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Kicking Up The Dirt - SuperCheap Auto Track Championship Round 11
Joanne White posted Sunday March 8, 2015.

It has been over a month since Sprintcars last raced around the AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway circuit but last night the winged warriors returned for Round 11 of the SuperCheap Auto Sprintcar Track Championship. With double points on the line it would prove to a critical night of competition for many drivers, and one that was full of plenty of thrilling racing action and carnage. Ben Hilder started the night off in spectacular fashion when he secured quick time in qualifying. Hilder had a great night behind the wheel of the Motorguard Motorsport #95 racer and finished the night inside the top ten. Brock Dean also had a great night and finished the night in sixth after a solid qualifying run and leading the points battle heading into the feature events. But there was simply no stopping Bryan Mann who was in a class of his own in the feature event. Mann started the event from position four, swiftly made his way into second before stealing the lead from Kevin Titman in the first ten laps of the main race. Mann was untouchable out in front and seemingly effortless ran away from the field on each restart before going on to take a well deserved win. Kevin Titman had an exceptionally strong run to finish a very solid second while Andrew Scheuerle put in yet another very consistent run to fill the final podium position. Luke Oldfield impressed as he clawed his way back to fourth after being relegated to the rear of the field at the start, with Richard Morgan completing the top five.

Qualifying got underway with Steven Johnson the quickest of the first group, stopping the clock at 12.451 seconds. Unfortunately for Johnson it didn’t last long with Andrew Scheuerle, Luke Oldfield, Bryan Mann and Brent Kratzmann out in the second group and all four going quicker than 12.4 seconds. However the last group to hit the track for their qualifying laps produced some surprises with both Ben Hilder and Brock Dean beating Scheuerle and Oldfield. Hilder stopped the clock at a blistering 11.835 seconds and really set himself up for a great and competitive night of racing. Dean stopped the clock at 11.971 seconds, narrowly beating Scheuerle and Oldfield, who recorded laps of 11.980 and 11.988 second respectively. Kevin Titman, also in the sixth and final group to hit the track, rounded out the fastest five cars. The top nineteen cars were separated by less than one second and as always times right through the field were very close. Dan Murray beat Brent Kratzmann but just two thousandths of a second to make it inside the top ten qualifiers, while David Whell beat Anthony Lambert by just one hundredth of a second.

Heat one got underway with Brandon Rawlings and Mick Sauer from the front row. Sauer got the jump when the lights went green and quickly settled into the race lead while Rawlings came under attack from both David Whell and Steven Johnson. Whell tried the bottom while Johnson had a big look on the high side as the trio headed towards the first corner of the race. Rawlings managed to hang on to second momentarily while Johnson managed to emerge just ahead of Whell before switching to the low line and sliding underneath Rawlings as they rounded turn two. Johnson set out after Sauer while Rawlings fought hard to keep David Whell behind him. Mark Pholi and Bryan Mann were both trying to find a way past Whell, and Ben Hilder also making his way closer to the front of the field. Whell and Mann managed to pull away from the field a little, giving themselves a comfortable margin, but the battle between the two really was something to behold. Mann was relentless and held nothing back, searching everywhere for a way through, but Whell drove a magnificent and faultless race to maintain his position. Out in front Mick Sauer was doing an incredible job and had built up a significant lead over the rest of the field. Steven Johnson was chasing hard but it wasn’t until Sauer hit lapped traffic that Johnson was really able to close the gap. Sauer made a very slight mistake coming out of turn two on the final laps of the race and Johnson was in the perfect position to strike. Johnson immediately took to the highline and the pair raced two abreast for the last half lap of the race. They crossed the line side-by-side with Johnson stealing the win by just 0.060 seconds. Mick Sauer finished a very impressive second ahead of David Whell, Bryan Mann, Mark Pholi, Ben Hilder, Brandon Rawlings, Kristy Bonsey and Callum Walker.

Allan Woods and Dave Fanning started alongside each other for the start of heat two, with Anthony Lambert and Brent Kratzmann right on their tail. Woods managed to secure the race lead when the green flag flew, with Fanning settling into second. Unfortunately the race was brought to a sudden stop barely two laps in when Fanning and Kratzmann came together in turn two while arguing over second. Both cars crashed heavily into the turn two concrete fence and while both drivers were able to walk away from the wreck, neither would able to take part in the restart. Allan Woods led the restart with Kevin Titman right on his tail while Brock Dean tried to find a way past Anthony Lambert. Less than a lap into the restart Lambert got too loose on the bottom of turn four, nearly spinning the Q90 racer and loosing several positions before rejoining the race. With clear air in front of him Brock Dean began chasing down Woods and Titman, but the battle between the leading duo was just starting to heat up. Woods was determined to maintain the lead but Titman has championship points on the line and was certainly holding nothing back. Titman had several good looks at stealing the lead in the last half of the race, but ultimately had to settle for second as Allan Woods took the win. Brock Dean crossed the line in third, while Mitchell Gee had a great drive to close the gap to Dean in the closing laps of the race. Gee finished an impressive fourth and led Mike Walsh, Gary Finglas, Anthony Lambert and Tony Michell across the line. Dave Fanning and Brent Kratzmann did not finish the race.

Heat three started with Stephen Greer from the front row and Jason Bottin alongside. Bottin got the jump on the start and while Greer fought back valiantly there was little he could do. The battle for third was an intense one, with Andrew Liebke marginally in front of Dan Murray and Luke Oldfield really putting the pressure on as he searched for his way through. It took Oldfield just over a lap to finally emerge in front of Murray, the pair having run two-wide for most of the first lap, and while Oldfield set his sights on Liebke it was Murray who immediately came under fire from Richard Morgan and Andrew Scheuerle. Scheuerle committed to the high line, and eventually managed to get past both Morgan and Murray before setting about closing the gap to Oldfield. Meanwhile, Oldfield was all over the back of Andrew Liebke, the pair putting on a brilliant show for race fans as Oldfield searched high and low for a way past. Liebke held his own for several laps but Oldfield eventually managed to slip past on the inside as they entered turn three. Within just a couple of laps Oldfield had caught Stephen Greer and was attempting an inside pass on the exit of turn one when contact between the two saw Oldfield spin the NQ17 racer to a stop in the middle of the track. Oldfield restarted at the rear of the field as Jason Bottin, Stephen Greer and Andrew Liebke led the field to the green. It was a green-white-chequer two laps race to the finish, with Scheuerle spending just one lap making his way past both Liebke and Greer. Jason Bottin went on to take the win ahead of Andrew Scheuerle, Stephen Greer, Andrew Liebke and Richard Morgan. Luke Oldfield clawed his way back to sixth and led Dan Murray and Melissa Boyes across the line. James Grady, who suffered a fire on board the Q40 racer a few laps from home, did not finish the race.

Heat four hit the track with Brent Kratzmann and Stephen Greer from the front row. Kratzmann got a brilliant start from the front row and quickly settled into the race lead while Dan Murray from position three on the start quickly secured second. Greer and Mark Pholi came together in turn two as Pholi tried to slip by on the inside of Greer. Pholi came out of the contact in front, with Bryan Mann now right on his tail, while Greer lost a lot of ground heading down the back straight. Bryan Mann soon found his way past Mark Pholi and set his sights on Dan Murray, while Pholi was forced to defend his position from a very chard charging Andrew Scheuerle. The race was brought under caution for the spun car of Steven Greer in turn one, with Kratzmann to lead the restart from Murray, Mann, Pholi and Scheuerle. Kratzmann immediately opened a lead of several car lengths, leaving his fellow racers to fight over second. Mann got around Murray while Scheuerle put the pressure on Pholi, who in turn was now trying to find a way past Murray. Contact between Murray and Pholi in turn two, as Pholi attempted an inside passing move, saw Murray loose several positions. Brent Kratzmann went on to take the win with Bryan Mann officially second, almost two seconds behind Kratzmann. Andrew Scheuerle crossed the line in third with Mark Pholi, Dan Murray, Dave Fanning, Jason Bottin, Kristy Bonsey, Stephen Greer and Callum Walker rounding out the field.

Heat five started with Brandon Rawlings and Anthony Lambert from the front row. Rawlings got a great start from pole position and quickly secured the race lead. Lambert though was a little slower off the mark and as the whole outside row tried to find a way past, contact between David Whell, who had started from position four, and Mitchell Gee, who had come from fifth, launched Gee into a series of barrel rolls into turn one. The #41 racer got plenty of height and came down hard as the rest of the field tried hard to avoid contact with the stricken car. There was a somewhat lengthy delay as officials, crash crew and paramedics carefully extracted Mitchell from the car. Gee was taken to hospital for tests and was kept in overnight for further observations. When the race resumed it was a full restart, with Brandon Rawlings still from Pole Position and Melissa Boyes now alongside. Rawlings and Boyes drag-raced side-by-side into the first corner with Boyes on the high side getting the job done and securing the lead. Andrew Liebke slipped straight underneath Rawlings in turn two, with Luke Oldfield quick to follow. Boyes had managed to pull away a little as Liebke and Oldfield put on a show while they fought over second. Oldfield was relentless, determined and aggressive, while giving Liebke room to move and searching for the right way through. Liebke ran a very smooth and consistent race, he was fast and hit his marks, making no mistakes and keeping Oldfield behind him. The race was soon under caution once more through, this time for the spun car of Tony Michell in turn one. Melissa Boyes led the restart from Andrew Liebke and Luke Oldfield with five laps still to run. Liebke quickly slipped underneath Boyes as they rounded turn two, with Oldfield following a lap later, while further back in the field Brock Dean was finally able to find his way past Brandon Rawlings and then, only a couple of laps later, Melissa Boyes. Oldfield and Liebke had resumed their intense battle from before the stoppage, only this time it was the race lead they were arguing over. With only a lap and a half to run Oldfield finally managed to slip underneath Liebke as they exiting turn two and was able to beat him into turn three to steal the lead with just over one lap left to run. From there Oldfield simply ran away, opening a sizable margin in just one lap. Luke went on to take the win with Andrew Liebke a very impressive second ahead of Brock Dean, Brandon Rawlings, Melissa Boyes, David Whell and Gary Finglas. Tony Michell, Anthony Lambert and Mitchell Gee did not finish the race.

Mike Walsh and Allan Woods shared the front row for the start of the sixth and final Sprintcar heat of the night. Woods and Walsh drag-raced side-by-side into the first corner with Walsh emerging slightly in front but Woods not willing to give up without a fight. Mick Sauer and Richard Morgan battled for third until Steven Johnson and Kevin Titman came charging through. Johnson slipped underneath Sauer, while Titman briefly fought Ben Hilder in turns three and four. Titman was on the high line and was exceptionally fast, before pulling ahead of Hilder and then quietly slipping under Sauer in turn one and Johnson in turn two in a perfectly timed and breath-taking inside passing move. Titman set his sights on closing the gap to Richard Morgan while Steven Johnson and Mick Sauer exchanged positions several times and put on a show for the race fans. By now Titman had caught Morgan and both made quick work of slipping by Woods. Titman ran up the inside of Morgan through turn three, advancing one more position, and setting out after Mike Walsh. While Titman was battling with Walsh for the lead of the race, Woods found himself in the middle of the battle between Sauer and Johnson, giving the crowd plenty to watch in an action-packed heat. Titman technically crossed the line first but officials penalised him two positions, deeming he made a pass too far on the infield. Mike Walsh was granted the win with Richard Morgan in second. Titman was officially classed as finishing third and led Steven Johnson, Allan Woods, Mick Sauer, Ben Hilder and James Grady across the line. Darren Silcock did not finish the race.

Brock Dean led the points going into the Dash event and started the Dash from position two with Kevin Titman alongside. Titman got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead with Dean in second and trying to fend off the advances of Bryan Mann. Luke Oldfield was trying to work his way forward, putting all kinds of pressure on Ben Hilder. Oldfield managed to slip straight underneath both Hilder and Mann just moments before Hilder spun to a stop in turn one and brought the race under caution. Titman led the restart from Dean, Oldfield and Mann. Titman cleared out completely, opening a sizable lead, while Oldfield searched tirelessly for a way past Brock Dean. Kevin Titman went on to take the win, earning pole position for the start of the A-Main. Brock Dean crossed the line second in the Dash and would start the A-Main alongside Titman, while Luke Oldfield, Bryan Mann, Andrew Scheuerle and Ben Hilder rounded out the finishers in the Dash.

Fourteen cars lined up for the start of the B-Main event that was scheduled to run for 15 laps. Allan Woods and Mick Sauer shared the front row for the start with Woods getting the better jump and quickly securing the lead. Walsh settled into second while the rest of the field began arguing over the minor places. Brandon Rawlings made a mistake coming out turn two and faded quickly on the highline, while Dave Fanning and Stephen Greer exchanged positions several times. The race was soon brought under caution when Melissa Boyes got a little sideways entering turn two and was promptly collected by Brandon Rawlings and Kristy Bonsey, both of whom had nowhere to go. All three drivers walked away from the collision but none were able to restart the event. Allan Woods led the restart with fourteen laps still to run and Mick Sauer up to second ahead of Mike Walsh. Dave Fanning was in the fourth and final transfer spot, but with Stephen Greer right on his tail, Fanning was keen to find a way past Mike Walsh and try to guarantee his transfer to the A-Main. The battle between Fanning and Walsh was breath-taking, while further back in the field Gary Finglas and Anthony Lambert had a great battle for the minor places. The rest of the race was plagued by a series of stoppages, yellow light cautions for the spun cars of Darren Silcock, Tony Michell, James Grady and finally Gary Finglas, at which point the race was declared with just twelve laps completed and the track curfew fast approaching. Allan Woods was never seriously challenged for the lead, opening a comfortable lead at every restart, and was credited with the win in the stoppage-plagued B-Main event. Mick Sauer was officially second, with Dave Fanning and Anthony Lambert rounding out the top four and securing transfers to the A-Main event. Mike Walsh finished a very respectable fifth ahead of Stephen Greer in sixth. Callum Walker, in just his first night of Sprintcar competition, finished an impressive seventh and did a great job to stay out of trouble all night. Tony Michell, seeming to have finally sorted out the mechanical dramas in the #12 racer, finished in eighth and led James Grady, Darren Silcock and Gary Fingals home. Melissa Boyes, Brandon Rawlings and Kristy Bonsey all failed to finish the event.

Eighteen cars lined up for the start of the 30-lap A-Main event, with Kevin Titman and Brock Dean from the front row. Titman got a brilliant start and very quickly settled into the race lead while both Bryan Mann and Luke Oldfield tried to go underneath Brock Dean. With less than a lap completed though Andrew Liebke, Mick Sauer and Allan Woods came together in turn four and brought the race under caution. Woods and Sauer both restarted the event but Liebke was out with front-end damage.

A full race restart followed with Titman again getting a brilliant start and Mann and Oldfield again trying to go underneath Dean. Oldfield got very low heading down the main straight and towards the first corner and not only let Mann and Dean get ahead, but gave Andrew Scheuerle all the invitation he needed to slip around the outside. David Whell was having a brilliant run on the highline and making progress towards the front of the field, while Steven Johnson also had a great run, predominately on the low line early in the race. Luke Oldfield, desperate to make amends for his poor start, was giving it everything he had but contact with Ben Hilder in turns one and two left both cars stranded on the track and brought the race under caution. Both cars restarted the event at the rear of the field, both with a huge task ahead of them to claw their way back through the field with twenty-six laps left to run.

Kevin Titman again led the restart from Bryan Mann and Andrew Scheuerle, but the main action was unfolding further back in the field. It was of course hard to tear your eyes from Oldfield as he began systematically working his way through the field, but the entire field was full of action with several smaller battles unfolding as the laps wore on. Richard Morgan and Brock Dean had a thrilling battle inside the top five while Steven Johnson, who was looking set to achieve a personal best result, and Mark Pholi battled inside the top ten and exchanged positions several times. Bryan Mann managed to steal the lead from Titman when Titman made a rare mistake in turn two, and from that point on Mann was untouchable. Dave Fanning spun in turn two and brought the race under caution with sixteen laps left on the board.

Bryan Mann led the restart from Kevin Titman and Andrew Scheuerle, the top three again running away from the rest of the field. Oldfield continued to work his way forward, making his way past Brent Kratzmann, David Whell and Dan Murray in just a couple of laps. Oldfield had worked his way into sixth and was closing in on Steven Johnson when Johnson spun in turn four and the race was brought to another stop. The race had barely resumed when Ben Hilder and Allan Woods came together in turn four and the cautions came out once more.

With ten laps left to run Mann, Titman and Scheuerle led the restart, with Morgan, Dean and Oldfield close behind. Oldfield continued his climb towards the front while from the rear of the field Steven Johnson took to the highline in an effort to try to regain some of the positions he lost when he spun. Unfortunately for Johnson mechanical problems onboard the #27 racer saw him slow to a stop on the high line and bring about the final stoppage of the race.

Mann led the restart with four laps left to run and again easily pulled away from the field, Titman was a solid second with Scheuerle comfortable in third. The real battle was now between Richard Morgan and Luke Oldfield over fourth. With two and a half laps left to run Oldfield ran around the outside of Morgan as they raced down the back straight, with championship rival Andrew Scheuerle only a couple of car lengths ahead. Bryan Mann took the win, a very well deserved reward for a team that has been so consistent this season and featured on the podium several times already. Kevin Titman had a brilliant run to secure second with Andrew Scheuerle in third. Luke Oldfield salvaged fourth after a brilliant drive from the rear of the field to remain in the Championship points chase. Richard Morgan finished fifth ahead of Brock Dean, Dan Murray, Brent Kratzmann, Mick Sauer, Ben Hilder, Allan Woods, David Whell and Dave Fanning. Anthony Lambert, Steven Johnson, Mark Pholi, Jason Bottin and Andrew Liebke all failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to the Toowoomba Speedbowl next Saturday night, 14 march 2015 for another spectacular show. The high banks of the Toowoomba circuit provide a different challenge for the drivers and next weekend will see them run an Outlaws format to really spice things up. You will not want to miss this one so get on out to Toowoomba Speedbowl next Saturday night and cheer on your favourite!

 

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