Round 11 of the KRE Sprintcar Series put on a spectacular for race fans at SuperCheap Auto Archerfield Speedway last night with a strong field of 26 Sprintcars hitting the track. When Danny Reidy drew the double points marble at drivers briefing an additional element was added to the nights competition, and with double points on the line, and the championship drawing closer to the end, there was going to be no holding back. While the early part of the night saw several drivers qualifying further back in the field than they usually do, and Danny Reidy, Darren Jensen and Robbie Farr each with their own separate problems in the opening round of heats, it was a fierce feature race battle. Jamie Bricknell, having his second drive in the Titan Garages #36 racer, lead the first half of the feature event, before Brisbane local Kevin Titman took over at half race distance and looked almost certain to take his maiden feature race win. Unfortunately for Titman a spin in turn four in the closing stages of the race handed the lead to Scheuerle and while Luke Oldfield had a brilliant run and pushed Scheuerle all the way to the line, it would seem there is no stopping Andrew Scheuerle at the moment. Scheuerle took the win, bagging some very valuable points in the process with Luke Oldfield, who is one of Scheuerle's nearest competition in the points battle, across the line in second, with Jamie Bricknell rounding out the podium. Robbie Farr and Paul Rooks completed the top five.

Qualifying got underway with individual time trials from the infield. Third on track was David Muir, making his return to the race track, this time in the Q3 racer usually driven by Joel Millar. Muir initially held the fastest time, an 11.913 seconds, but as the qualifying session progressed he faded to 11th. Jamie Bricknell impressed, topping the leader board with a blistering 11.588 while Bryan Mann, despite being the last car to hit the track, came in second quickest with an 11.607, just 0.019 slower than Bricknell. Danny Reidy has been having an inspiring run lately, and managed to secure the third fastest qualifying time of the night, with Paul Rooks and Kevin Titman completing the fastest five. The top thirteen qualifying all recorded laps in the 11-second bracket, while less than one second separated the top 23 cars.

Heat one got underway with Melissa Boyes and Steven Johnson sharing the front row for the start of the 10-lap journey. Boyes got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead. Johnson held down second but came under instant pressure from a hard-charging Terry Bracken. Dan Murray found himself sandwiched between Andrew Scheuerle on the high side and Robbie Farr on the low line. Steven Johnson brought the race under caution when he spun in turn four at the end of the second lap. Boyes led the restart from Bracken and Scheuerle with Scheuerle immediately searching for a way past, only to find both Farr and Bricknell on his tail. The yellows came on again just two laps from home when Mark Pholi spun the Q14 racer in turn four, with Dan Murray also caught up while trying to take evasive action. Boyes again led the restart and drove a strong race but Robbie Farr captured everyone’s attention when he failed to go on the restart, and very quickly faded to the rear of the field, limping the Q7 racer across the line. Melissa Boyes took the win, holding off Terry Bracken and Andrew Scheuerle, while Jamie Bricknell finished a very respectable fourth. Matthew Butler, Steven Johnson, Dan Murray and Robbie Farr, with front end damage, rounded out the finishers while Mark Pholi failed to finish the event.

Heat two started with Steven Rowell and Anthony Lambert from the front row, and while the pair raced side by side into the first corner it was Lambert who managed to secure the race lead. Rowell held second as the field headed down the back straight but after Rowell and Mick Sauer nearly came together, Rowell ended up on the low line, Sauer high near the fence and a wide open gap for Brent Kratzmann, Bryan Mann and Brad Ayers to slip through. Rowell and Ayers had a great battle for a few laps, with Rowell getting back in front of Ayers before spinning in turn two and leaving Ayers nowhere to go. Rowell was unable to restart the event but Ayers rejoined at the rear of the field. Lambert led the restart with Kratzmann and Mann right on his tail, but Mann, while trying to find a way past Kratzmann, soon became embroiled in an intense battle with Kevin Titman that ultimately saw Titman slip by Mann. Anthony Lambert went on to take the win with Brent Kratzmann in second ahead of Kevin Titman and Bryan Mann, with David Muir, Mick Sauer, Brad Ayers and James Grady rounding out the finishers. Steven Rowell did not finish the race.

Paul Morris and Scott Lyddiard lined up alongside each other for the start of heat three with Andrew Liebke and David Whell close behind. Morris got a brilliant start and quickly secured the race lead while Luke Oldfield, from towards the rear of the field, blasted around the outside. Oldfield was flying on the high side but when he momentarily got stuck behind Whell, Liebke seized the opportunity on the low line coming out of turn two and slipped into third. Oldfield quickly changed lines and was running the low line beautifully heading into turn three, with Whell running a little high, when Lyddiard, then in second, spun in turn four. Liebke managed to spin his #47 racer just in time to miss the Lyddiard car, and Oldfield was low enough that he was just able to slip past both cars without incident. But it was Darren Jensen who, with several cars in front of him, didn’t see Lyddiard until it was too late. With no room to move and little time to react, Jensen collected the #13 racer, doing extensive damage to the rear end of his own car. Paul Rooks tried to pull up before making contact but there was nothing he could do. Both Jensen and Lyddiard were unable to restart the event. Paul Morris and David Whell shared the front row for the full restart, with Andrew Liebke and Luke Oldfield ready to strike from the second row. The leading duo drag-raced side-by-side into turn one, with David Whell getting the advantage and settling into the race lead. Morris held down second, and despite pressure from Oldfield had his sights set on the race lead. Taking to the low line only a couple of laps in, and pulling a huge wheel stand down the back straight, Morris stole the race lead and began opening a comfortable lead over the rest of the field. Danny Reidy was on a charge, in magnificent form as he found his way past both Whell and Oldfield in less than a lap. Unfortunately for Reidy though his night was about to come to a very premature and disappointing end. A few laps later Reidy suffered major engine dramas that would end his night of competition, a devastating blow to his points tally on a double-points night. Paul Morris took the win with Luke Oldfield in second and David Whell having a great drive to finish third. Paul Rooks and Andrew Liebke rounded out the finishers, while Danny Reidy, Darren Jensen and Scott Lyddiard all failed to finish the event.

Heat four started with Steven Rowell from pole position with Anthony Lambert elevated to the front row when Darren Jensen failed to make it trackside after his earlier crash. Rowell got the jump on the start but Lambert was not about to give up without a fight and fought back hard on the high line. Unfortunately for both drivers contact between them saw Lambert ride the right rear of Rowell before colliding heavily with the turn two fence, while Rowell was left with a flat right rear. Neither driver was injured in the incident but both were out of the race. A full race restart followed with Melissa Boyes and Terry Bracken, who was originally scheduled to start from position five, now off the front row. Bracken got a great start from the front row, but Boyes was determined and did not surrender the lead easily. She fought back hard on the low line, the pair side-by-side through the opening couple of corners before Bracken managed to secure the lead. Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann had a thrilling battle at the tail of the field, each showing a level of professionalism while putting on a brilliant show for race fans. Terry Bracken went on to take the win with Melissa Boyes holding on to finish second ahead of Jamie Bricknell, Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann. Steven Rowell and Anthony Lambert did not finish the event.

Heat five saw James Grady from pole position and Steven Johnson alongside. Grady was ahead as they crossed the line but Johnson was spectacular on the highline, not only catching Grady but stealing the lead as the pair exited turn two. Andrew Liebke and Robbie Farr, who had shared the second row of the grid for the start, held nothing back, with Farr making impressive ground on the high side and managed to secure the advantage over Liebke. Liebke too took to the high line, and when Farr got a little too high in turn three (only moments after passing Grady), Grady, Liebke and Mark Pholi were able to slip through. That one rare mistake only made Farr more determined though and it took him less than a lap to navigate his way past Pholi, Liebke and Grady and set his sights on Steven Johnson in the race lead. It only took Farr a couple of laps to catch Johnson, then only a lap and a half to find his way past and into the race lead. Meanwhile further back in the field Mark Pholi was having a great run in the Q14 racer, fighting off and even passing some of his more experienced rivals. Robbie Farr went on to take the win with Steven Johnson across the line in second and Mark Pholi home in third. Bryan Mann, Andrew Scheuerle, Andrew Liebke, Brad Ayers and James Grady rounded out the field.

The sixth and final heat of the night saw Matthew Butler and Dan Murray set to battle it out from the front row, with Butler securing the lead when the lights went green, and Murray settling into second. Mick Sauer and Paul Morris however really put on a great show as they argued over the minor places and exchanged positions several times until Morris spun the #67 racer in turn two. Morris was able to keep the car moving and avoid a yellow light stoppage, but ended up rear of the field. Sauer didn’t gain any breathing room though, because as soon as Morris was no longer part of the fight, Kevin Titman took his place, putting all kinds of pressure on Sauer before eventually getting by in turn three. Sauer fought back hard but couldn’t quite pull it off. No one had anything for Matthew Butler out in front though and he went on to take the win, leading Dan Murray, Kevin Titman, Mick Sauer, David Muir, David Whell, Paul Rooks and Paul Morris across the line.

Jamie Bricknell was highest on points heading into the dash event and started the six-lap journey from pole position with Bryan Mann alongside. Bricknell and Mann raced two-abreast into the opening corners, but it was Mann who emerged in front, leaving Bricknell to fight off the advances of Luke Oldfield and Kevin Titman. In fact, Bricknell, Oldfield and Titman had a great battle over the minor places, with fierce, aggressive but clean racing that kept the crowd captivated. Bryan Mann went on to take the win with Jamie Bricknell to join him on the front row for the start of the A-main after crossing the line second in the Dash. Luke Oldfield and Kevin Titman were next across the line, with Terry Bracken and Paul Rooks rounding out the dash finishers.

Ten cars took to the track for the B-Main event, with only the top four finsihers to transfer to the back of the A-Main event. David Whell and Steven Johnson started alongside each other on the front row, with Matthew Butler and Dan Murray close behind. Darren Jensen and Scott Lyddiard had both made it back trackside after missing the second round of heats due to damage sustained in the first heat incident, and Jensen in particular was on a mission to get to the front. Whell got the jump on the start and Johnson settled into second ahead of Butler and Murray, while all eyes were watching Jensen try to make his way to the front. As Jensen strategically made his way closer to the front, Johnson lost positions to both Butler and Paul Morris and soon found himself in the final transfer position with Jensen right on his tail. Just as Jensen was attempting a passing move, the race was brought under caution for the spun car of James Grady in turn one. Whell led the restart from Butler and Morris and while Johnson and Jensen argued over the final transfer position, Butler put all sorts of pressure on Whell as he fought for the race lead. Jensen found a way past Johnson before making short work of both Paul Morris and David Whell and setting his sights on the race leader. Matthew Butler went on to take the race win and earn a transfer to the A-main, taking Darren Jensen, David Whell and Paul Morris with him. Steven Johnson finished fifth ahead of Dan Murray, Scott Lyddiard, James Grady and Andrew Liebke, who had almost spun the Q47 racer in turn two of the final lap. Steven Rowell did not finish the event.

Once again the A-Main was a sight to behold with a strong field of eighteen cars lined up and 30-laps on the board. Bryan Mann was the pole-sitter, with Jamie Bricknell alongside with Luke Oldfield and Kevin Titman, who are both knocking on the door of A-Main victories right behind. Terry Bracken and Paul Rooks were right in the mix too but just outside the top six were Andrew Scheuerle, Robbie Farr and David Muir, none of whom can be easily discounted in any event, regardless of starting position. It was an action packed race, starting right from the fall of the green flag. Jamie Bricknell got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, but was soon challenged by Luke Oldfield who had quickly slipped past Mann and into second. Oldfield, while still relatively new to Sprintcars, has been racing speedway for years and has a lot of laps under his belt. His is a very aggressive racer and last night’s performance was no different, displaying a great deal of professionalism, passion and skill and allowing just enough room to keep the racing clean. He held nothing back as he put the pressure on Bricknell, the two drivers really putting on a spectacular show as they fought for the race lead, while further back in the field Andrew Scheuerle and Robbie Farr bided their time and had their own intense battle. Scheuerle and Farr exchanged positions several times, but as the race wore on it was Scheuerle who managed to secure the advantage and move a little closer to the front. The battle for the lead was really heating up, with Oldfield relentless on the low line and Bricknell not prepared to surrender the position. They spent several laps side-by-side, with Oldfield managing to sneak his nose just in front on several occasions. Bricknell was always able to fight back though and maintain his lead, but as Oldfield attempted another inside passing move, the race was brought under caution for the stranded car of David Whell in turn four. Whell did not restart the event and David Muir retired from the race.

Bricknell and Oldfield led the restart while Kevin Titman was really putting the pressure on Bryan Mann while Scheuerle and Farr continued their slow climb towards the front. Darren Jensen was quietly working his way closer to the front when he spun the #75 racer in turn four. While Jensen was lucky not to be collected by the rest of the oncoming field, he was relegated to the rear of the field. Not one to be easily discouraged, upon the restart Jensen was quick to get back to the job at hand, and set about passing cars and working his way towards the front. Bricknell again led the restart but when Oldfield made a small mistake in turn two, Titman saw that as all the invitation he needed and he quickly slipped through the open door and into second. Oldfield fought back hard, but Bryan Mann was part of this intense battle too and made his way in front of Oldfield. It didn’t last long though, with Oldfield quickly passing Mann and leaving him to contend with Andrew Scheuerle behind. After only a couple of laps the race was under caution once more, this time Melissa Boyes was stranded mid-track coming out of turn four.

Jamie Bricknell led the restart from Kevin Titman and while Andrew Scheuelre was making impressive ground as he challenged Luke Oldfield for the minor places, it was hard to tear your eyes from Bricknell and Titman as they argued over the lead of the race. Titman took to the low line and when the restart was less than one lap old, managed to slip by and steal the lead. Bricknell fought back valiantly on the high side, running side-by-side with Titman for a solid lap before Titman managed to secure advantage and Bricknell was resigned to second but still fighting right on Titman’s tail. Melissa Boyes soon brought the race under caution once more after again spinning the #8 racer in turn four. She was relegated to the infield as Titman led the restart with thirteen laps left to run. Mann and Oldfield had a thrilling battle over the minor places with Oldfield getting back in front of Mann just before the race was under caution once more. Paul Morris had spun the SuperCheap Auto #67 racer in turn four with 11 laps left to run.

Kevin Titman, looking very strong in the race lead and a good chance of securing his maiden A-Main victory, led the restart with series leader Andrew Scheuerle right on his tail. Titman was brilliant out in front, opening a comfortable lead on Scheuerle when the race resumed, while Bricknell, Mann and Oldfield had a tight three-way battle. Four laps in, with seven laps left to run and the race was under caution again, only this time it was race leader Kevin Titman who had spun the #59 racer in turn four, and been collected by Bryan Mann. Both drivers were able to restart the event, at the rear of the field, no doubt shattered that what had been such a strong race for both was going to end with the pair buried in the field.

Andrew Scheuerle has had a truly incredible run of late, be it skill, sheer luck or a combination of both, and has really been difficult to beat. After a somewhat ordinary start to the night by his own standards Scheuerle must have had a grin a mile wide when he inherited the race lead with only seven laps to run. It was a gruelling seven laps no doubt, and Scheuerle certainly worked hard to hang on to the lead with both Bricknell and Oldfield right on his tail but from the front there really was little anyone could do to stop Scheuerle. Andrew went on to take the win with Luke Oldfield an impressive second and Jamie Bricknell a solid third in only his second night in the Titan Garages racer. Robbie Farr and Paul Rooks rounded out the top five and led Terry Bracken, Matthew Butler, Mark Pholi, Darren Jensen, Brent Kratzmann, Brad Ayers, Bryan Mann, Mick Sauer, Paul Morris and Kevin Titman across the line. Melissa Boyes, David Muir and David Whell all failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will take next weekend off racing before returning to SuperCheap Auto Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 29 March 2014 for Round 12 of the KRE Sprintcar Series. Can anyone stop Andrew Scheuerle? Can Kevin Titman get his maiden A-Main victory? Will Luke Oldfield dominate the field in Brisbane? Will Danny Reidy or Darren Jensen have a little luck on their side for a change? Only one thing is certain – you don’t want to miss a minute of the racing action. While there are still a number of events before the Queensland season wraps up, with over two months of racing to go before our season finishes, points are on the line and every point counts. These Sprintcar Stars are holding nothing back and putting on breathtaking show every week, so get yourself trackside and see them for yourself! Come and cheer on your favourite and pop on down to the pits after the meeting to say hello, grab an autograph and have a chat with the drivers and their crews!