With Mother Nature finally on our side 24 Sprintcars headed back to the Toowoomba Speedbowl last night to contest the final night of the 2015 Queensland Sprintcar Easter Trail. After two consecutive washed out meetings on Friday and Saturday night, everyone was keen to get some racing in and put on a show for the race fans. And what a show it was! The racing was breath-taking, with James McFadden, who was simply a class above the rest all night, comfortably and effortlessly leading literally the entire 35-lap A-Main event only to be pipped at the post by Robbie Farr who, aided by lapped traffic, beat McFadden to the line by just 0.278 seconds. A yellow light stoppage six laps from home had bunched the field up, leaving Farr right on McFadden’s tail, and while McFadden continued to lead comfortably the pair approached lapped traffic together. With just two corners left to run Farr began making his move on the low line through turn three. McFadden seemed to have the race in the bag but disaster struck for Andrew Wright, one of two lapped cars in front of the leaders, and Wright flipped down the main straight and across the line. Steve Caunt, who had been following Wright, moved up track slightly and slowed a little to avoid the airborne #78 racer, with Farr and McFadden then racing either side of Caunt to cross the line. Farr, who actually climbed over the left rear wheel of Caunt as they crossed the line, was credited with the win with James McFadden in second and Blake Skipper an impressive third. Bryan Mann crossed the line in fourth with Andrew Scheuerle salvaging fifth after transferring from the B-Main and surviving an incident plagued A-Main race. Andrew Wright walked away from the crash.

The format for the night was draw and invert, though Robbie Farr proved early on he had the car speed to get the job done, recording the fastest lap of the qualifying runs with a blistering 11.369 second lap. David Murcott and James McFadden were second and third quickest with Peter Lack and Mick Sauer completing the fastest five. Andrew Scheuerle actually recorded an identical time to Sauer, an 11.959 second lap, while the next three quickest cars, Steve Caunt, Kevin Titman and Mitchell Gee, were separated by just 0.047 seconds.

Heat one started with Blake Skipper and Steve Caunt from the front row with Mike Walsh and Brandon Haynes close behind. Skipper got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, with Caunt in behind. The leading pair quickly opened a comfortable margin over the rest of the field while both Robbie Farr and David Murcott started to try and work their way through the field from the rear of the starting grid. Farr was magnificent on the highline while Murcott initially got caught behind Callum Zizek and lost a lot of ground in the opening corner. Zizek however had a brilliant run on the low line and in the space of half a lap had slipped underneath Robbie Farr, Kyle Caunt and Mike Walsh and set his sights on Brandon Haynes. Both Farr and Murcott followed him through over the next few laps with Farr working tirelessly to close the gap that Zizek had managed to create. As lapped traffic came into play that gap did close and in the closing laps of the race Farr was able to slip past Zizek. Still there was no stopping Blake Skipper out in front and he went on to take the win ahead of Steve Caunt. Robbie Farr crossed the line in third with Callum Zizek, David Murcott, Kyle Caunt, Brandon Haynes and Mike Walsh rounding out the finishers. It was not all smooth sailing though and post-race contact between Mike Walsh and Kyle Caunt saw the latter invert the N8 racer in turn two. Kyle was not injured in the incident but would unfortunately miss the second round of heat events as the crew worked feverishly to repair the damage to the car.

Heat two saw Gary Finglas and Anthony Lambert share the front row for the start, with Mick Sauer and Andrew Wright from the second row. The first start was aborted, officials deeming Finglas to have jumped the start, but it was too late for Brent Aprile who ended up in the turn one wall and very prematurely out of the race. A full race restart followed with Finglas getting the jump and leading the field into turn one. Mick Sauer however was absolutely brilliant on the low line, immediately charging underneath Finglas to steal the lead by the time they exited turn two. Mitchell Gee was only beginning what was set to be a spectacular night for the young pilot of the #41 racer, and quickly followed Sauer under Finglas to secure second by the time they entered turn three. Finglas faded quickly as Anthony Lambert, Andrew Wright and Bryan Mann came charging through. Wright managed to slip past Lambert, with Mann following just one lap later, with Mann then setting about chasing down Wright. Mick Sauer had about a quarter of a lap lead over Gee and was beginning to navigate lapped traffic when the race was brought under caution so officials could remove one of the small infield tyres that had been bumped onto the track. Mick Sauer led the restart with Mitchell Gee and Andrew Wright on his tail. Wright came under immediate pressure from Bryan Mann but Mann couldn’t quite get the job done before the fall of the chequered flag. Mick Sauer went on to take the win with Mitchell Gee a solid second ahead of Andrew Wright, Bryan Mann, Anthony Lambert, Brandon Rawlings and Gary Finglas. Brent Aprile did not finish the event.

Heat three saw Peter Lack and Terry Bracken share the front row with a very tough field behind them. The first start was aborted, officials not happy with the way the leaders crossed the line. The second start saw Bracken lead momentarily until Lack fought back on the low line. Lack was attempting to run up the inside of Bracken when contact between the two launched Lack into the air and sent him towards the fence, inverting the #58 racer. The contact started a chain reaction through the field with almost every other car in the race involved in some way. Luke Oldfield, who had started rear of the field, almost ran into the back of Clayton Hart on the start and lost a little ground as they crossed the line. The tiny mistake meant Oldfield was the only one car with enough time and space to completely avoid the carnage in front of him. James McFadden, who had started out of position four, drifted high coming out of turn one, trying to avoid the upturning car of Lack in front of him, but clipped the wall with his own right rear and inverted the NQ25 racer before landing back on all four wheels, hitting both Lack and Bracken on his way down, and actually managed to drive off from the incident. Meanwhile, as McFadden was clipping the wall, Andrew Scheuerle, who had started from position three, had been left nowhere to go and was into the side of Bracken, with Kevin Titman and Jamie Bricknell also involved. Clayton Hart was able to avoid most of the chaos but collected one of the infield tyres in the chaos. No one was injured in the incident and all except Bracken and Lack were able to restart the event. A full restart followed, with Andrew Scheuerle and James McFadden now from the front row. McFadden quickly secured the lead, despite the damage done to his car in the crash, with Scheuerle settling for second and Kevin Titman in third. All eyes were however on livewire Luke Oldfield, who was putting on a very entertaining show for race fans as he worked his way through the field after starting at the back. By turn two he slipped straight between Jamie Bricknell on the low line and Clayton Hart on the top side, to make his way in behind Titman and begin challenging for third. Oldfield took to the highline and spent two and a half laps trying to get around the outside of Titman before switching to the low side and slipping straight underneath. Oldfield had the car running beautifully and within a lap was on the tail of Scheuerle and McFadden, ready to challenge Scheuerle for second. Oldfield spent a couple of laps searching high and low before eventually slipping straight underneath Scheuerle as they rounded turn three just a couple of laps from the chequered flag. He had his sights set on McFadden in the race lead but ultimately ran out laps, with James McFadden taking the win despite flipping on the opening lap of the race and enduring ten difficult laps with a broken race car. Luke Oldfield finished an impressive second with Andrew Scheuerle, Kevin Titman, Clayton Hart and Jamie Bricknell rounding out the finishers. Peter Lack and Terry Bracken did not finish the race.

Callum Zizek and Robbie Farr lined up alongside each other for the start of heat four. Officials abandoned the first start, with Zizek receiving a warning for jumping the start, but second time around was much better. Zizek and Farr raced wheel-to-wheel through the opening couple of corners with Zizek on the low line eventually managing to emerge in front and secure the lead. Farr settled into second with David Murcott in third. The leading trio quickly opened a comfortable lead over the rest of the field, and while Zizek was initially very comfortable in the race lead, the last half of the race saw Farr really put the pressure on. Zizek drove a spectacular and mistake free race, skilfully navigating lapped traffic all with immense pressure from Farr and they fought over the race lead. Callum Zizek went on to take the win with Robbie Farr officially second ahead of David Murcott, Steven Caunt, Blake Skipper, Brandon Haynes and Mike Walsh.

Heat five started with Brent Aprile and Brandon Rawlings from the front row with Aprile securing the lead when the lights went green. Rawlings settled into second but had a hard charging Bryan Mann right on his tail. Mid-field Mick Sauer and Anthony Lambert were having a great battle until contact between the two saw Lambert complete a 360 degree spin and pop his left rear tyre. Lambert tried to limp off the track but couldn’t quite make it to the infield and brought the race under caution. Brent Aprile led the restart with Brandon Rawlings in second and Bryan Mann in third ahead of Mitchell Gee. Within a couple of laps Mitchell Gee had managed to slip underneath Mann and while Mann tried to fight back there was little he could do. Brent Aprile went on to take the win with team-mates Brandon Rawlings and Mitchell Gee in second and third respectively. Bryan Mann finished in fourth and led Mick Sauer, Andrew Wright, Gary Finglas and Anthony Lambert across the line.

The sixth and final heat started with Jamie Bricknell and Luke Oldfield from the front row. The pair raced wheel-to-wheel into the first two corners, Oldfield committed to the highline, Bricknell on the bottom. Bricknell managed to emerge in front as they exited turn two but after just a couple of laps Oldfield manoeuvred his way into the race lead. Terry Bracken and Peter Lack battled at the rear of the field, while James McFadden and Kevin Titman had a thrilling battle mid-field as they chased down and put all kinds of pressure on Bricknell. The race was paused at half race distance to remove yet another infield tyre from the track, this time in turn four, and it was Luke Oldfield who led the restart and simply ran away from the field. Oldfield had built up a margin the length of the straight in just one lap, extending his lead with every faultless circuit of the Speedbowl, while further back in the field Andrew Scheuerle had his hands full trying to keep Peter Lack behind him. James McFadden was all over the back of Jamie Bricknell, with Kevin Titman also joining the fight trying to find a way past McFadden. Luke Oldfield went on to take the win some half a lap ahead of Jamie Bricknell in second and James McFadden in third. Kevin Titman was next across the line and led Clayton Hart, Andrew Scheuerle, Peter Lack and Terry Bracken past the chequered flag.

The top six shootout saw five pairs hit the track for a series of two-lap match races. First up was Mitchell Gee and Mick Sauer, who had qualified fifth and sixth on points. Gee jumped the started and was relegated to the infield to start the A-Main from position six while Robbie Farr joined Mick Sauer on track for the next shootout race. Farr got the jump on the start and went on to take the win, leaving Sauer to start the A-Main from position five, while Callum Zizek joined Farr on the track for the next shootout. Once again Farr dominated and took the win with James McFadden the next challenger to hit the track. The two raced side-by-side into the first two corners, with McFadden on the low side finally emerging in front and going on to take the win. Luke Oldfield, as the highest points scorer of the night then joined McFadden on the track for the final match race. They drag raced into the first corner but it was Oldfield on the bottom who managed to secure the lead before going on to take the win and earning pole position for the start of the A-Main event.

For something quite different Andrew Scheuerle started the B-Main from pole position with Clayton Hart alongside and Brent Aprile and Brandon Haynes on the second row and Peter Lack and Terry Bracken buried deep in the field. Andrew Scheuerle got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead but it was mid-field where things came undone. Only half a lap into the race and contact between Gray Finglas and Anthony Lambert as they came out of turn two saw both Lambert and Lack climb over the front end of Finglas. Both were lucky not to roll, though Lack was forced to stop as his right nerf bar was rubbing on his right rear tyre. Officials were able to get the bar off the tyre and Lack restarted at the rear of the field. A host of other cars were involved in the chaos that followed the initial contact, with Kristy Bonsey, Anthony Vanderreyden, Luke Manttan and Steven Johnson all becoming stranded on the race track. All except Finglas and Johnson were able to restart the race. A full race restart followed and again it was Scheuerle who led the way with Hart in second and Aprile in third. Again it was mid-field where the action was unfolding, with Jason Bottin and Nelson Reddacliff, both having transferred to the back of the B-Main after the 360 Sprintcar A-Main concluded, were both having a great run on the low line. Peter Lack and Terry Bracken had been virtually inseparable all night and the start of the B-Main was no different, the pair battling towards the rear of the B-Main field, desperate to climb their was through the field to make it to one of the top four places and secure a transfer to the A-Main. Lack soon committed to the high line, and began making serious progress towards the front. There was little that could stop a very determined Lack as he charged towards the front of the field. At one stage he rode a wheel, even slammed the wall but he sure put on a thrilling show for the fans on the hill. The race was brought under caution, with six laps to run, for Anthony Lambert who had come to a stop in turn one. By this stage Brent Aprile had relieved Andrew Scheuerle of the race lead and it was Aprile who led the restart from Scheuerle and Clayton Hart. Lack immediately took straight to the high line once more and had a brilliant battle with Kyle Caunt for the last half dozen laps of the race, the pair exchanging positions several times and captivating the crowd. With just two laps left to run the leaders approached lapped traffic. Scheuerle wasted no time and quickly slipped underneath Aprile to regain his lead and take the win. Brent Aprile crossed the line in second with Clayton Hart in third. Brandon Haynes finished fourth and secured the final transfer to the A-Main event. Jason Bottin finished a very impressive fifth and was the first of the 360 cars home and led Kyle Caunt, Peter Lack, Nelson Reddacliff, Anthony Vanderreyden, Kristy Bonsey, Luke Manttan and Mike Walsh across the line. Anthony Lambert, Terry Bracken, Gary Finglas and Steven Johnson all failed to finish the event.

Eighteen cars lined up for a thrilling 35-lap A-Main journey that was perhaps one of the most thrilling and action-packed Sprintcar races seen at the Toowoomba Speedbowl in recent times. Talented pilots Luke Oldfield and James McFadden shared the front row, with a huge field of talent right on their tail tanks. McFadden secured the lead when the lights went green, with Oldfield settling into second and Robbie Farr from position three getting comfortable in third. Two laps in and Farr got into the back of Oldfield as Oldfield pulled infield with mechanical dramas. Farr completed a quick 360-degree turn before rejoining the race, having lost several positions. David Murcott made progress towards the front while working the high line, but the race was soon brought under caution as Clayton Hart and Brandon Rawlings came together on the back straight with race leader McFadden lucky to find a way through unscathed.

James McFadden led the restart with Callum Zizek, Mick Sauer and Mitchell Gee all having brilliant runs and occupying positions two, three and four. Robbie Farr was on a mission with both Jamie Bricknell and Blake Skipper in his sights. Farr really stepped things up as he found his way past Bricknell shortly after the race resumed, while Bryan Mann, Brent Aprile and Kevin Titman had an intense battle going deep in the field. McFadden was a third of a lap in front of his nearest rival as he put Andrew Scheuerle a lap down and began working his way through the lapped traffic, making it look easy. Robbie Farr and David Murcott were now on the tail of Mick Sauer and Mitchell Gee, with Murcott sliding underneath Farr and focussing on Gee. The race was paused for yet another of the infield tyres that had been bumped onto the track in turn two.

With seventeen laps still to run it was James McFadden who led the field away, with Callum Zizek, Mick Sauer, Mitchell Gee, David Murcott and Robbie Farr all close behind. Farr had a massive run on the high line, straight around Murcott as they headed through turn two and tried to do the same to Mitchell Gee. Gee however was not prepared to let that happen and quickly stepped things up a notch on the low line. Gee managed to slip underneath Sauer as they rounded turn one, with Farr still trying to run the high side. Gee and Sauer managed to pull away a little, leaving Farr and Murcott to battle amongst themselves. Contact between the two could have easily ended in disaster for either driver and while Farr was able recover Murcott pulled out of the race. Farr set his sights on chasing down Mick Sauer while all eyes were on the battle unfolding between Mitchell Gee and Callum Zizek. Both young racers put on a truly spectacular show for the fans and both are certainly drivers to keep your eye on as they gain more experience and climb through the Sprintcar ranks. Both Callum and Mitchell are spectacular talents that could see them both become major players in the years ahead. The battle between Sauer and Farr was every bit as entertaining as the one between Zizek and Gee, Farr held nothing back, determined to get to the front while Sauer had one of the best drives of his Sprintcar career, holding off a far more experienced rival and putting on a spectacular show. Unfortunately it was not meant to be for Sauer and the race was brought under caution when he became stranded, facing the wrong direction in turn three.

McFadden, Zizek, Gee and Farr led the restart but within just a few laps both Gee and Farr had made their way in front of Zizek. Andrew Scheuerle had been quietly working his way through the field, the ever-consistent Q1 racer determined to make his way close to the front of the field. McFadden and Gee, now in second, approached lapped traffic and while McFadden effortlessly ran around the outside of the Q36 racer of Jamie Bricknell, Gee rode the right rear of the Titan Garages #36 racer and stood his own #41 car on its tail tank. Gee headed towards the fence, making contact with the concrete before trying to limp the car from the racing surface, only to be collected by Callum Zizek, who had nowhere to go, his right rear running over the front end of Gee’s car. In a very unfortunate turn of events both Gee and Zizek were out of the race.

With six laps left to run it was James McFadden from Robbie Farr and Blake Skipper, with Brisbane regulars Bryan Mann, Kevin Titman and Andrew Scheuerle in hot pursuit. Scheuerle and Titman put on a great show as they exchanged positions several times, but soon all eyes were on Farr and McFadden. Entering the final two corners of the race McFadden was on the high line, Farr on the bottom with Farr attempting a bold inside passing move within sight of the chequered flag. Only a couple of car lengths in front of the leaders Andrew Wright was flipping down the straight in spectacular fashion, while Steven Caunt, who was literally only a car length ahead of the leaders, saw the airborne car of Wright and backed off ever so slightly, completely unaware of the battle for race honours that was right behind him. McFadden headed towards the fence while Farr tried to dart underneath Caunt, with Farr beating McFadden to the line by just 0.278 seconds, after riding the left rear wheel of Caunt. Andrew Wright was not injured in the incident, with the race win awarded to Robbie Farr. James McFadden finished second with Blake Skipper completing the podium. Bryan Mann finished fourth with Andrew Scheuerle salvaging fifth. Kevin Titman was next across the line with Steve Caunt, Brent Aprile and Andrew Wright rounding out the field. Mitchell Gee, Callum Zizek, Jamie Bricknell, Mick Sauer, David Murcott, Brandon Haynes, Brandon Rawlings, Clayton Hart and Luke Oldfield all failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway next Saturday night, 11 April 2015 to try to re-run the event that was abandoned due to rain on 21 March 2015. It will be the final night of competition in the SuperCheap Auto Sprintcar Series and will culminate in twin feature events. Get yourself trackside next weekend to see some fantastic racing action and see who will win the series.