There is no denying that James McFadden is one of the of the biggest rising stars of Sprintcar racing in Australia and last night at Brisbane International Speedway he showed everyone, once again, why. James was brilliant around the highline and slowly worked his way into the race lead, much to the delight of the large crowd in attendance, after initially fading to seventh after the start. Andrew Scheuerle, wrist still strapped after suffering an injury in Maryborough over Easter, crossed the line in second ahead of Todd Wanless. Peter Thorley, back after a belated honeymoon in America, came from the B-Main to finish a very impressive fourth with Darrell Hodges rounding out the top five.

The format for the night was draw and invert, negating the need for time trials and making for some interesting battles, and some surprises come the end of the night.

Heat one got off to a bad start – two stoppages, not even half a lap on the board and half the field out of the race. None of it seemed to worry pole sitter James McFadden, who made a guest appearance in the #36 Titan Garages racer, or fellow front-row starter Dan Murray. First time around Dan got the jump on the start but held on only briefly until James found a way into the race lead in the first couple of corners. It wasn’t long lived though with the first stoppage, in turn two, involving Tim Garrett, Peter Lack, Peter Thorley and Matthew Butler bringing out the yellows. Garrett got a little too side-ways in turn two, leaving the rest with nowhere to go. Garrett was out of the race with steering arm, extractor and damage to both the front and back ends of his #31 racer, while both Lack and Thorley were out with flat tyres. Butler was able to take to the restart with a damaged front wing. The second attempt at a start unfortunately didn’t go any better – McFadden got the lead early but Ricky Mitchell brought out the red lights after inverting the #19 racer in turn one while attempting a pass on Dan Murray. Ricky was uninjured but out of the race, leaving only five cars running the race that was yet to get a lap on the board. James McFadden went on to take the win with Paul Rooks in second ahead of Dan Murray, Jason Bottin and Matthew Butler. Peter Lack, Tim Garrett, Peter Thorley and Ricky Mitchell did not finish the event.

Heat two started a little better with pole-sitter Adrian O’Connell getting the jump on the start and Brent Kratzmann settling briefly into second. Richard Morgan was a man on a mission though and made short work of slipping past Kratzmann and set out after O’Connell. Adrian drove exceptionally well, the pair putting on a spectacular show for the appreciative crowd, with Richard eventually finding a way into the race lead. Meanwhile further back in the field, Craig Stevenson was having some handling issues with the #10 Ace Fireworks racer and made contact with the wall, bringing the car to a stop in turn four. He took to the restart from the tail of the field and with three laps to go it was Richard Morgan who led them away with Adrian O’Connell a strong second. Andrew Scheuerle was stuck towards the back of the field and started trying to make his way forward, slipping past Brent Kratzmann and slipping in behind Gladstone-based racer Tony Wynne. Scheuerle was attempting to find a way past Wynne when contact between the two launched Wynne into the air. Tony crashed heavily, leaving him out of the race, and was clearly none too impressed with Scheuerle’s driving. Richard Morgan went on to take the win from Adrian O’Connell, Allan Woods, Anthony Lambert, Brent Kratzmann, Andrew Scheuerle, Niall Chandler and Craig Stevenson. Tony Wynne was the only non-finisher of the event.

Brett Thomas and Darrell Hodges shared the front row of the starting line-up for heat three. Thomas jumped the first start but second time around it was all about Darrell Hodges. Darrell got a brilliant start and quickly slipped into the race lead. Before long he had opened a sizable lead over the rest of the field, while Brett Thomas faded quickly. Todd Wanless settled into second with Danny Reidy hot on his heels in third. Hodges was virtually in a class of his own out in front, but the battle between Wanless and Reidy is what kept everyone captivated. Reidy tried everything to find a way past Wanless but ultimately ran out of laps, with Darrell Hodges taking the win from Todd Wanless and Danny Reidy. Kevin Titman finished a strong fourth ahead of Mark Pholi, Brett Thomas, Melissa Boyes and Des Collier.

Peter Thorley started from pole position in heat four and while fellow front row starter Jason Bottin put up a good fight, there was no stopping Thorley from the front. Desperate to make up lost ground after failing to complete his first heat, Thorley quickly secured the advantage when the green flag flew, slipping into the race lead and opening a small but comfortable margin over the rest of the field. Jason Bottin did a magnificent job in second place and managed to hang on despite the best efforts of hard-charging Peter Lack – he too keen to make up lost ground after the opening round of heats. Peter Thorley took the win from Jason Bottin and Peter Lack, while Ricky Mitchell in fourth led James McFadden, Tim Garrett, Paul Rooks and Dan Murray across the line. Matthew Butler inverted his #71 racer in turn three on the third lap of the race and while he was unscathed he did not finish the race.

Andrew Scheuerle and Tony Wynne lined up alongside each other on the front row of heat five, ready to pick up right where they left off in the earlier heat. Wynne got the jump on the start, with Scheuerle forced to settle into second. The race was on for third position with Big Al Woods and Richard Morgan putting on a show. Morgan got a little too sideways in turn three and inverted the #54 racer in what was a somewhat gentle roll. With six laps remaining Richard took to the restart from the tail of the field and was attempting a gutsy passing move on the inside of Brent Kratzmann when contact between the pair launched Morgan into a massive end-for-end roll through turn one – only three minutes and 40 seconds after his last red light stoppage. Morgan was uninjured, but the car was more than a little worse for wear. The #54 racer suffered sufficient chassis damage to bring about a premature end of Richard’s night of competition. Tony Wynne led the restart from Andrew Scheuerle and Allan Woods, but it was Woods who put on an exhilarating show. With the field now bunched up for the restart, and the race lead only two cars away, Woods made his move – he slipped past Scheuerle first, before moving past Wynne in the same lap to steal the race lead in a thrilling fashion. Allan Woods went on to take the race win, with Andrew Scheuerle eventually getting the better of Tony Wynne to finish second with Wynne relegated to third. Brent Kratzmann was fourth to greet the chequered flag ahead of Niall Chandler, Craig Stevenson, Adrian O’Connell and Anthony Lambert. Richard Morgan was the only non-finisher of the 10-lap journey.

Kevin Titman got the jump on the start of heat six, with Danny Reidy quickly settling into second. Darrell Hodges, this time coming from the tail of the field, was trying to work his way forward, and was making good ground, when a rut in turn three brought him undone. Hodges bounced through the rut and inverted the immaculately presented #5 racer, doing sufficient damage to end his race. Kevin Titman went on to take the win from Danny Reidy, Todd Wanless, Mark Pholi, Brett Thomas, Melissa Boyes and Des Collier. Darrell Hodges was the only one to not complete the full race distance.

With the wet weather reportedly only three quarters of an hour away the dash event was scrapped and we headed straight into the B-Main. The B-Main line-up saw a few surprises and unexpected names – Peter Thorley starting from pole position with Dan Murray alongside, Tony Wynne and Peter Lack buried back in the field starting out of positions seven and eight respectively and Ricky Mitchell out of position 10 to name just a few. Dan Murray got the jump on the start and settled into the race lead with Peter Thorley in second. Unfortunately for Murray it would all come undone in turn four – Murray spun the car on the entry to turn four in front of the entire field. Fortunately for Murray, and everyone else, the entire rest of the field managed to avoid the stranded #44 racer and Murray was able to restart at the rear of the field. Peter Thorley led the restart, with Brett Thomas in second. But Thomas was not prepared to settle for second and demonstrated once again just how much the relative new-comer to Sprintcars had improved in recent weeks by slipping past Thorley and into the race lead. From there Thomas was untouchable, Thorley seemingly content to settle for second and transfer to the A-Main. The race was plagued by several yellow light stoppages, and while Thomas had a large lead over Thorley in second, the pair were untroubled by the battle that was brewing behind them. With five laps left to run Ricky Mitchell was sitting in third position and Anthony Lambert in fourth – the coveted final transfer position to the A-Main. Tony Wynne and Peter Lack were sitting in fifth and sixth respectively and both were putting the pressure on Lambert in an effort to make it to the A-Main event. Lack eventually slipped past Wynne and while he pushed Lambert hard all the way to the line, he couldn’t get the job done in time. Brett Thomas took the win from Peter Thorley and Ricky Mitchell with Anthony Lambert doing a magnificent job to hold on to fourth and transfer to the A-Main. Peter Lack finished fifth ahead of Dan Murray, Melissa Boyes, Niall Chandler, Des Collier and Tony Wynne. Craig Stevenson and Matthew Butler did not finish the 15-lap event.

The 25-lap A-Main event was a sight to behold. Allan Woods started from pole position alongside Kevin Titman, with Danny Reidy, Todd Wanless, James McFadden and a very impressive Jason Bottin rounding out the top six qualifiers. Kevin Titman got the jump on the start with Allan Woods settling into second and Todd Wanless and Danny Reidy ready to pounce. But barely a lap in and the race was turned around. Allan Woods brought out the yellows, the #28 racer stranded in turn two with front wing damage. Woods restarted at the tail of the field and with a massive task ahead of him.

Kevin Titman led the restart from Wanless and Reidy, but heading through turn three the race endured another twist that changed the course of the race. Wanless was putting the pressure on Titman, trying to find a way up the inside, when contact between the right front of Wanless’ #2 and the rear end of Titman’s #59, saw Titman spin on the exit of turn three and head towards the wall – right where the luckless Danny Reidy was heading in an attempt to avoid the incident unfolding in front of him. Both Titman and Reidy were able to keep the cars on all four wheels, and the rest of the field were able to avoid the chaos, but Reidy, none too impressed, suffered sufficient damage to the front end of the NT5 racer when he made contact with the wall and was disappointingly out of the race. Titman restarted at the rear, but not before giving Wanless a little nudge to let him know how unimpressed he was.

Wanless led the restart with Scheuerle and Jason Bottin close behind. James McFadden, who had faded to seventh on the initial start, was now up to fourth and before long had found a way past Jason Bottin and into third. Meanwhile Peter Thorley was coming on strong from the back of the field, quietly working his way towards the front. Mark Pholi had a moment in turn four, nearly stalling the #14 racer. Allan Woods was left with nowhere to go, slamming into Pholi, with Pholi able to get the #14 racer moving again. Woods unfortunately stopped and was out of the race.

On the restart Both James McFadden and Darrell Hodges made their moves. Hodges slipped past Jason Bottin to secure fourth after originally starting from 12th, while James McFadden blasted around the outside of Andrew Scheuerle and set out after race leader Todd Wanless. There are more than a few Sprintcar supporters out there who believe young McFadden will be a real contender at the Australian Sprintcar Title to be held in Darwin in a little over a month – and anyone who has seen him drive like he drove last night would have to admit that he will certainly be one of the key players at that event. It only took a couple of laps for McFadden to slip around the race leader and secure the race lead for himself as the crowd erupted in a cheer of support for the talented young racer. Wanless meanwhile, nearly spun the #2 racer in turn two only moments after McFadden went past, letting Scheuerle slip through into second.

Paul Rooks had a spin in turn two, bringing out the yellows once again, with five laps left to run. Three laps into the restart and James McFadden had built a ¼ lap lead over the rest of the field, but things very nearly came undone when Brett Thomas had a spin in turn three. James went to the fence in an effort to avoid the stranded car of Thomas, hitting the wall, his right front wheel climbing the wall. James managed to keep the car moving, whilst the crowd hoped there was nothing wrong with car.

With only two laps to run it was going to be a mad dash to the chequered flag, but with the chequered flag almost in sight for the race leaders, Anthony Lambert and Adrian O’Connell came together coming out of turn four, bringing out the yellows once more and leaving two laps left on the board. James McFadden went on to take the win from Andrew Scheuerle and Todd Wanless, with Peter Thorley finally getting the advantage over Darrell Hodges to cross the line in fourth with Hodges relegated to fifth. Jason Bottin finished a very impressive sixth ahead of Kevin Titman, Mark Pholi, Ricky Mitchell, Brent Kratzmann, Anthony Lambert, Paul Rooks, Brett Thomas and Adrian O’Connell. Allan Woods and Danny Reidy were the only non-finishers of the race.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to Brisbane International Speedway next Saturday night for Round Nine of the Queensland Speedway Spares Sprintcar Series and the last hit out before our Queensland Title (to be held at BIS) the following weekend. The series points chase is really starting to heat up and with only a few rounds left to run you are not going to want to miss a moment of the racing action. See you trackside.