Last night twenty-four Sprintcars gathered at SuperCheap Auto Archerfield Speedway for Round Fourteen of the KRE Sprintcar Series. Andrew Scheuerle has just about wrapped up the series already and another strong performance last night means he is unlikely to lose either the KRE Sprintcar Series or the Sprintcars Queensland Club Championship. While Scheuerle put in another solid and consistent night of racing, Bryan Mann really seems to have stepped up his game in recent weeks and after claiming a very popular and well deserved second in the Queensland Title a fortnight ago, it was Mann who dominated last nights A-main event. It was a brilliant drive from the Gold Coast based racer and despite early race challenges from Danny Reidy, and multiple stoppages as the leaders approached lapped traffic, there was no stopping Mann out in front. Bryan went on to take the win with Danny Reidy doing a great job to cross the line in second with Kevin Titman joining them on the podium after finishing third. Andrew Scheuerle and Brent Kratzmann completed the top five.

Qualifying got underway and it was Australian Champion David Murcott who topped the leader board after the final group had taken to the track. Murcott stopped the clock at 11.310 seconds, an impressive 0.268 seconds quicker than Andrew Scheuerle in second. Scheuerle too was significantly quicker than most of his competitors, his time of 11.578 seconds easily enough to beat Kevin Titman and Brent Aprile, both of whom have made a name for themselves as exceptionally good qualifiers. Titman managed to secure third fastest with an 11.726 second lap, while Aprile recorded an 11.750, with Bryan Mann completing the top five with an 11.817 second lap. Brodie Tulloch, recorded an 11.814 second lap, enough for fifth, but had qualified out of order after suffering mechanical issues in the Q74 racer and missing his initial qualifying group. As a result Tulloch could qualify no better than fifteenth position regardless of his time.

Heat one got underway with David Whell and Ben Hilder from the front row and while the pair raced side-by-side into turns one and two, Hilder managed to emerge in front by the time they exited the second corner. Brent Kratzmann settled into third with Luke Oldfield quickly on his tail, while Melissa Boyes scraped the wall in turn two. By the end of the first lap it was clear that both Kratzmann and Oldfield were on a mission and David Whell, still new to Sprintcars, was the next target in their sights. Oldfield tried to go underneath Kratzmann as he tried to slip by on the inside of Whell, the trio going three-wide through turn four with Whell hanging on to the advantage until Kratzmann managed to get past coming out of turn two. Oldfield was quick to follow on the low line as he and Whell headed for turn three, and, after making the pass, started to pull away a little leaving Whell with Danny Reidy and David Murcott on his tail. Whell drove an exceptional race, with Reidy relentless on his tail and Murcott occasionally challenging Reidy too. Ben Hilder went on to take the win in the Q95 Motorguard Motorsport racer with Brent Kratzmann across the line in second and Luke Oldfield in third. David Whell managed to hold off Danny Reidy to finish fourth, with Reidy next across the line ahead of David Murcott, Kristy Bonsey and Melissa Boyes.

Andrew Liebke and Stephen Greer led the start of heat two, with Liebke getting the jump on the start and Mick Sauer, who started from position three, quickly securing second. Brad Ayers and Stephen Greer came together in turn two while arguing over third, the incident costing both drivers several positions, with Jamie Bricknell and Andrew Scheuerle in particular taking advantage of the opening on the low line. Meanwhile at the front of the field Mick Sauer was all over the back of Andrew Liebke putting on a spectacular show before taking to the low line to slip underneath Liebke in turn one and steal the race lead. Sauer began to open a small margin over the rest of the field, while Bricknell and Scheuerle gradually closed the gap to Liebke. Mick Sauer went on to take the win with Andrew Liebke across the line in second and Jamie Bricknell, Andrew Scheuerle, Stephen Greer, Bryan Mann, Daniel Meehan and Brad Ayers rounding out the finishers.

Heat three was supposed to see Anthony Lambert start from pole position, but when Lambert failed to make it trackside for the event, Brodie Tulloch was elevated to the front row, with Paul Morris to start alongside. Tulloch got the jump on the start and while Morris fought back hard on the high side into turn one, Tulloch was determined to hang on the lead and had a magnificent drive on the low line. Tulloch managed to pull away several car lengths as he race towards turn three and from that point on was never challenged for his position. Darren Jensen and Paul Morris had a close battle for second, while Brent Aprile stayed on the tail of Kevin Titman. Tulloch had opened a sizable lead over Morris by the time he passed the chequered flag and with his heat race win Tulloch also managed to set a new 10-lap record for Archerfield Speedway with the new record now set at 1.59.733. Paul Morris crossed the line in second ahead of Darren Jensen, Kevin Titman, Brent Aprile and Mark Pholi.

Heat four started with Stephen Greer and Melissa Boyes from the front row with Boyes getting the jump on the start and Greer momentarily settling into second while Brodie Tulloch ran the high line beautifully through turn two to steal second before the race was even half a lap old. Mark Pholi had a great run on the low line, slipping underneath Greer through turns three and four but chaos unfolded in turn two when Greer got out of shape with Danny Reidy and Andrew Scheuerle right behind. Greer slammed the wall coming out of turn two before heading down track, narrowly missing Reidy but making contact with Scheuerle. Greer ended up back against the concrete wall while Scheuerle spun the car to a stop on the inside edge of the track. There was sufficient damage to both cars to see both Greer and Scheuerle out of the race. Melissa Boyes led the restart with Brodie Tulloch and Mark Pholi close behind and while Tulloch challenged for the lead in the opening corners he unexpectedly slowed in turn four before pulling out of the race with mechanical issues, leaving Boyes and Pholi to battle on without him. Boyes managed to put a couple of car lengths between herself and the rest of the field, while Bryan Mann worked on closing the gap to Pholi, who in turn was edging closer to Boyes. Boyes slammed the wall coming out turn two, giving Pholi and Mann the chance to slip through, with Boyes quickly fading to the rear of the field. Mark Pholi went on to take the win ahead of Bryan Mann, Danny Reidy and Melissa Boyes. Brodie Tulloch, Stephen Greer and Andrew Scheuerle all failed to finish the race.

David Whell and Andrew Liebke shared the front row for the start of heat five, with Whell getting a brilliant start at the wave of the green flag. Liebke settled into second but immediately came under fire as Mick Sauer, Paul Morris and Luke Oldfield tried to make their way closer to the front of the field. Liebke and Sauer managed to pull away a little from the others and close in on Whell and the race lead, the three having a brilliant battle at the front for a few laps, while further back in the field Paul Morris, Luke Oldfield and David Murcott were putting on a show. Murcott made impressive progress passing Oldfield and Morris and was soon on the tail of Sauer, with Whell and Liebke a couple of car lengths in front. Murcott and Sauer exchanged positions several times with Murcott eventually managing to maintain the advantage, while Sauer soon found Luke Oldfield on his tail. The battle between Sauer and Oldfield was intense, with positions changing several times over the last half of the race, with Oldfield then moving on to fight with Murcott and Liebke over the minor positions. David Whell went on to take the win with Andrew Liebke having a brilliant run to finish second ahead of David Murcott, Luke Oldfield, Mick Sauer, Paul Morris, Jamie Bricknell and Darren Meehan.

Heat six started with Anthony Lambert from pole position with Brent Kratzmann alongside. Brad Ayers was supposed to start from the front row but after fuel line issues in the NQ11 racer, was relegated to the rear of the field after requiring a second push start. Kratzmann got a brilliant start and immediately settled into the race lead, with Lambert settling into second and Brent Aprile in third while Darren Jensen ran around the outside of Ben Hilder to steal fourth. Brent Aprile made his way past Anthony Lambert with a text-book inside passing move, while Kevin Titman tried to find a way past Darren Jensen further back in the field. Disaster struck for Jensen when the race was just five laps old though, when the rear axel of his car broke as he headed through turns three and four. The snap was audible as the rear end of Jensen’s #75 racer lifted off the ground and the right rear tyre tucked itself underneath the car. Jensen managed to settle the car and avoid the wall, but tipped on his side and brought the race to a stop. Darren was not hurt in the incident but was out of the race. Brent Kratzmann and Brent Aprile led the restart while Kevin Titman was quick to move past on the inside of Anthony Lambert, while Ben Hilder and Brad Ayers battled at the rear of the field. Brent Kratzmann went on to take the win with Brent Aprile in second and Kevin Titman in third. Anthony Lambert was fourth across the line ahead of Ben Hilder and Brad Ayers. Darren Jensen did not finish the event.

David Murcott lead the points heading to the dash event but drew position four in the pre-Dash draw, with Kevin Titman and Bryan Mann set to share the front row for the start of the six-lap Dash event. Titman got the jump when the lights went green and led the way through the first corner. Mann however was breath-taking on the highline and powered around the outside of Titman in a brilliant passing move to secure the race lead. Danny Reidy was busy mid-field trying to find a way past Brent Aprile and David Murcott, the three putting on a brilliant show for race fans until Reidy managed to slip underneath Murcott as they rounded turn two. Bryan Mann went on to take the win, earning pole position for the A-Main event, with Kevin Titman officially second. Brent Aprile crossed the line in third and led Danny Reidy, David Murcott and Brent Kratzmann home.

Six cars started the eight lap B-main event, with the top four finishers to transfer to the back of the A-Main. Paul Morris and Brad Ayers shared the front row with Morris getting the jump on the start and Ayers settling into second ahead of Darren Jensen. A yellow light stoppage for the spun car of Darren Meehan in turn four a few laps in bunched the field up once more, but the running order didn’t change for the rest of the race. Melissa Boyes and Anthony Lambert had a fierce battle for the fourth and final transfer position to the A-main but there was no stopping Paul Morris out in front. Morris went on to take the win with Brad Ayers close behind and Darren Jensen a few car lengths further back. Melissa Boyes managed to hold off Anthony Lambert to finish fourth and secure the final transfer to the A-Main while Anthony Lambert was fifth, and final, car across the line. Darren Meehan did not finish the race.

Local stars Bryan Mann and Kevin Titman shared the front row for the start of the A-Main event, with Brent Aprile and Danny Reidy right on their tail and a very strong field of rivals behind them. Mann got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead with Kevin Titman close behind and Danny Reidy ahead of Brent Aprile, Brent Kratzmann and David Murcott. Right from the fall of the green Andrew Scheuerle and Jamie Bricknell began to work their way closer to the front, neither accustomed to starting so far outside of the top six and both keen to get to the front. Ben Hilder had a great run on the opening lap, only to fade after hitting a rut in turn two on the second lap, and soon found himself embroiled in a battle with Andrew Liebke and Paul Morris. Mark Pholi had been having another impressive night and had started the A-Main event from position eight but a small mistake early in the race cost him some ground. Paul Morris and Andrew Liebke argued over positions, with Morris eventually getting the better of Sprintcar new-comer Liebke, while Mick Sauer and Ben Hilder had their own battle going to keep the crowd entertained. As the leaders began to navigate lapped traffic, Luke Oldfield and David Murcott were fighting over the minor places whilst trying to navigate a way past the lapped car of Melissa Boyes. Murcott managed to slip through underneath Boyes in turn one, but when Oldfield tried to follow him through, contact between Boyes and Oldfield launched the latter into a couple of quick, low to the ground barrel rolls. The race was brought to an immediate stop and while Oldfield was not injured in the crash, his race was unfortunately over.

The stoppage probably could not have come at a better time for race leader Bryan Mann though. Mann had entered lapped traffic and had Danny Reidy all over his tail tank ready to steal the lead when the red lights came on, the restart giving Mann a clear open track and a chance to try to put a little distance between himself and the very hard charging and determined Reidy. Mann led the restart with eighteen laps left to run, with Reidy and Kevin Titman on his tail, while further back in the field Mark Pholi put all sorts of pressure on Andrew Scheuerle before stealing his position from him. Mick Sauer found a way past Andrew Liebke but it wasn’t long before the race was brought under caution once more. This time it was David Murcott stopped in turn three after making contact with the wall and spinning the A1 racer several times. Murcott was unable to restart the event.

Bryan Mann, Danny Reidy and Kevin Titman continued to lead on the restart with Brent Kratzmann having a particularly good, clean run in the Q4 racer and holding down a solid fourth. Brad Ayers slipped by underneath Andrew Liebke, with Darren Jensen trying to follow him though. It took several laps with Jensen and Liebke side-by-side and Ben Hilder on their tail tanks, but Jensen eventually managed to move in front. Melissa Boyes soon joined the battle with Ben Hilder, the two young drivers putting on a thrilling show until Hilder clipped the wall coming out of turn four and turned the Q95 racer around, lucky not to roll. Meanwhile in turn one Mick Sauer had spun and been collected by Darren Jensen, who had been left nowhere to go. Jensen ended up inverting the Q75 racer and bringing the red lights on for the second time last night. All drivers walked away from the incidents but all three drivers, Hilder, Sauer and Jensen, were out of the race.

Once again race leader Bryan Mann was gifted a clear race track for the restart with twelve laps to run and Danny Reidy, Kevin Titman, Brent Kratzmann and Jamie Bricknell on his tail. Andrew Scheuerle was back in seventh on the restart but with laps quickly dwindling away he really began to step up the pace, quickly moving past Mark Pholi and into sixth only a few laps into the restart. Jamie Bricknell and Brent Kratzmann had a thrilling battle over fourth and fifth, with Andrew Scheuerle to soon join the fight. Andrew Liebke and Melissa Boyes argued over positions towards the back end of the field, with Boyes soon making her way in front of Liebke in a beautiful inside passing move through turn two. Boyes managed to open a small margin on Liebke for a few laps before he reeled her in once more and the pair resumed their battle, this time with Liebke trying to find a way past. It took a few laps but eventually he managed to regain his position, just as leader Bryan Mann approached the back markers once more. Unfortunately the race was quickly brought to another stop when Melissa Boyes slammed the wall hard coming out of turn two and inverting the #8 racer on the back straight. Boyes was not injured in the incident but was out of the race with just four laps left to run.

Bryan Mann led the restart and remained focused on the task at hand – keeping Danny Reidy and Kevin Titman behind him, while Andrew Scheuerle, who was back in sixth, captivated everyone’s attention as he took to the highline to run around the outside of Jamie Bricknell in turn two, before switching back to the low line in turns three and four and setting his sights on Brent Kratzmann. Scheuerle was relentless, holding nothing back as he searched for a way past Kratzmann and put himself within sight of a podium finish. Kratzmann had run an almost flawless race, but Scheuerle managed to find a way past on the low line in turn two within sight of the chequered flag. Bryan Mann took the win with Danny Reidy in second and Kevin Titman in third. Andrew Scheuerle secured fourth after a very impressive run in the final four laps of the race, while Brent Kratzmann finished a very respectable fifth. Jamie Bricknell finished sixth ahead of Paul Morris Brad Ayers, Mark Pholi, Andrew Liebke and David Whell. Melissa Boyes, Darren Jensen, Mick Sauer, Ben Hilder, David Murcott, Luke Oldfield and Brent Aprile all failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will take next weekend off before returning to SuperCheap Auto Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 24 May 2014 for Round 15 of the KRE Sprintcar Series and the final night of Sprintcar racing for the 2013-2014 race season. Andrew Scheuerle pretty much has the season wrapped up, but you can be sure that he won’t let that stop him from putting on a brilliant show in a fortnights time and while Scheuerle may have secured the top spot, many of the minor places will be decided at the final round. Come on out to SuperCheap Auto Archerfield Speedway in two weeks time and cheer on your favourite driver - its your last chance until next season so get your backside trackside and see all the action for yourself!