---

LEAMAN SHOWS THE MEN HOW IT'S DONE

The City Discount Tyres Auto Service Centre Margaret River Easter Spectacular at Trade Hire Augusta Margaret River Speedway had that feeling about it from the start…

Dust hanging in the air, Engines crisp and a field stacked with guys who knew how to win. From the first drop of the green, it didn’t take long to work out how the night was going to play out.

Garry Walker made the most of it early. Then Ken Melvin stepped in… and took control.

Clean air, smooth laps, no mistakes, Melvin was doing exactly what you’re meant to do when you’re given track position… and doing it better than anyone.
Behind him, the usual names hovered, Joss, Seery, Cook… all there, all consistent, all dangerous.

Up front, it looked tidy. But further back… it was anything but.
Buried in the grids all night, Jake Leaman didn’t have it easy….
No front row starts. No clean air. No freebies.
Just cars… everywhere.

Heat 3 was when people started to notice.

From deep in the pack, Leaman came alive, picking his way through traffic, inch by inch, car by car. The further it went, the closer he got, until suddenly…. he was right there.

Greg Joss out front, Leaman behind him. Closing.

You could feel it building, the move was coming and then…. It was gone!
A spin, Three laps to go… back to the rear. From the outside, it looked like another result that didn’t stick. But if you were watching closely you knew.

There was something there. The night rolled on… and then it snapped.

Heat 4 seen a heavy crash between McGregor and Trenaman, two genuine contenders brought everything to a halt.

Cars torn up. Nights over and just like that the whole tone shifted.
What had been controlled… became unpredictable.

Melvin kept doing his thing. Another win. Another statement.

Joss stayed close, Seery stayed consistent and Ferraro stepped up.
On paper, it was simple…. Melvin had this covered. And Leaman ? Still no podiums…. Still buried in results sheets, just flashes but no results.

Then Heat 6 came and everything changed. From deep again, Leaman finally put one together, not given, not easy, just pure drive. He got the win, and for the first time all night, people stopped and looked.

Not at the results sheet…. At him.

By the time the A-main rolled around, the lights felt a little brighter. Melvin on the front row, exactly where he’d been all night. Joss beside him. Cook, Seery, Muir all stacked in behind. And Leaman ?? Row 3. Position 6. Still work to do.

When the race went green, it played out how you’d expect. Melvin hit the front, clean, controlled, like he’d done all night. Behind him, the pack shuffled, fought, searched for space. But one car wasn’t rushing, Leaman settled in, high line, smooth and patient. Not forcing it, just waiting. Lap by lap, he edged closer.

Through the middle. Around the top. Picking them off, until it was just one left…. Melvin! The two of them found lap traffic, cars everywhere, decisions to make, Melvin moved through, Leaman followed.

Closer now…. Watching…. Reading it.

And then in a moment that only lasts a heartbeat, he seen the gap. He rolled the high line perfectly, carried the speed, and made the move stick. Clean. Composed. Done. From there… no panic.

Five laps to go. Melvin right there. Pressure on.

But Leaman didn’t miss. Hit his marks, kept it smooth and never gave it back.
When the chequered flag dropped… It wasn’t just a win…. It was a statement.

?? 52w Jake Leaman
?? 42w Ken Melvin
?? 23w Russell Seery

Because while the others had track position…. While they controlled the early races…. While they did everything right up front… Leaman did it the hard way.
From the back. Through the chaos. After the mistakes. And when it mattered most…. he showed the men he exactly how it’s done….

Back to News