Ryan Higgs has tonight returned to the winners’ circle at the Perth Motorplex with a strong win against a big field in the fifteen lap feature race.
Despite twenty four cars starting the night, only eighteen starters greeted the green flag in the feature race after a big crash in the opening heat eliminated three driversas Troy Samwell and Jeff Ross came together, Mark House spun in, then Luke Nardini rolled over into the fence with Chris Dymock also hitting hard.
Ross and Nardini were the only ones unable to restart for the rest of the night from that incident, but we would later lose Cody Turacchio (leading his heat by a long way before damaging a motor), Matthew Edwards Pope (who had mechanical issues all night), Ken Worroll (who rolled over heavily coming out of turn four) and Brendon Marshman who also suffered issues.
The feature race front row of Steven Ellement and Matt Brown hit the line together as the race went green, with Ellement into the lead as third place starting Ryan Higgs slipped into second and Brown dropped back into third, before Jamie Nardini went right around the outside of Brown into third.
Chris Dymock moved into fifth while Mark House was a big mover, into sixth place by the end of the first lap after starting twelfth, while as the opening lap was completed, Higgs grabbed the lead by 0.046 seconds.
With that one solitary lap completed the yellows came on as Bryan Sharpe spun around on the back straight, seeing the field line up Indian file ready to restart, Higgs leading away Ellement, Nardini, Brown and Dymock.
The restart didn’t last long though as the yellows came on again for another spun car: the field forced to line up once again.
On the restart Dymock got underneath Brown to grab fourth, but Brown shot back around the outside to retake the position.
The front two of Higgs and Ellement began to pull away as the battle for third between Nardini, Brown, Dymock and House really began to heat up.
Lapped traffic came into play on lap seven, with Higgs and Ellement both committing to the lowline as they made their way past cars. As this happened Nardini began to close the gap on the lead duo while House moved into fourth ahead of Brown and Dymock.
With five to go Ellement was right on Higgs’tail, as House passed Nardini to grab third and set out after the lead duo.
Higgs put a lapped car between himself and Ellement which cost Ellement some time, but with just three laps remaining another car spun, the leaders somehow avoiding him to set up another restart.
Higgs led away again, with cars fighting for position right through the field, but try as they might, they couldn’t get by Higgs, who claimed his third career feature win at the Motorplex venue ahead of Ellement, House, Nardini and Dymock.
There is no rest now for the Formula 500’s though, with another event back at the Perth Motorplex in just two days, so make sure you are trackside for that one because if tonight is anything to go by, the action will be hot!
Release by DTN Media.
Pics Courtesy Jason Sutton Photography/DTN Media.

Official Results
Heat One, 8 laps: 1. 4 Matt Brown, 2. WA1 Steven Ellement, 3. 7 Ryan Higgs, 4. 88 Jamie Nardini, 5. 3 Chris Dymock, 6. 36 Brendon Marshman, 7. 71 David Carstairs, 8. 81 Jacob Priest, 9. 96 Carl Della, 10. 23 Nash Waldron, 11. 21 Bryan Sharpe, 12. 101 Damian Della, 13. 82 Troy Samwell, 14. 39 Amy Waldron, 15. 27 Thomas Palliser, 16. 41 Neville Couper (7). DNF: 43 Ken Worroll (3), 85 Joel Watson (3), 5 Cody Turacchio (2), 30 Darren Rodwell (1), 24 Mark House (0), 87 Luke Nardini (0), 73 Jeff Ross (0). DNS: 14 Matthew Edwards-Pope. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 1.075. Fastest Lap: 16.648 Matt Brown.
Heat Two, 8 laps: 1. WA1 Steven Ellement, 2. 7 Ryan Higgs, 3. 4 Matt Brown, 4. 3 Chris Dymock, 5. 88 Jamie Nardini, 6. 24 Mark House, 7. 101 Damian Della, 8. 81 Jacob Priest, 9. 71 David Carstairs, 10. 23 Nash Waldron, 11. 21 Bryan Sharpe, 12. 96 Carl Della, 13. 82 Troy Samwell, 14. 39 Amy Waldron, 15. 27 Thomas Palliser, 16. 30 Darren Rodwell (7), 17. 41 Neville Couper (7).DNF: 36 Brendon Marshman (5), 85 Joel Watson (1), 14 Matthew Edwards-Pope (0). DNS: 5 Cody Turacchio, 43 Ken Worroll, 73 Jeff Ross, 87 Luke Nardini. Total Time: 2.20.715. Winning Margin: 2.428. Fastest Lap: 17.311 Steven Ellement.
Feature, 15 laps: 1. 7 Ryan Higgs, 2. WA1 Steven Ellement, 3. 24 Mark House, 4. 88 Jamie Nardini, 5. 3 Chris Dymock, 6. 4 Matt Brown, 7. 81 Jacob Priest, 8. 71 David Carstairs, 9. 23 Nash Waldron, 10. 96 Carl Della, 11. 101 Damian Della, 12. 82 Troy Samwell (14), 13. 39 Amy Waldron (14), 14. 27 Thomas Palliser (14), 15. 30 Darren Rodwell (14), 16. 85 Joel Watson (13). DNF: 21 Bryan Sharpe (11), 41 Neville Couper (1). DNS: 5 Cody Turacchio, 14 Matthew Edwards-Pope, 36 Brendon Marshman, 43 Ken Worroll, 73 Jeff Ross, 87 Luke Nardini. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.716. Fastest Lap: 17.042 Mark House.

Formula 500 Heat Grids
Heat One
30 Darren Rodwell and 14 Matthew Edwards Pope
5 Cody Turacchio and 71 David Carstairs
96 Carl Della and 82 Troy Samwell
7 Ryan Higgs and 81 Jacob Priest
36 Brendon Marshman and 73 Jeff Ross
87 Luke Nardini and 4 Matt Brown
21 Bryan Sharpe and 88 Jamie Nardini
3 Chris Dymock and WA1 Steven Ellement
23 Nash Waldron and 24 Mark House
101 Damian Della and 39 Amy Waldron
43 Ken Worroll and 85 Joel Watson
27 Thomas Palliser and 41 Neville Couper

Heat Two
39 Amy Waldron and 43 Ken Worroll
24 Mark House and 101 Damian Della
WA1 Steven Ellement and 23 Nash Waldron
88 Jamie Nardini and 3 Chris Dymock
4 Matt Brown and 21 Bryan Sharpe
73 Jeff Ross and 87 Luke Nardini
81 Jacob Priest and 36 Brendon Marshman
82 Troy Samwell and 7 Ryan Higgs
71 David Carstairs and 96 Carl Della
14 Matt Edwards Pope and 5 Cody Turacchio
41 Neville Couper and 30 Darren Rodwell
85 Joel Watson and 27 Thomas Palliser

Feature
WA1 Steven Ellement and 4 Matt Brown
7 Ryan Higgs and 88 Jamie Nardini
3 Chris Dymock and 81 Jacob Priest
71 David Carstairs and 101 Damian Della
23 Nash Waldron and 96 Carl Della
36 Brendon Marshman and 24 Mark House
21 Bryan Sharpe and 82 Troy Samwell
39 Amy Waldron and 27 Thomas Palliser
41 Neville Couper and 30 Darren Rodwell
5 Cody Turacchio and 43 Ken Worroll
85 Joel Watson and 87 Luke Nardini
73 Jeff Ross and 14 Matthew Edwards-Pope