While it was raining in many parts of Brisbane yesterday Mother Nature kindly spared AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway and let 27 Sprintcars contest Round 9 of the SuperCheap Auto Sprintcar Track Championship last night. It was another thrilling night of Sprintcar racing action with plenty of spectacular racing, but come the final fall of the chequered flag it was an unstoppable Donny Schatz who took the win, after inverting the top fourteen starters on his acceptance of the Kratzmann Challenge. It was a massive drive from position fourteen on the grid, with Bryan Mann, who led some of the race after stealing the lead from Kevin Titman, across the line in second and Brent Kaeding rounding out the podium. Kevin Titman and Brent Kratzmann both had brilliant runs to complete the top five, while Dave Fanning had perhaps his best night in a Sprintcar to date, crossing the line in sixth after sliding underneath both Davey Heskin and Andrew Scheuerle in one huge breath-taking inside passing move through turn two in the final few laps. Fanning had transferred from the B-Main.

Qualifying got underway and it immediately became apparent that the track was significantly slower than it had been just two days prior. Brent Kaeding topped the qualifying order with a 12.618 second lap while Donny Schatz managed a 12.656 as his best qualifying lap. Championship rivals Luke Oldfield and Andrew Scheuerle were next quickest, recording 12.814 and 13.140 second laps respectively with birthday boy Peter Lack, back in Brisbane after a monumental crash in Sydney on New Years Day, rounding out the fastest five with a 13.174 second lap. The fastest nineteen cars were separated by less than one second (just 0.960) with just 1.752 seconds between fastest and slowest of the twenty-seven cars.

Heat one started with Anthony Vanderreyden and Anthony Lambert from the front row with Vanderreyden getting the jump on the start and Lambert settling briefly into second. Lambert quickly took to the high line to race into the lead as they headed through turn three, with Dan Moes and Dave Fanning running two-wide behind them. Both Moes and Fanning managed to get past Vanderreyden a few laps later, while Brent Kaeding had a great run on the outside, making his way closer to the front as Vanderreyden faded towards the rear of the field. Ben Hilder and Steven Johnson had a great battle for the minor places at the rear of the field with Mitchell Gee soon joining the fight, while up the front Dan Moes was having a brilliant run and had closed in on Anthony Lambert and was challenging for the lead. Both Moes and Lambert drove exceptionally well with Moes working the bottom beautifully to steal the lead as the pair navigated turn four just a few laps from home. Dan Moes went on to take the win ahead of Anthony Lambert, Brent Kaeding, Dave Fanning, Paul Morris, Ben Hilder, Steven Johnson, Anthony Vanderreyden and Mitchell Gee.

James Grady and Andrew Liebke started alongside each other for the start of heat two with Grady getting the initial jump and led the way into turn one, with Liebke on the outside and Mick Sauer having a great run from position three. Sauer dropped back a car length or two, initially battling Bryan Mann, while Liebke was quick to challenge Grady on the high side, the pair racing side-by-side for most of the lap with Liebke finally securing the advantage as they rounded turn four. Donny Schatz was coming from the back of the field and seemingly effortlessly made his way into fourth in the first lap of the race, working predominately the high line to thread his way through the field past Peter Lack, Callum Zizek and Mark Pholi. From there Schatz systematically worked his way past each rival, starting with James Grady and Mick Sauer before closing in on race leader Liebke with just three laps complete. While Liebke drove a strong race there was little he could do to stop Schatz coming through and all it took was one small mistake in turn two from Liebke and Schatz swiftly changed racing lines, moving to the bottom and quickly passed Liebke and moved into the lead. Once in the race lead there was no stopping Schatz but Mick Sauer, who had been challenging Liebke on the low line for second, soon brought the race to a stop when he spun in turn two, and it was Schatz and Liebke to lead the restart with Peter Lack right behind. Schatz simply ran away from the field, leaving the rest of the drivers to argue over the minor places, with Bryan Mann and Peter Lack taking to the high line and making impressive progress towards the front of the field. Lack managed to get past Liebke after a persistent run on the high line, while Mann was busy finding his way in front of Mark Pholi and James Grady before setting his sights on Liebke. Donny Schatz went on to take the win ahead of Peter Lack and Bryan Mann, with Andrew Liebke in fourth and leading James Grady, Brandon Rawlings, Callum Zizek, Mick Sauer and Mark Pholi, who had made a mistake on the final corner, across the line.

Heat three started with Brad Ayers and David Whell from the front row and hard chargers Brent Kratzmann and Kevin Titman close behind. Ayers got a brilliant start and quickly shot to the race lead while Whell, Titman and Kratzmann went three-wide through turn one. Titman dropped back a little while Whell and Kratzmann continued to run side-by-side with Kratzmann on the bottom eventually securing the advantage. Davey Heskin had started from position six but was quickly working his way a little closer to the front while Andrew Scheuerle and Luke Oldfield had a great battle towards the rear of the field with both inching their way through the field after starting from positions seven and eight. Scheuerle slipped underneath Titman as they headed through turn one and put the challenge to Heskin but Heskin made his way past Whell with a strong run on the bottom. Scheuerle had both Oldfield and Titman on his tail and while Oldfield secured the advantage over Titman, Scheuerle began to pull away, making his way in front of Whell and staying on the tail of Heskin. Meanwhile at the front of the field Kratzmann was closing in on Ayers and the race lead, and in just a few laps a strong run on the low line through turn three saw Kratzmann take control of the race. Ayers continued a very smooth and consistent run but there was no stopping the freight train that was Heskin, Scheuerle and Oldfield as each quickly slipped past Ayers in the final laps of the race. Brent Kratzmann went on to take the win ahead of Davey Heskin and Andrew Scheuerle. Luke Oldfield was next across the line and led Brad Ayers, Kevin Titman, Dave Whell, Melissa Boyes and Kristy Bonsey past the chequered flag.

Anthony Vanderreyden and Andrew Liebke shared the front row for the start of the fourth heat, and while the pair drag-raced side-by-side into the opening corner, Liebke pulled ahead and into the lead by the end of turn two. Kevin Titman was trying to work the low line, while Bryan Mann tried his luck on the high side when Anthony Vanderreyden and Bryan Mann both spun, independent of each other, in turn two and brought the race under caution with just one lap complete. Andrew Liebke led the restart with Kevin Titman now right on his tail and Donny Schatz in third. Titman immediately took to the bottom when the lights went green, challenging Liebke for the lead before securing the advantage just one lap into the restart. Donny Schatz was of course quick to follow Titman under Liebke and a few laps later Schatz ran around the outside of Titman and into the lead. Schatz was in a class of his own again as he opened a significant margin over the rest of the field, while Mitchell Gee slammed the turn three wall. Gee was able to keep moving while Bryan Mann was swiftly making his way back through the field after his earlier spin. Dave Fanning and Steven Johnson had a great battle for the minor places, but it was Donny Schatz who took the win ahead of Kevin Titman, Andrew Liebke, Davey Heskin, Bryan Mann, Steven Johnson, Mitchell Gee, Dave Fanning and Anthony Vanderreyden.

Heat five started with David Whell and Mick Sauer from the front with Whell getting the jump on the start and Sauer settling into second but putting all kinds of pressure on the race leader. Andrew Scheuerle was on the move again and quickly making progress from the tail end of the field, slipping past Paul Morris and Ben Hilder to secure fifth by the end of the first lap. Brent Kaeding was predominately running the high line, making slow progress towards the front half of the field, while Mark Pholi managed to slip underneath Mick Sauer to steal second. Pholi caught race leader Whell in just a few laps and seemed to have the car speed he would need to steal the lead, but while challenging for the position, in what would have been a beautiful outside passing move through turn four, Pholi spun the Q14 racer. Pholi was able to keep the car moving and rejoin the race, having lost positions to Sauer, Scheuerle and Dan Moes, and was now embroiled in an exciting with both Moes and Brent Kaeding. Pholi quickly ran around the outside of Moes, with Kaeding quick to follow through turn four less than a lap later. David Whell went on to take a very well deserved win with Mick Sauer in second and Andrew Scheuerle in third. Mark Pholi managed to salvage fourth after his late-race mishap, and led Brent Kaeding, Dan Moes, Ben Hilder, Paul Morris and Brandon Rawlings across the line.

Heat six, the final qualifying event of the night, saw James Grady and Brad Ayers start alongside each other on the front row, with Anthony Lambert and Melissa Boyes close behind. Grady got a great start from pole position and quickly secured the race lead, while Ayers and Lambert argued over second and Brent Kratzmann began working his way forward. Lambert slipped underneath Ayers at the end of the first lap, with Melissa Boyes right on their tail and Kratzmann and Oldfield pushing hard on the bottom. Oldfield, Kratzmann and Lack were all on a mission to get to the front but the race was soon brought under caution when Brad Ayers and Callum Zizek came together in turn two. Both cars restarted at the rear of the field as Grady led the restart from Oldfield and Lambert. Grady had a great run but Oldfield was on the high line and challenging for the lead from the moment the lights went green. Unfortunately the race was quickly brought to a stop when Anthony Lambert spun in turn two, leaving Melissa Boyes nowhere to go. Contact between Lambert and Boyes ended up tipping both cars on their side, while Peter Lack sustained some front wing damage after contact with Lambert as he spun. Both Lambert and Boyes restarted the event at the rear of the field, though Boyes in particular had a significantly damaged main wing. James Grady again led the restart with a very determined and hard-charging Luke Oldfield right on his tail. Oldfield had a look on the high side before switching to the bottom but Grady was having a magnificent drive and was not about to surrender the race lead without a fight. Oldfield soon switched back to the high line and while Grady managed to hold him for a short while, Oldfield did eventually manage to steal the lead. Behind them though the battle between Brent Kratzmann and Peter Lack was every bit as intense as Lack worked the highline to find his way past Kratzmann. Lack did win that battle and set out after James Grady, slipping underneath the Q40 racer a few laps later as they rounded turn three. Grady fought back hard on the low line in a very impressive drive but could not quite get the job done before the fall of the chequered flag. Luke Oldfield went on to take the win ahead of Peter Lack, James Grady, Brent Kratzmann, Kristy Bonsey, Callum Zizek, Brad Ayers, Melissa Boyes and Anthony Lambert.

The top six qualifiers took to the track for the six-lap Dash event, with Donny Schatz and Luke Oldfield from the front row. Oldfield knew that Schatz has a habit of accepting the Kratzmann Challenge and inverting the top fourteen starters for the main event and knew the only way to keep his position at the front of the field was to beat Schatz in the Dash event. Oldfield gave it everything on the start, drag-racing Schatz down the main straight when the green flag flew, but Schatz was half a car length in front and had secured the lead by the end of the first corner. Oldfield settled into second while Peter Lack, Andrew Scheuerle and Brent Kaeding argued over the minor places. Donny Schatz went on to take the win ahead of Luke Oldfield, Peter Lack, Brent Kaeding, Andrew Scheuerle and Davey Heskin. As suspected Donny Schatz agreed to accept the Kratzmann Challenge and invert the top fourteen starters in the A-main event, for an extra $3000 in prize money should he come from position fourteen and win. For the second night in a row it set up an exciting and thrilling race for the fans on the hill, but before the A-Main could be run there was a 15-lap B-Main to be contested to determine the final four contenders of the A-Main.

The fifteen lap B-Main event started with Mark Pholi and Paul Morris from the front row and Dave Fanning and Melissa Boyes close behind. Pholi got the jump on the start and quickly settled into a comfortable lead while Andrew Liebke had a brilliant run on the bottom to slip underneath Melissa Boyes and challenge Dave Fanning for third. Melissa Boyes was running a solid fifth, with both Anthony Lambert and Dan Moes close behind, when Boyes spun to a stop in turn two and brought the race under caution. Mick Sauer had nowhere to go and collected the side of the stranded Q8 racer and while Sauer was able to restart the event, Boyes unfortunately suffered enough damage to the car to end her race. Mark Pholi continued to dominate on the restart, with Paul Morris and Dave Fanning behind and Andrew Liebke holding down the final transfer position. Fanning and Liebke had a great battle as they fought over third but Anthony Vanderreyden, at the rear of the field, soon brought the race to a stop after inverting the Q72 racer in turn three. Vanderreyden walked away from the wreck but was unable to continue the race having completed just over two laps. Pholi again led the restart from Morris, Fanning and Liebke, with Fanning initially challenging Morris for position but soon becoming embroiled in a battle with Liebke once more. Liebke was persistent on the low line, occasionally emerging slightly in front, but Fanning managed to hang on to his position. Further back in the field Mick Sauer and Brad Ayers were running two-wide as they exchanged positions and the race was again brought under caution, this time for the spun car of James Grady in turn four. With just three laps left to run Pholi led the restart from Dave Fanning, who had managed to slip past Paul Morris, while further back in the field Mick Sauer was climbing his way forward and Brandon Rawlings had a late charge on the high line to run around the outside of David Whell and Mick Sauer in the final corner of the race. Mark Pholi went on to take the win ahead of Dave Fanning and Paul Morris with Andrew Liebke securing the final transfer to the A-Main. Anthony Lambert finished a strong fifth and led Brandon Rawlings, Mick Sauer, David Whell, James Grady, Kristy Bonsey and Brad Ayers across the line. Anthony Vanderreyden and Melissa Boyes did not finish the event.

With the Kratzmann Challenge accepted by Donny Schatz, Dan Moes and Kevin Titman shared the front row for the start of the 20-lap A-Main event. The field behind them was huge and with a host of some of the best competitors both locally and internationally now coming from deep in the field, it was set be no-stop action from the first fall of the green flag. Titman got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead with Moes holding down second ahead of Bryan Mann. Brent Kratzmann, Steven Johnson, Andrew Scheuerle and Peter Lack all tried to make it work on the low line, while Luke Oldfield was straight into it on the high side. Brent Kratzmann made his way underneath Callum Zizek while Davey Heskin had a great run past the outside of Ben Hilder before making his way in front of Zizek. Zizek immediately fought back, managing to regain his position, and Hilder was able to slip back past Heskin when the U74 racer ran a fraction too wide in turn three, allowing Hilder to slip by on the inside. Heskin soon found himself in a very close and intense battle that involved Steven Johnson, Brent Kaeding, Luke Oldfield and Dave Fanning, with Donny Schatz closing in fast. Schatz started picking his way through, always looking three cars ahead and planning his next attack, while Dave Fanning was having an absolutely brilliant run after transferring the from the B-Main and already making his way closer to the front. Fanning ran the highline with Brent Kaeding on the bottom, the pair running two abreast as they chased after Callum Zizek and Davey Heskin. Fanning, a highly experienced speedway competitor before joining the Sprintcar ranks this season, has certainly settled into the Sprintcar, with last night being perhaps his best night in the car yet, mixing it up with some of the very best the sport has to offer. Kaeding and Fanning swapped positions, and racing lines, several times, while behind them Luke Oldfield and Donny Schatz were charging through. The race was soon brought under caution though when Peter Lack spun the Q58 racer in turn four. Andrew Liebke managed to just squeeze past between Lack and the wall but knocked the Q47 racer out of gear and stopped. Both Lack and Liebke restarted at the rear of the field while Kevin Titman led the restart from Bryan Mann and Brent Kratzmann. Schatz was up to ninth after only nine laps with Dave Fanning in tenth after starting sixteenth. Bryan Mann wasted no time in making his move for the race lead, slipping underneath Titman shortly after the race resumed and beginning to open a small lead. Dan Moes and Ben Hilder had a great battle as they argued over fourth, right on the tail of Kratzmann, while Schatz continued his slow but steady and methodical climb towards the front. Schatz favoured the high line but could, and did, put the car anywhere he needed it to be at any given point. Dan Moes put up a great fight, charging back on the highline but to no avail. Brent Kratzmann had significant car speed and a good line on the bottom and put up a bigger fight than most but there was no stopping Schatz on his way to the front and before long he had moved past Kratzmann and into third. Andrew Scheuerle and Luke Oldfield were battling it out, championship rivals putting on a brilliant show for race fans mid-field while Dave Fanning continued to advance. Scheuerle had managed to pull ahead of Oldfield, putting a couple of cars between them, but Oldfield soon brought the race under caution when he came to a stop in the middle of turn four after contact with another car.

Bryan Mann led the restart but with Donny Schatz now right on his tail a stoppage was probably the last thing Mann needed. Mann however got a brilliant start and immediately opened a margin of a couple of car lengths on Schatz. Schatz patiently observed his opposition for a few laps while further back in the field Brent Kratzmann, Brent Kaeding and Davey Heskin were embroiled in a tense battle with none willing to give in. Peter Lack began climbing his way closer to the front with a spectacular run on the highline, but all attention soon turned back to Schatz as he closed in on Mann and put all kinds of pressure on. The battle lasted several laps as they rapidly approached lapped traffic, the rest of the field over a quarter of a lap behind, and Schatz began an impressive outside passing move as they exited turn four. Mann fought hard but Schatz had the lead half a lap later and began opening a margin over Mann and the rest of the field. Schatz weaved his way effortlessly though lapped traffic until he race was brought under caution for the car of Callum Zizek who had stopped near the wall exiting turn two.

With six laps left to run Schatz led the restart from Bryan Mann and Brent Kaeding, and while Schatz simply ran away from the field, there was still a lot at stake for the rest of the competitors. Peter Lack took the high line and looked to be making progress until his right rear tyre let go in turn two, just one lap after Dan Moes suffered a simular fate, but, unlike Moes, Lack was unable to limp the car off the track without bringing the race under caution. Schatz again led the restart from Mann and Kaeding with just two laps left to run. But it wasn’t the front of the field where the action was unfolding; it was just outside the top five Dave Fanning, from position eight, took advantage of a small mistake from Davey Heskin, who was running in sixth at the time, and slipped underneath both Heskin and Andrew Scheuerle, who had hesitated ever so slightly when Heskin got crossed up. Fanning was lined up perfectly to take advantage of the window on the bottom and quietly slipped straight past and into sixth with just a lap and a half to run. Scheuerle tried to fight back and while he managed to get past Heskin, he couldn’t quite get past Fanning. Heskin found himself in a last lap race with Andrew Liebke, who had a stellar drive to come from the rear, twice, but Heskin was able to hold on. Donny Schatz took the win, making it three in a row, and, so far, a clean sweep of victories in his 2014-2015 Australian visit. Bryan Mann finished a very impressive second with Brent Kaeding rounding out the podium. Kevin Titman finished fourth ahead of Brent Kratzmann, Dave Fanning, Andrew Scheuerle, Davey Heskin, Andrew Liebke, Paul Morris, Ben Hilder, Luke Oldfield and Steven Johnson. Mitchell Gee, Peter Lack, Dan Moes, Callum Zizek and Mark Pholi all failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway tonight for our first night of World Series Sprintcars action. Donny Schatz, Brent Kaeding and Davey Heskin will be back, along with our local favourites to stand alongside the World Series Sprintcars competitors and see who can top the podium tonight. Can anyone stop Donny Schatz? Get yourself trackside tonight at AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway to see it for yourself. Donny Schatz is in a class of his own, the best in the world, but some of our local drivers are really giving him a bit of a run for his money at the moment. Come and see all the stars tonight and cheer on your favourite!