass in consistency, race craft, and raw speed that has set the benchmark for the entire 2025/2026 season. In front of enthusiastic crowds at the spectacular Pilbara circuit, Melvin's #42W machine proved nearly unstoppable across both days of competition.

The Cutts Metalcore Heat 1 set the tone. Melvin surged from third on the grid to claim victory, with Steve Barrow (#16W) and Phil Nicols (#10W) rounding out the podium. Behind them, drama unfolded in turn two when Mark Maczek (#33W) and Rikky-leigh Beard (#57W) came together, forcing both drivers to retire with damage. The incident would cost them dearly in the preliminary A-main starting lineup.

Melvin's dominance continued in the Hydraulink Bunbury Heat 2, carving through from fourth position to take another commanding win. Maczek bounced back brilliantly from his earlier incident to secure second, demonstrating the resilience that would serve him well on Sunday. Wayne Campbell (#77W) maintained his consistent approach with third. Cody Roberts (#78W) was unable to start, adding to a challenging day for several competitors.

The HIT W.A Heat 3 delivered the most thrilling racing of the weekend's preliminary rounds. Campbell looked set for victory, controlling the race from the front until disaster struck on the penultimate lap. A costly spin handed the lead and the win to Barrow, who pounced on the opportunity to claim his first heat race victory of the weekend and deny Melvin a clean sweep. Meanwhile, Melvin charged from eighth to second, showcasing the blistering pace that would define his weekend. Campbell recovered to salvage third despite his heartbreaking late race drama.

The 15 lap Busselton Bitumen & Civil preliminary A-main featured an inverted lineup based on heat race qualifying the highest qualifier starting from fourth position. This format rewarded Melvin's dominant heat race performances with a fourth place starting spot while creating the perfect stage for him to showcase his passing prowess.

What followed was surgical. Melvin methodically dissected the inverted field, picking off competitors with perfectly executed passes to claim a commanding victory. The format added an extra layer of excitement, forcing the fastest qualifiers to race their way through traffic.

Campbell delivered a textbook recovery drive to secure second place, bouncing back brilliantly from his Heat 3 spin. Barrow maintained his starting position for third, while Nicols finished fourth. Roberts recovered from his Heat 2 DNS to finish fifth, with Maczek, Brittany Nash, and Beard completing the order.

If anyone thought Saturday was a one off performance, Sunday's action quickly dispelled that notion. Melvin returned with one goal…. prove his dominance was no accident.

The Cutts Metalcore Heat 4 saw Melvin claim victory from pole position, but the real drama unfolded behind him. Barrow produced a brilliant charge from sixth to second, while Maczek surged from seventh to third a sign of improved form that would pay dividends later. Campbell struggled uncharacteristically, finishing eighth from eighth on the grid, a rare off moment that cost valuable championship points.

The Hydraulink Bunbury Heat 5 featured a stunning performance from the championship leader. Starting from sixth on the grid, Melvin delivered the drive of the weekend as he threaded his way through traffic with precision and aggression, carving past competitors to claim yet another heat race victory. Maczek continued his strong form with second place, while Campbell rebounded to secure third and improve his A-main starting position.

The 20 lap Busselton Bitumen & Civil A-main once again featured an inverted lineup based on heat race qualifying, with Melvin earning the fourth starting position thanks to his dominant qualifying performance. This format set the stage for what would become the race of the weekend.

Campbell grabbed the early lead from the front row, but the race quickly developed into an intense three way battle between Campbell, Barrow, and Melvin. The trio ran wheel to wheel, so close that a blanket could be thrown over the trio. The crowd was treated to spectacular racing as the leaders diced for position lap after lap.

Then Melvin made his move. Using the high side of the track with precision and aggression, the Collie driver swept past both Campbell and Barrow to claim the lead, showcasing the race craft that would define his championship campaign. Drama struck on lap 11 when Beard spun, bringing out the yellow flag and bunching the field up for a restart. On the restart attempt, Melvin gave Campbell "the big don't argue" that created a concertina effect through the field, forcing officials to call for a second restart attempt.

From the second restart, Melvin was never headed. He controlled the final laps with authority to claim a hard fought victory that showcased both his speed and his ability to handle pressure in the most intense moments.

Campbell's consistency shone through once more, delivering a gutsy performance to secure second place despite the restart drama and the intense battle with the leaders. His ability to lead early and run with Melvin and Barrow proved he has the pace to challenge for wins. Barrow made it two podiums from two starts with another third place result after being part of the thrilling three way battle, cementing his position as a genuine contender.

The redemption story belonged to Mark Maczek. After a challenging Saturday that included the Heat 1 incident, the Perth driver started from pole position in the inverted lineup and was looking poised for a podium before Melvin's relentless charge proved unstoppable. His well earned fourth place demonstrated the speed and determination that will make him a threat as the season progresses.

Nicols improved one position from Saturday to finish fifth, while Roberts matched his previous day's result with sixth. Female competitors Beard and Nash rounded out the field in seventh and eighth, with Beard showing resilience after her lap 11 spin to complete the race and gain invaluable experience. Both drivers' presence adds depth and diversity to the Legend division.

Beyond Melvin's near perfection, other standout performances included Campbell's two second place finishes and his ability to lead races and battle wheel to wheel with the best, Barrow's back to back podiums including his opportunistic Heat 3 victory and his role in Sunday's thrilling three way battle, and Maczek's strong Sunday recovery after the Heat 1 incident.

After one round, the TKL Contractors Legend Cars W.A Championship picture is only beginning to take shape and with 13 rounds to go it’s going to be a fantastic season of Legend Car racing here In Western Australia.

Pos Driver Points Gap
1 Ken Melvin (#42W) 272 Leader
2 Steve Barrow (#16W) 210 -62
3 Wayne Campbell (#77W) 182 -90
4 Mark Maczek (#33W) 169 -103
5 Phil Nicols (#10W) 147 -125
6 Cody Roberts (#78W) 124 -148
7 Rikky-leigh Beard (#57W) 121 -151
8 Brittany Nash (#3W) 108 -164

The opening weekend of the TKL Contractors Legend Cars WA Championship Series would not have been possible without the support of our valued partners:

• TKL Contractors - Championship Series Naming Rights Sponsor
• Busselton Bitumen & Civil - A-main Winner Sponsor
• Autosmart W.A – Southwest – A-main Runner Up Sponsor
• Edge Fiberglass – A-main 3rd Place Sponsor
• City Discount Tyres Margaret River – Highest Qualifier Sponsor
• Collie Machine Shop – Hard Charger Sponsor
• Cutts Metalcore - Heat Race Sponsor
• Hydraulink Bunbury - Heat Race Sponsor
• HIT W.A - Heat Race Sponsor
• Shark Bay Speedway - Venue Partner

Legend Cars W.A extends sincere thanks to all volunteers, officials, and track staff who made the weekend possible, along with the dedicated competitors who traveled to the remote Pilbara region to contest the opening rounds.

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