Night Two of the East Coast Logistics Tri-City Shootout at SuperCheap Auto Archerfield Speedway last night was a show not to be missed. The action was relentless and with four current or past Australian Sprintcar Champions in the mix with all the local stars, many on a mission to regain ground lost after a somewhat disappointing run in Maryborough on Friday night, it was every man for himself the moment the first light turned green. James McFadden dominated the finals, earning pole position in the A-Main after transferring from the Bronze Shootout and winning the Gold. McFadden was in truly magnificent form for the A-Main, leading every lap almost effortlessly, and managed to lap over half the field when the middle part of the A-Main ran 26 laps without a stop. While Brazier stayed close to McFadden for much of the race, there was little he could do to reel him in. Brazier and Andrew Scheuerle had a great race for the minor places with David Murcott, Robbie Farr and Danny Reidy all putting on a breath-taking show while arguing over the minor places. James McFadden took the win, cementing his place atop the points ladder for the weekend’s racing, with Garry Brazier in second last night ahead of Andrew Scheuerle and David Murcott, with Danny Reidy rounding out the top five after both Murcott and Reidy got by Robbie Farr with only two laps left to run.

Thirty cars took to the track for qualifying, with Darren Silcock the only competitor from Friday night to not make it back trackside for night two. James Grady and Dan Murray joined the field but it was David Murcott who was once again the fastest qualifier, stopping the clock at 11.635 seconds, just 0.117 second ahead of Andrew Scheuerle in second. Jamie Bricknell stopped the clock at 11.805 seconds to sit in third at the conclusion of qualifying with Garry Brazier in fourth. Danny Reidy and Jordyn Brazier qualified in fifth and sixth respectively, with both drivers recording the exact same time, an 11.857, just nine thousandths of a second slower than Garry Brazier. The rest of the top ten cars – Peter Lack, Brad Ayers, James McFadden and Brent Kratzmann – all dipped into the 11-second bracket, while the top 26 cars were separated by less than one second.

Heat one got underway with David Whell and Bryan Mann from the front row and Paul Morris and Robbie Farr close behind. Mann got the jump on the start with Whell settling into second, but with Robbie Farr determined to get past. It didn’t take long before Farr moved into second and set his sights on trying to close the gap that Mann had already created in the race lead. Whell soon found himself under enormous pressure from both Peter Lack and David Murcott, and while Lack searched high and low, Whell did a remarkable job to maintain his position for several laps. Lack attempted an inside passing move heading through turn four, with Murcott also having a look, but contact between Lack and Murcott left Murcott stranded on the edge of the track in turn four and brought the race under caution. Bryan Mann led the restart with eight laps left to run and Robbie Farr right on his tail with both Mann and Farr opening a sizable margin over the field once the race resumed. Whell and Lack resumed their battle, with Lack taking to the highline in an effort to get past, only to bounce wildly through turn three and loose some ground on Whell while letting Mick Sauer, Paul Morris and Jordyn Brazier close in. Lack managed to pull away a little before a flat left rear tyre saw him spend the last half of the race slowly circulating on the inner edge of the track out of harms way but still securing some very valuable points. Meanwhile things were certainly heating up on the track, with Mick Sauer and Jordyn Brazier having a thrilling battle while closing in on David Whell. Whell and Sauer were brilliant to watch, with Sauer managing to slip by Whell in the final corner and the pair drag-raced side-by-side across the line. Bryan Mann took the win ahead of Robbie Farr in second and Mick Sauer in third. David Whell finished an impressive fourth ahead of Jordyn Brazier, Paul Morris, David Murcott, Dan Moes, Kristy Bonsey and Peter Lack.

Dan Murray and Luke Oldfield shared the front row for the start of heat two. Oldfield got the jump on the start with Murray settling into second while Brodie Tulloch settled for third. Kevin Titman made his way past Luca Cox to steal fourth while Danny Reidy and Andrew Scheuerle both worked the low line beautifully to advance through the field. A few laps in and Reidy was attempting to get past Cox when contact between the pair in turn two nearly ended in disaster. Cox managed to hang on to his position while Reidy dropped back a car length or two, and now found Scheuerle right on his tail. At the back of the field Brad Ayers and Melissa Boyes were embroiled in a fierce battle for the minor places, the two both putting in impressive drives with Ayers loosing a little ground after pulling a massive wheel stand down the main straight, only moments before Boyes spun in turn two. Ayers clipped the stranded Boyes racer as he rounded the corner but was able to avoid a more serious impact. Boyes restarted at the rear of the field with five laps to run and Oldfield, Murray and Tulloch to lead the field away. Oldfield opened a huge lead while Kevin Titman put all sorts of pressure on the back of Tulloch, with Reidy and Scheuerle soon joining the battle. Luke Oldfield took the win with Dan Murray in second ahead of Brodie Tulloch, Kevin Titman, Danny Reidy, Andrew Scheuerle, Brad Ayers, Stephen Greer and Melissa Boyes. Luca Cox pulled out of the event after completing only four laps.

Andrew Marks and Anthony Lambert shared the front row for the start of the third heat, with Lambert initially securing the race lead. Unfortunately for Lambert officials deemed him to have jumped the start and the race was brought under caution, with Lambert being relegated to the second row for the second attempted start. Marks now shared the front with Darren Jensen, with Jensen getting the jump on the start and Lambert quick to follow him on the high line. Over the first two laps of the race Marks faded and hard chargers James McFadden, Jamie Bricknell and Brent Aprile all came charging through. But when Garry Brazier tried to follow the others through on the low line, Marks fought back hard mid-track and managed to keep the former Australian Champion behind him. Marks and Brazier had a thrilling duel, with Brazier searching high and low for a way past, waiting for Marks to make a mistake. Things were really starting to heat up between Marks and Brazier when the race for brought under caution for young Brent Aprile who had slowed to a stop in turn four, his right rear tyre shredded. Darren Jensen led the restart with James McFadden on his tail and two laps left to run. Garry Brazier spent another lap searching for a way past Marks before committing to the highline and finally running around the outside with just one lap left to run, while Jamie Bricknell stepped up the pressure on Anthony Lambert, the pair passing the chequered flag side-by-side, with Lambert securing third by just three hundredths of a second. Darren Jensen was first to greet the chequered flag with James McFadden home in second ahead of Anthony Lambert, Jamie Bricknell, Garry Brazier, Andrew Marks, Brent Kratzmann and Blake Skipper. Brent Aprile and James Grady both failed to finish the event.

Brent Aprile and Anthony Lambert shared the front row for the start of heat four, with Aprile getting the jump on the start. But Lambert was on the high line and found some good traction to power around the outside and steal the lead by the time they hit turn two. Peter Lack was, as always, impressive on the highline, blasting around the outside of Dan Murray to secure third before the end of the back straight. Lambert however got too loose on the highline in turn four, half-spinning the Q90 racer and headed down track. There was little Aprile could to, the leading duo making contact, with Aprile left on his side as the rest of the field took evasive action. Aprile was not hurt in the incident, but would take no further part in the nights competition. Lambert restarted the event at the rear of the field with Dan Murray and Peter Lack the new front row. Both Murray and Lack got great starts and they raced side-by-side towards the first corner, but it was Lack on the high side who powered ahead into the race lead, as further back in the field James McFadden and Jamie Bricknell were trying to work their way forward. McFadden tried a bold inside passing move on Darren Jensen in turn two, not quite able to pull it off, and opened the door just enough for Jamie Bricknell to slip through. Bricknell and Jensen were relentless, pulling away a little from McFadden and quickly closing in on the tail of Dan Murray, the pair really put on a great show for the race fans. After a few laps of battling on the tail of Murray, Jensen and Bricknell were soon re-joined by McFadden who had made up lost ground and was on a mission to get to the front. It took a lap but McFadden worked the highline to his advantage and ran around the outside of Bricknell, while Jensen kept the pressure on Murray, managing to slip by on the inside on the final corner of the race. Murray fought back hard as they raced towards the chequered flag, but couldn’t quite get the job done. Peter Lack went on to take the win, with a margin of a little over four seconds or about a third of a lap, with Darren Jensen officially second ahead of Dan Murray, James McFadden, Jamie Bricknell, Jordyn Brazier, Dan Moes, Anthony Lambert and James Grady. Brent Aprile did not finish the event.

Luca Cox and Paul Morris led the field away for the start of the fifth heat of the night with Morris getting the jump on the start and settling into the race lead. Luca Cox secured second but spun the N91 car in turn two, leaving Brent Kratzmann, Robbie Farr and David Murcott nowhere to go. All cars restarted the race but Murcott had significant damage to his car and circulated slowly at the rear of the field before pulling out of the race having been given the mechanical defect flag. Mick Sauer and Paul Morris shared the front row for the restart with Morris securing the race lead while further back in the field Brent Kratzmann and Danny Reidy argued over the minor places. Robbie Farr was soon all over the back of the Mick Sauer searching for a way past, but Sauer had a great drive to hold off his more experienced rival. Brodie Tulloch was chasing on the tail of Brent Kratzmann, until Melissa Boyes spun the Q8 racer in turn four and brought the race under caution. On the restart both Kratzmann and Tulloch, and Farr and Sauer resumed their battles, with Farr eventually getting past Sauer and setting his sights on Paul Morris. Farr was magnificent on the highline, timing his run perfectly and blasting around the outside of Morris just in time to steal the heat win. Morris crossed the line in second and led Mick Sauer, Danny Reidy, Brodie Tulloch, Brent Kratzmann, Melissa Boyes, Luca Cox and Kristy Bonsey across the line. David Murcott was the last official place getter.

The final heat of the night saw Andrew Marks and David Whell share the front row for the start. Whell got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, but Bryan Mann was quick to find a fast groove on the highline and quickly blasted around the outside the steal the lead when the race was only half a lap old. Andrew Marks worked the low line to steal second from Whell as they rounded turn four, but before the long the race was brought under caution, with Stephen Greer spun to a stop in turn one. Mann led the restart from Marks and Whell, with Whell soon dropping back as Luke Oldfield and Kevin Titman came charging through. Oldfield and Titman went on to have a brilliant race and both were able to find their way past Marks. Bryan Mann was unstoppable in the race lead and went on to take the race win, with Kevin Titman in second ahead of Luke Oldfield in third. Andrew Scheuerle finished a very respectable fourth and led Garry Brazier, Andrew Marks, Brad Ayers, David Whell and Stephen Greer across the line. Blake Skipper did not finish the race.

The top eight qualifiers took to the track for the Shootout events, with James McFadden, Kevin Titman, Robbie Farr and Darren Jensen first up to contest the Bronze Shootout. McFadden was in a class of his own, the only car in the Bronze Shootout to break into the 11-second bracket, stopping the clock at 11.938 seconds. Robbie Farr was only 0.102 seconds behind and would transfer with McFadden to the Silver Shootout. Darren Jensen and Kevin Titman would start the A-Main from positions seven and eight respectively.

Garry Brazier and Danny Reidy joined James McFadden and Robbie Farr on track for the Silver Shootout, with this time all four cars going sub 12 seconds. Garry Brazier was quickest with an 11.645 seconds, while James McFadden was second quickest with an 11.732 enough to see him transfer to the Gold Shootout. Danny Reidy and Robbie Farr would start the A-Main from positions five and six respectively.

Andrew Scheuerle and Jamie Bricknell joined Garry Brazier and James McFadden for the Gold Shootout, and while all the times were again exceptionally close, only 0.158 seconds separated fastest and slowest, it was James McFadden who secured the win and secured pole position for the A-Main. Andrew Scheuerle and Jamie Bricknell would share the second row of the A-Main starting line up.

Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann led the start of the B-Main event, with Oldfield quickly securing the race lead when the lights went green. Kratzmann settled in second with Dan Murray in third while Brodie Tulloch and Paul Morris argued over fourth. Anthony Lambert, Andrew Marks and Luca Cox battled for the minor places for the first few laps often running two wide. A yellow light stoppage for the spun car of Kristy Bonsey came on at just the right rime for Luke Oldfield, who had just reached the battle between Marks and Cox and was trying to find a way past. The last four laps of the race saw Dan Murray exit the event with a flat right rear tyre, Stephen Greer spun to a stop on the main straight, and Anthony Lambert tried for a big outside passing move on Brodie Tulloch, only to slam the main straight wall and slow to a stop two laps from the chequered flag. Luke Oldfield went on to take the win in convincing fashion, with Brent Kratzmann, Paul Morris and Brodie Tulloch all transferring to the back of the A-Main. Melissa Boyes had a remarkable run in the late stages of the B-Main event and crossed the line in fifth ahead of Andrew Marks, Blake Skipper, Dan Moes, Stephen Greer, James Grady, Kristy Bonsey and Luca Cox. Anthony Lambert and Dan Murray did not finish the event.

James McFadden and Garry Brazier lined up alongside each other for the start of the A-Main event, a formidable front row if ever there was one. McFadden got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, while Brazier held down second. Andrew Scheuerle challenged Brazier on the low line, with Jamie Bricknell and Robbie Farr also going for the same piece of track. Contact between the three saw Bricknell launch into a series of unplanned donuts, the kind usually reserved for after winning a race, in the middle of turn two. Bricknell ended up colliding with the turn two wall, and while the rest of the field took evasive action, the luckless Peter Lack and Mick Sauer got caught up and tangled in the chaos. All cars restarted the event.

James McFadden again got the jump when the race resumed, with Andrew Scheuerle and Garry Brazier fighting over second. Garry Brazier and Robbie Farr put on a heart-stopping show, while further back in the field Brodie Tulloch, Mick Sauer and Luke Oldfield entertained the crowd. Two laps in though and the race was brought under caution, this time for Brad Ayers and Bryan Mann who had tangled in turn four with Mann unable to restart the event.

With 32 laps left to run James McFadden, Andrew Scheuerle and Garry Brazier led the restart, with Brazier managing to get by Scheuerle, while Darren Jensen and Kevin Titman battled over minor places. After only a handful of laps race leader McFadden had hit lapped traffic, skillfully navigating the field of slower cars and eventually lapping over half the field. Brazier in second though was focused and kept the number of lapped cars between himself and McFadden to a minimum, while Brodie Tulloch, Mick Sauer and Luke Oldfield were soon joined by Jamie Bricknell as they tried to make their way forward. The show that Tulloch and Sauer put on was mesmerizing, racing two abreast and constantly exchanging positions, neither willing to give in without a good fight. The high line was the place to be for most of the competitors, the cushion getting higher and closer to the fence with each lap, making for thrilling racing and with some running the bottom, there was plenty of two-wide racing action. Luke Oldfield brought the race under caution when he spun in turn three with just four, frantic laps left to run.

James McFadden led the restart with Garry Brazier in second and Andrew Scheuerle in third. Robbie Farr challenged hard for third, but ultimately faded as David Murcott and Danny Reidy came charging through. Kevin Titman had a big look on the inside of Farr before the fall of the chequered flag but couldn’t get the job done. James McFadden took the win (and now leads the East Coast Logistics Tri-City Shootout Points chase), with Garry Brazier crossing the line in a solid second and Andrew Scheuerle in third. David Murcott crossed the line in fourth with Danny Reidy rounding out the top five. Robbie Farr finished in sixth and led Brent Kratzmann, Kevin Titman, Jamie Bricknell, Jordyn Brazier, Brodie Tulloch, Peter Lack, Paul Morris, Luke Oldfield and Mick Sauer across the line. Brad Ayers, Darren Jensen and Bryan Mann all failed to finish the event.

The cars and the stars now head on up to the Toowoomba Speedbowl for the third and final night of competition in the East Coast Logistics Tri-City Shootout. Can James McFadden win the weekend? Will Peter Lack have a change of luck? Can David Murcott get a win this weekend? Only two things can be for certain – the racing will be spectacular and it will be mighty cold. So come on everybody, rug up and head on out to Toowoomba Speedbowl tonight for another night of frantic Sprintcar racing action. You wont be disappointed!