AS Brooke Tatnell crossed the line for third place in last week’s Scardifield Smash Repairs King of Wings at the Perth Motorplex it marked the end of a marathon few days for the former Australian and World Series Sprintcars champion.

Just getting from his home base in America to Western Australia was a mission in itself and included his plane returning to Los Angeles for a medical emergency, major delays and then only getting to the track not long before the drivers’ meeting on Saturday afternoon.

Then they had to content with an engine change and starting from the rear of the field in the 40-lap feature race.

After the race Tatnell reflected on the events on the night and the 50 hours involved just to race on “a dirty, brown track”.

“Yeah but it is a fun dirty, brown track.

We have got a few gremlins in the fuel tank tonight, it plugged a motor earlier so we just changed it to be safe and about 10 laps to go it did the same thing so I guess the same gremlins that were on that Qantas flight that took the guy out on our flight and made us go back to LA is a bit in the fuel tank tonight .

But I am very proud of the boys, you know the guys have had a hell of a time, I don’t think anyone realises how long it takes to build a transporter and get race cars ready and Dillon and Shane O have done an awesome job and you know we will just keep plugging along.

We came here to learn a few things tonight and there are a lot of races that are important and this was one of them, we would like to come back in two weeks time and try and try and knock off the WA title.”

Tatnell’s next racing is round 5 of the AHG Sprintcar Series that will be contested at Quit Bunbury Speedway this Saturday night.

See the Krikke Motorsport pilot take on a strong field that also includes Californian Kyle Hirst driving for Monte Motorsport.