Twenty-Five Sprintcars rolled into AusDeck Archerfield Speedway last night for the opening night of competition in the 2014-2015 race season and Round One of the SuperCheap Auto Sprintcar Track Championship. With a star-studded field it was sure to be an exhilarating night of Sprintcar racing action with defending series champion Andrew Scheuerle joined by local guns Luke Oldfield, Bryan Mann, Kevin Titman, Brent Kratzmann, Brock Dean and a strong local field of contenders, as well as former Australian Champion James McFadden and current Australian Champion David Murcott. What followed was indeed a thrilling night of racing action, with plenty of close racing to keep the large crowd enthralled. By the final fall of the chequered flag it was David Murcott who stood atop the podium, starting his race season off with a beautiful and hard fought win. James McFadden and Andrew Scheuerle joined Murcott on the podium, both having impressive runs in the feature event. Local stars Brent Kratzmann and Bryan Mann rounded out the top five and will certainly be ones to watch this season.

Qualifying got underway with the fastest group of cars hitting the track first. James McFadden started the night with quick time, stopping the clock at 11.428 seconds. Only four thousandths of a second behind was David Murcott with an 11.432 recorded lap, while Andrew Scheuerle started his season strongly, qualifying third quickest with an 11.506 second recorded lap. Scheuerle is certainly one of the strongest and most consistent competitors on the Brisbane scene and has already made it clear that he intends to defend his championship. He will, as always, be hard to beat, though there are a few drivers who might very well be up to the task. Luke Oldfield, Bryan Mann, Kevin Titman, Brent Kratzmann and Brock Dean all had impressive runs last night and if they can match Scheuerle's consistency all could be in championship contention come the end of the season. Oldfield and Mann qualified inside the top five in last nights time trial action, both breaking into the 11-second bracket, while the others were not far behind. Steven Johnson, having a 360ci powerplant onboard the Q27 racer this season, qualified an impressive 13th while Sprintcar new-comer Dave Fanning was 19th and made the inversion in his first night of Sprintcar competition. Nelson Reddacliff, also with a 360ci engine on board managed to secure the 21st and final qualifying position for the 21-car inversion, but as both Fanning and Reddacliff are new to the division, both were relegated to the rear of the field for the start of the heats.

Heat one started with Anthony Lambert and Mick Sauer from the front row but unfortunately for Lambert things didn't go quite the way he would have liked. The driveline on the Q90 racer broke on the start, which nearly spelt disaster for Steven Johnson, who had started from position three, as he slammed into the back of Lambert, climbing his right front over the left rear of the slowing Q90 racer. Somehow Johnson managed to escape with no sign of damage and would take Lamberts' place on the front row for the restart. Johnson got the jump on the restart and managed to secure the lead before the field hit turn one. Mick Sauer is a hard charger who never gives up without a good fight and last night was no different. Sauer quickly secured second and by the time the leading duo hit turn two, Sauer was on the low line giving it everything in an attempt to get past Johnson. Wheel-standing down the back straight Sauer almost managed to steal the lead but Johnson had a beautiful line and momentum on the highline and managed to hang on as they rounded turns three and four. Johnson managed to edge ahead a car length or two, but Sauer stayed close enough to keep him honest. Meanwhile further back in the field James McFadden was quietly making his way closer to the front of the field, closing in on Brock Dean before slipping underneath as they headed through turn one. McFadden then set his sights on Sauer and within a lap was on his tail and beginning to challenge for the position. Sauer pulled away just a fraction but soon spun the car in turn one, bringing the race under caution. Race leader Johnson had just two laps to run in a green-white-chequer race the finish, but with McFadden now right on his tail-tank it was going to be a big ask. Johnson got a great start, quickly hitting his marks on the highline while McFadden worked the low line perfectly. At each corner McFadden was on the inside, only for Johnson fight back hard on the high-side. The pair crossed the line side-by-side, McFadden down low, Johnson up high, in a thrilling finish to the first heat event of the season. It was an elated Johnson who took the win, by a tiny 0.076 seconds and with a 360ci engine, while James McFadden crossed the line in second ahead of Brock Dean, Brent Kratzmann, Dan Murray, Mick Sauer and Dave Fanning. Anthony Lambert did not finish the event.

Heat two started with an all female front row with Kristy Bonsey from pole position and Melissa Boyes alongside. Both Bonsey and Boyes got great starts, the pair racing side-by-side into turn one, but it was Boyes who had the most momentum on the highline and secured the lead as they exited turn one. Boyes began opening a small margin over the rest of the field while Bonsey found herself surrounded by a tough field that included Mark Pholi, Bryan Mann, Steven Rowell, Paul Rooks and David Murcott. Bryan Mann was absolutely breathtaking on the high line, simply and seemingly effortlessly making his way past Rooks first, then Rowell, Pholi and Bonsey in quick succession until he found himself in second with only just over a lap complete. Towards the rear of the field contact between Murcott and Rooks in turn two sent Rooks into the turn two wall and brought the race under caution. Melissa Boyes led the restart with Bonsey back into second with Mann hot on her heels. Mann quickly took to the highline once again and re-gained second while Bonsey faded back though the field as her more experienced rivals came charging through, and soon found herself embroiled in a tense battle with fellow 360 racer Nelson Reddacliff. David Murcott and Mark Pholi put on a great show mid-field but there was no stopping Melissa Boyes out in front. Boyes went on to take the win, with Bryan Mann in second and Mark Pholi, having held off David Murcott, officially third. Murcott crossed the line in fourth and led Steve Rowell, Nelson Reddacliff and Kristy Bonsey home. Paul Rooks did not finish the race.

Brandon Burrows and Dan Moes shared the front row for the start of heat three, with Moes settling into second. Kevin Titman, from position four tried to run the middle, straight between David Whell and Moes and they entered turn one. But the time they hit the second corner Moes had secured second and Titman lost a little ground. Meanwhile Luke Oldfield was running the highline in spectacular fashion, running around the outside of Whell and Titman in turn two, while Moes stole the lead from Burrows as they entered turn three, with Oldfield then making his way into second by the end of the first lap. New-dad Ben Hilder is back in the Motorguard Motorsport #95 racer this season and had a brilliant run on the highline in the early part of the heat, while Andrew Scheuerle began to make his way forward too. Burrows slammed the wall coming down the back straight on the second lap and limped to the infield his race prematurely over, while Oldfield, Titman and Scheuerle all closed in on the back of race leader Dan Moes. Oldfield wasted no time in stealing the lead from Moes, but Titman and Scheuelre spent a few laps battling each other before relegating Moes another couple of positions back in the field. Luke Oldfield took the win, with Kevin Titman and Andrew Scheuerle rounding out the top three. Dan Moes, still a new-comer to Sprintcars, drove a remarkable race and crossed the line in fourth only just behind some of the toughest competition in the state, while David Whell, Ben Hilder and Andrew Liebke, who had suffered fuel line issues earlier in the night and failed to qualify in time trials, rounded out the finishers. Brandon Burrows did not finish the race.

Kristy Bonsey and Mick Sauer shared the front row for the first attempted start of heat four, but the first start was aborted and officials deemed Bonsey to have jumped the start. Bonsey was relegated to the second row for the restart but took to the green from the rear of the field. Melissa Boyes inherited pole position for the second start and did a great job to secure the lead when the lights went green. Sauer settled into second before stealing the lead as they exited turn two, while James McFadden had made his way from originally starting out of position seven to be in third before the end of the second corner of the race. McFadden slipped underneath Boyes in turn four to move up to second by the end of the first lap and had Sauer firmly in his sights. Brock Dean, Dan Murray and Brent Kratzmann were having a fierce battle mid-field but it was hard to tear your eyes from McFadden and he relentlessly searched for a way past Sauer. McFadden started looking on the low line, but Sauer was looking very comfortable down low, so McFadden quickly switched to the highline, and spent the next several laps trying to make it work. Fans loved the show and McFadden eventually did manage to get past, quickly reverting back to the low line the moment he was clear of Sauer. Sauer however put up an exceptionally good fight and it will certainly be interesting to see what he can do this season. James McFadden went on to take the win with Mick Sauer officially second ahead of Brock Dean, Dan Murray, Brent Kratzmann, Dave Fanning, Kristy Bonsey and Melissa Boyes.

Heat five started with Andrew Liebke and Paul Rooks from the front row, with Steve Rowell and Ben Hilder close behind. Liebke got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, but it was the battle behind him that captivated everyone's attention. Rooks was running mid track as Rowell tried to dive underneath on the low line, and Hilder ran the highline perfectly, take them three wide through turn two. Hilder won that battle and secured second before setting his sights on race leader Liebke. Rooks went with him while Bryan Mann ran the highline around Rowell and Titman as the Q6 and Q59 cars almost came together exiting turn four. Rooks, Mann and Titman had a great battle for several laps as they closed in on the tail of Hilder and Liebke, making for breath-taking heat race action. Rooks slid underneath Hilder through turn four, stealing second while Mann tried the high line, only to be forced onto the defensive when Kevin Titman and Luke Oldfield joined the battle. Ben Hilder had a brilliant run the Motorguard Motorsport #95 racer, running the high line to regain his second place position from Rooks. Liebke was doing a magnificent job out in front, but is probably glad Sprintcars do not have rear vision mirrors! If this heat is any indication of what we can expect to see this season - we are in for an absolute cracker! Andrew Liebke took the win ahead of Ben Hilder, Paul Rooks, Kevin Titman, Bryan Mann, Luke Oldfield and Nelson Reddacliff. Steve Rowell did not finish the event.

The sixth and final heat of the night saw pole sitter Brandon Burrows elect to start rear of the field, elevating David Whell to the front row for the start. Dan Moes started alongside Whell as they led the field to the green flag but it was Whell who got the jump and not only settled into the lead, but started opening a small margin over the rest of the field. Steven Johnson, from position three, quickly followed Whell and moved into second before they hit turn one, but all eyes were on David Murcott who had run the low line and slipped under Johnson and into second, after initially starting from position seven, by the time the race was just half a lap old. Johnson made a small mistake in turn four, allowing Mark Pholi and Andrew Scheuerle through, with Dan Moes soon following on the low line. Johnson recovered well and raced hard on the high side to regain his position from Moes, while Andrew Scheuerle and Mark Pholi argued over third and fourth. David Whell went on to take the win from David Murcott, Mark Pholi, Andrew Scheuerle, Steven Johnson and Dan Moes. Brandon Burrows was the only driver who failed to finish the event.

The top six qualifiers took to the track for the Dash event, with starting positions determined by a pre-dash marble draw. Brock Dean and Andrew Scheuerle shared the front row and while Dean got the initial jump on the start, there was no stopping Scheuerle on his mission to get to the front. It took less than half a lap for Scheuerle to make his move and steal the lead, and after that he was untouchable. James McFadden and David Murcott had a great battle for the minor places, once they had both moved past Dean, while Dean and Mann had a great battle of their own. Andrew Scheuerle went on to take the win in the six-lap dash event, with David Murcott across the line in second ahead of James McFadden, Brock Dean, Bryan Mann and Luke Oldfield.

Seven cars took to the track for the 10-lap B-Main event, with Mick Sauer and Dan Moes to lead them away. Sauer got the jump on the start with Moes quickly settling into the lead and pulling away from the field. They put on a great show for race fans and it was clear very early in the race that there would be little challenge to them from the rest of the field. When Andrew Liebke ran a little too high in turn two, with Steven Rowell getting caught up on the high side, Dave Fanning managed to slip through, leaving Liebke, Rowell, Kristy Bonsey and Nelson Reddacliff to battle over the final transfer position to the A-Main. A couple of laps into the race and Bonsey made her way past Liebke and into that sort after fourth place, but Liebke did not give up without a fight. Liebke spent the rest of the race chasing down the Q42 racer, eventually taking to the high line on the very last lap to steal the position only three quarters of a lap from the chequered flag. Mick Sauer took the win, with Dan Moes home in second ahead of Dave Fanning in third. Fourth place finisher Andrew Liebke would join Sauer, Moes and Fanning at the back of the A-Main starting grid. Kristy Bonsey finished a very respectable fifth and led Steve Rowell and Nelson Reddacliff across the line. Brandon Burrows did not start the event.

Eighteen cars lined up for the start of the 30-Lap A-main event, with Andrew Scheuerle from pole position and David Murcott alongside. Scheuerle got the jump on the start and immediately took control of the race with Murcott settling into second, biding his time. Further back in the field Kevin Titman exited the race after less than half lap, contact with another competitor in turn one having done sufficient damage to his front end to bring about his early ext. Titman was however able to limp the Q59 racer onto the infield without the need to bring the race under caution. Meanwhile Brent Kratzmann, Ben Hilder and Steven Johnson were embroiled in a mid-field battle that saw positions change several times, while Dan Moes and Mick Sauer picked up their battle from the B-main and had their own battle towards the back of the field. It took barely six laps for the leaders to approach lapped traffic, and when a lapped car on the high line momentarily blocked Scheuerle, Murcott seized the opportunity and slipped by into the race lead on the bottom of the circuit. Scheuerle fought back but soon had James McFadden on his tail and the battle that followed was hard to ignore. McFadden was relentless on the high line, eventually managing to secure second ahead of Scheuerle, but with a sizable margin still ahead to Murcott. A yellow light stoppage a few laps later for the spun car of Ben Hilder, bunched the field back up and gave the leaders some clear track for a couple of laps.

David Murcott led the restart from James McFadden, Andrew Scheuerle, Brock Dean, Luke Oldfield and Bryan Mann with 20-laps still to run. Dean, Oldfield, Mann and Kratzmann had a great battle when the lights went green, while further back in the field Steven Johnson and Mark Pholi were putting on a show for the fans. Once again it wasn’t long before the leaders again hit lapped traffic, but when Brock Dean came to a stop near the wall in turn one and the race was brought under caution, the leaders would again have a clear track on the restart.

David Murcott, James McFadden and Andrew Scheuerle continued to lead, while Brent Kratzmann came on strong in the closing stages of the race. In fact, Kratzmann and Luke Oldfield had a fierce battle for several laps, with the pair exchanging position several times over the final fifteen laps of the race. In the end it was David Murcott who took the win, the Australian Champion showing everyone that he and his team are more than ready for a bumper season ahead. James McFadden crossed the line in second with Andrew Scheuerle rounding out the podium. Brent Kratzmann had a spectacular feature event to finish in fourth ahead of Bryan Mann and Luke Oldfield. Paul Rooks worked his way up to a very respectable seventh and led Mark Pholi, David Whell, Dan Murray, Steven Johnson, Dave Fanning, Dan Moes, Brock Dean, Mick Sauer and Andrew Liebke across the line. Ben Hilder and Kevin Titman did not finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland has had a huge start to the 2014-2015 race season. With plenty of races to come, the next one just two weeks away, we are set for a mammoth year of Sprintcar Racing Action. We are off to a flying start and with plenty of experienced drivers and new talent joining the ranks this season is set to be the biggest yet. We hope you see you all trackside at AusDeck Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 18 October 2014!