It promised to be a thrilling show, full of action, excitement, brilliance and frustration – and it did not disappoint. The final night of competition in the 2010 Queensland Sprintcar Title had everything a good race does – a couple of favourites, a few surprises, some unexpected fortunes and several racing lines that amounted to one of the most intensely contested Sprintcar events seen in South–East Queensland in recent years. Brisbane International Speedway played host to the event, but it was East Coast Pipelines racer Robbie Farr who eventually took the win, and the Title, with Danny Reidy, having led the first 30 laps of the race, across the line in second ahead of Todd Wanless, Bryan Mann and Allan Woods.

It was clear from even hot laps that the likes of Darrell Hodges, Andrew Scheuerle, Robbie Farr, Danny Reidy, Cameron Gessner and Todd Wanless certainly meant business and had their race faces on and were ready to put on a show. Things started the wrong way for Sprintcar new-comer Steve Johnson – Johnson inverting the #38 in turn two during hotlaps. Johnson was unscathed in the incident, the car suffered only minor damage and Johnson made it back trackside for his heat event.

Murray Gibson and Tony Wynne shared the front row of the starting line up for heat 12 of the weekend. Wynne got a great start, as did Melissa Boyes (from position four) and David Murcott (from position six), while Murray Gibson had a rough start, with the entire inside row getting caught up behind him. But with barely two laps on the board Niall Chandler at the rear of the field, tipped the fluro orange #53 racer on its side, bringing the race to a stop. It was a light roll, with the car suffering minimal damage, and once back on four wheels Niall took to the restart from the rear of the field. Tony Wynne led the restart from Wanless and Murcott, but it was the action unfolding mid-field that brought the race to another stop. Melissa Boyes, running in second, had a flat right rear tyre and spun the car side ways when she stepped on the gas coming through turn four for the restart. David Murcott and Murray Gibson collected Boyes’ front end, and each other, both lucky not to roll, while the rest of the field tried to take evasive action. Most headed low on the track, sneaking by without incident, while Robbie Farr made a hard right and headed towards the fence, hitting the concrete with some force, but continuing on despite the damage to his car. Tim Garrett, who had an absolutely amazing night on Friday night and was keen to back it up with another strong performance, was not so lucky. Running mid-track, with cars both above and below him, Garrett had no choice but to spin the Brisbane Foundry #31 racer, slamming side-on into Boyes and tipping the orange racer on its side. Both Garrett and Boyes were uninjured in the event, but their cars were sidelined for the rest of the night with significant damage. Tony Wynne went on to take the win from David Murcott while Andrew Scheuerle drove a strong race to finish third after starting towards the tail of the field. Kevin Titman crossed the line in fourth ahead of Robbie Farr, Allan Woods, Niall Chandler and Murray Gibson. Melissa Boyes and Tim Garrett were the only non-finishers.

Des Collier got the jump on the start of Heat 13, but Adrian O’Connell quickly moved into the race lead. Danny Reidy was coming from the back of the field when he tipped the NT5 racer on its side in turn two. Danny restarted at the rear of the field as Adrian O’Connell led them away, with Richard Morgan putting the pressure on Des Collier before slipping into second. Darrell Hodges and Cameron Gessner were both making progress through the field, while Richard Morgan found a way past Adrian O’Connell into the race lead, when Des Collier spun the #63 racer in turn four with two laps left to run. Morgan led the restart from O’Connell, Dan Murray and Gessner, but Gessner was most certainly a man on a mission and wasted no time slipping past Murray and putting the pressure on O’Connell. Richard Morgan took the win while Gessner made one last attempt to get past O’Connell coming out of the final bend. The pair raced wheel-to-wheel across the line, Gessner securing second by a tiny 0.072 seconds, leaving Adrian O’Connell to settle for third. Dan Murray finished fourth ahead of Darrell Hodges, Danny Reidy, Peter Lack, Brett Thomas, Steven Wright and Des Collier. Anthony Lambert did not finish the event.

Heat 14, the final Sprintcar heat of the weekend, took to the track with Ronnie Barber from pole and Jason Bottin alongside. But it was Mark Pholi, from the second row of the starting line up, who got a brilliant start and quickly slipped into the race lead, driving a faultless race out in front. It was behind him where the action was unfolding – James McFadden and Peter Thorley were embroiled in their own battle, together working their way towards the front end of the field, when James spun in turn four, leaving Thorley with nowhere to go. Thorley spun into McFadden to lessen the impact and while both cars restarted at the rear of the field, Thorley suffered a flat right front tyre, making his job just a little bit tougher. Mark Pholi led the restart, with Jason Bottin doing a great job in second, but Bryan Mann, third, and Todd Wanless, fourth, were going to give it their all. Mann was attempting an inside pass on Bottin when he spun the #16 racer in turn two. Wanless, with nowhere to go, climbed over the front end of Mann’s racer and tipped his own #2 racer over while ripping apart Mann’s front wing. Wanless restarted at the rear of the field, his main wing somewhat mangled, with three laps left to run. Mark Pholi was strong out in front, untouchable over the remaining three laps, and went on to take the win, while Bryan Mann in second struggled to hold on and Ricky Mitchell determined to slip into second. Mann and Mitchell drag raced to the line coming out of turn four for the final time, with Mitchell stealing second place honours by only 0.060 seconds, with Bryan Mann officially third. David Muir came home in fourth and led James McFadden, Matthew Butler, Peter Thorley, Todd Wanless, Jason Bottin and Steven Johnson across the line. Ronnie Barber did not finish the event.

The C-Main was cancelled, due in part to dwindling Sprintcar numbers and a lengthy delay early in the night when former Sprintcar racer Wayne Lemon became trapped in his wingless Sprint. Last reports had Wayne sore and bruised and being kept in hospital over night for observation, but otherwise recovering well. Sprintcars Queensland wish Wayne a speedy recovery.

The top six qualifiers of the weekend hit the track for the A-Dash, with Robbie Farr the highest points scorer across the weekend and Danny Reidy clearly on his game and ready to fight. Farr and Reidy raced side-by-side through the opening corners, with young Reidy eventually getting the advantage in a thrilling race that was a six-lap preview of what was to come in the A-Main race. With Reidy out in front, Farr was forced to get on the defensive when James McFadden put the pressure on. Danny Reidy went on to take the win, earning himself pole position for the Qld Title race, with Robbie Farr in second ahead of James McFadden and a very impressive Darrell Hodges, with Andrew Scheuerle and Todd Wanless rounding out the field.

The B-Dash, for positions 7 through 12 in the A-Main line-up, saw Allan Woods line up in pole position, with Richard Morgan alongside. Woods got the jump on the start with Morgan settling into second. Peter Thorley slipped past Peter Lack when Lack ran too high into turn four, but with the white flag in sight things came undone for race lead Woods. Big Al had a comfortable lead over the rest of the field when he bounced through a rut in turn three and inverted the #28 racer. With significant damage to both his wings Woods restarted and circulated slowly on the inside edge of the track in order to finish the event. Richard Morgan inherited the race lead and with two laps to go was not about to surrender without a fight. Morgan went on to take the win with Peter Thorley home in second ahead of Peter Lack, Bryan Mann, David Murcott and Allan Woods.

The front row of the 20-lap B-Main saw Cameron Gessner and David Muir line up alongside each other, both desperately keen to get a win on the board and get their cars dialled in before the night’s A-Main race. It was Gessner who got the early advantage and once in the lead he never surrendered his position, but young Muir fought hard, the pair racing away from the rest of the field, enmeshed in their own battle. Team-mates Mark Pholi and Adrian O’Connell raced wheel-to-wheel for most of the race, only just outside the top six transfer positions, while Anthony Lambert seemed to have finally sorted the mechanical issues that plagued him all weekend and was coming through the field. Dan Murray was impressive, having a magnificent run after starting from position seven and eventually working his way into third. Cameron Gessner went on to take the win with David Muir in second ahead of Dan Murray and Ricky Mitchell, with Kevin Titman and Adrian O’Connell securing fifth and sixth respectively and becoming the final two cars to transfer to the A-Main event. Tony Wynne ran well inside the top six for much of the race but faded to seventh by the time the chequered flag flew, while Mark Pholi crossed the line in eighth ahead of Steven Wright, Matthew Butler, Anthony Lambert, Steven Johnson, Des Collier, Murray Gibson and Niall Chandler. Brett Thomas and Ronnie Barber did not finish the race.

The 35-lap A-Main event, the race for the 2010 Queensland Sprintcar Title, was a sight to behold. Danny Reidy and Robbie Farr off the front row with defending Champion James McFadden and hard-charger Darrell Hodges hot on their heels. Reidy and Farr raced side-by-side through the opening turns with Reidy ultimately securing the advantage, leaving Farr in second trying to keep James McFadden behind him. Barely two laps in and we had the first red light stoppage of the race – James McFadden having tipped on his side in turn two. James took to the restart from the rear of the field with a massive task ahead of him and quietly set about working his way towards the front of the field. With 33 laps to run Reidy led the start with Farr in second and Hodges having a big go at trying to make his way into second. Hodges was in impressive form, but Farr had the edge and managed to hang on.

Meanwhile, in the opening two laps, Cameron Gessner had already made his way past half a dozen cars, and within only a few more was up to an incredible sixth and well and truely back in the chase for Title honours. Further back in the field Peter Lack backed into the turn two wall, before Kevin Titman gave Allan Woods a little help spinning the #28 racer in turn four, right as Andrew Scheuerle found a way past Todd Wanless.

Reidy continued to lead from Farr and Hodges with Wanless getting his position back and relegating Scheuerle to fifth ahead of his cousin Cameron Gessner. It was quite clear Gessner and his crew had the #68 set up beautifully, Cameron seeming to have more drive than most of his competitors, and he made short work of slipping past his cousin and into fifth.

Meanwhile James McFadden was passing the back half of the field as if they weren’t moving, elbows up and getting down to the job at hand, driving a fast but smart race. Things came undone for McFadden however when he came to pass Kevin Titman. Heading down the back straight, McFadden going around the outside of Titman, contact between Titman’s right rear and McFadden’s left rear left James with a deflated tyre. This however did not stop James going through turn three at full noise, still on the outside of Titman who was desperately trying to hang on to his position. It did not stop James extending his left arm giving Titman a hand gesture that let his fellow racer know how unimpressed he was with his driving. Titman, attempting to slide back underneath James and steal his position back, ran over McFadden’s front end, ripping the axle out and leaving James stranded on the track in the middle of turn four. Titman himself was exceptionally lucky not to roll and in fact restarted the race from the rear of the field.

With McFadden out of the race, all eyes were on the fast moving Gessner and although he had to slip back in behind his cousin, Gessner was far from out of the picture. Danny Reidy led the restart and while Robbie Farr had a big look, Reidy seemed too strong and drove away again. Still with only 14 laps complete, David Murcott spun into the turn one wall, with Kevin Titman spinning to join him against the concrete. Titman once again restarted at the rear of the field, but Murcott was out of the race with a flat left rear tyre. With 21 laps left to run, it was all about Danny Reidy, who opened up a small but comfortable led when the race got underway once more. Todd Wanless, who took to the restart from position four, quickly slipped past Darrell Hodges, and even managed to find a way past Robbie Farr to slip, albeit briefly, into second. Allan Woods and Richard Morgan were having their own race mid field, while Peter Thorley was trying to find a way forward.

With 8 laps left to run Thorley spun in turn two, bringing the race under caution once more and bunching the field back up. Thorley restarted at the rear of the field, but two laps later Kevin Titman brought out the red lights when he inverted the #59 racer in turn two. It was exactly what Danny Reidy did not need and while he led the restart, Farr made a huge passing move through turn one, snatching the race lead from Reidy with only five laps to run. Reidy had nothing for Farr, but had to go to work trying to defend second place form Cameron Gessner. Gessner seemed to get stronger as the race wore on and was sitting in third with the white flag in the air, and the chequered flag only a couple of corners away when disaster struck for the popular racer. Gessner was tearing down the back straight on the last lap when he clipped the concrete wall and cut down his right rear tyre. Trying desperately to hang on Gessner became nothing more than a passenger as the #68 racer headed for the wall in turn three, unable to make the turn. Gessner collided with wall, tipping the car over and bring out the red light as Robbie Farr greeted the chequered flag.

Robbie Farr was crowned the 2010 Queensland Sprintcar Champion, while Danny Reidy crossed the line in second and Todd Wanless inherited third place when Gessner crashed out. Bryan Mann finished fourth ahead of Allan Woods, Andrew Scheuerle, David Muir, Darrell Hodges, Dan Murray, Richard Morgan and Peter Thorley. Cameron Gessner, Kevin Titman, David Murcott, Ricky Mitchell, James McFadden, Adrian O’Connell and Peter Lack all failed to complete the full race distance.

Sprintcars Queensland would like to congratulate Robbie Farr on his win, as well as all the drivers and teams for a job well done this weekend. Thanks to all the drivers, teams, officials and volunteers who helped make this weekend all that it was. Sprintcars Queensland will return to Brisbane International Speedway next Saturday night for another Round of the Queensland Speedway Spares Sprintcar Series – you will not want to miss this one!




Many Thanks also to Baron Media for supplying the above photo. Check out their website (www.baronmedia.com.au) for more of their photos from this weekends racing action.