Round Five of the SuperCheap Auto Sprintcar Track Championship got underway at AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway last night, with twenty-six cars set to do battle. Luke Oldfield got the jump from the front row on the start of the A-Main and looked set to bring an end to Andrew Scheuerle's winning streak, but lapped traffic became the deciding factor and while Oldfield was patient, Scheuerle managed to not only close in, but run around the outside of Oldfield, before slipping straight in between a pair of lapped cars to secure the lead just seven laps from the chequered flag. Scheuerle went on to take his fifth straight win to remain unbeaten so far this season at the Brisbane track. Luke Oldfield crossed the line in second with Bryan Mann and Mitchell Gee crossing the line side-by-side. Mann beat Gee to the line, and the podium, by just 0.001 seconds, leaving Gee in fourth. Peter Lack rounded out the top five.

Qualifying got underway with track conditions deteriorating as each group hit the track. Mitchell Gee, in the first group of qualifying, set the bar at 12.094 seconds, with fellow young-gun Lachlan McHugh second quickest with a 12.168 second lap, with Dave Whell next fastest and stopping the clock at 12.243 seconds. Despite the best efforts of everyone in each of the subsequent groups, the top three proved too quick and remained on top of the leader board for the duration of the qualifying sessions. Peter Lack and Andrew Scheuerle managed to secure times of 12.273 seconds and 12.305 seconds respectively, and completed the fastest five. Fifteen cars were in the 12-second bracket, with the top eighteen cars were separated by less than one second. Unfortunately for Brad Ayers his night came to a very premature end when the drive line in the NQ11 racer broke only a couple of laps into his qualifying run.

Dave Fanning and Callum Walker shared the front row for the start of heat one, with Fanning getting the jump when the lights went green. Brandon Rawlings, from position three, worked the low line, while Luke Oldfield raced up high, each trying for find a way past Walker. Within a couple of laps Rawlings managed to slip under Walker while behind them Mitchell Gee was coming on strong and challenging Oldfield for position. Gee was on a mission and there was little that could slow him down as he worked his way through the field. Within just a few laps Gee had caught the tail end of his team-mate Rawlings, the pair duelling for a few laps before Gee secured the advantage. It wasn’t long before Gee was challenging Fanning for the race lead, the pair racing side-by-side for three quarters of a lap before Gee managed to take the lead with only a couple of laps left to run. Mitchell Gee went on to take the win, after starting from position six, with Dave Fanning in second ahead of Brandon Rawlings, Luke Oldfield, Ben Hilder, Michael Kendall (driving the Q47 racer usually piloted by Andrew Liebke), Darren Silcock and Callum Walker.

Heat two started with Scott Doyle and Kevin Titman from the front row with Richard Morgan and Brent Kratzmann right behind them. Titman got a great start and quickly secured the lead and while Doyle initially held second Kratzmann was quick from position four and switched to the low side heading into turn one to slide beautifully underneath Doyle and secure second. Mid field Richard Morgan found himself sandwiched between Andrew Scheuerle, on the low line, and Lachlan McHugh, running the high side, as the trio raced three wide through turn one. It made for a hectic and action packed opening few laps, with both Scheuerle and McHugh hunting down the leaders and closing the gap. Doyle seemed to struggle in the early stages of the race, making a few small mistakes that saw him fade back through field, but had a great battle with Andrew Marks for several laps before Marks managed to pull ahead. Kevin Titman went on to take a much-needed win, with Brent Kratzmann right behind him in second. Andrew Scheuerle crossed the line in third and led Lachlan McHugh, Richard Morgan, Andrew Marks, Scott Doyle, Clem Hoffmans and Kristy Bonsey across the line.

Jason Bottin and Steven Johnson started alongside each other for the start of heat three, with Johnson getting the better start and securing the race lead. Bottin immediately came under pressure from Mark Pholi, with Pholi running the high line and moving into second by the end of the first lap. Bryan Mann and Peter Lack had a brilliant battle mid field, running side-by-side and together racing around the outside of an out-of-shape Bottin. The battle between Mann and Lack was intense, with Lack eventually securing the advantage, putting Pholi, briefly, between himself and Mann. Mann soon found his way past Pholi as well and then spent a couple of laps closing the gap to Lack. With just a couple of laps left to run Mann again challenged Lack for position, pushing hard on the low line and the pair raced two-wide once more. Steven Johnson went on to take the win, a little over two seconds clear of Peter Lack in second and Bryan Mann in third. Jason Bottin crossed the line in fourth and led Dave Whell, Mark Pholi, Anthony Lambert and Bruce Marshall across the line.

The fourth heat started with Michael Kendall and Steven Johnson from the front row. Kendall is five time New Zealand Speedcar Champion and has not driven a Sprintcar in close to a decade. But when Andrew Liebke could not make last nights race due to prior commitments, Liebke offered Kendall a drive in his Q47 racer, and without so much a single practice lap, Kendall jumped in the car. No stranger to the Archerfield Speedway circuit, Kendall has enjoyed many successes in the Speedcar division, he quickly settled in and got a great jump from pole position at the start of the heat. While Kendall began to pull ahead of the rest of the field, Brandon Rawlings slipped underneath Johnson as they rounded turn two to steal second. Mitchell Gee was beginning to fight his way forward, racing against Ben Hilder mid-field, as Rawlings and Johnson began closing in on Kendall in the race lead. Johnson had a brilliant run on the high line, and managed to get back around the outside of Rawlings with only a few laps left to run. There simply was no stopping Kendall out in front, and with only 20 race laps in the car, Kendall took the win. Steven Johnson managed to cross the line in second after an impressive drive, with Brandon Rawlings in third. Brent Kratzmann was next across the line and led Mitchell Gee, Ben Hilder, Scott Doyle, Kristy Bonsey and Darren Silcock home.

Callum Walker started heat five from pole position with Richard Morgan alongside. Mark Pholi and Luke Oldfield from the second row most certainly could not be discounted, as with both Andrew Scheuerle and Peter Lack from row three there was never any doubt that this was going to a breath-taking race. Walker got the jump on the start and quickly secured the lead. Morgan tried to challenge for control of the race, the pair racing wheel-to-wheel for a couple of corners, but young Walker had the best line and quickly not only secured the lead but opened a comfortable, albeit small, margin. Peter Lack got turn three all wrong and dropped several positions before recovering and putting on a show for the fans as he raced his way back through the field. Oldfield was working the high line beautifully, trying to find a way past Mark Pholi, as Andrew Scheuerle began closing in. Pholi had a brilliant drive to slip underneath Walker as they raced out of turn four and down the main straight, but the race came to a stop only a couple of laps later when Luke Oldfield spun the Q36 Titman Garages racer in turn four. Mark Pholi led the restart from Callum Walker and Andrew Scheuerle with Peter Lack up to fourth. With just four laps left to run it was hard not to watch Oldfield as he tried to make up as much ground as possible from the rear of the field. Unfortunately the race was soon brought under caution once more, this time for Callum Walker who had spun the Q33 racer in almost the same spot that Oldfield had just a few laps before. Pholi led the restart from Scheuerle and Lack for a green-white-chequer two-lap dash to the finish. Oldfield, still back in sixth, again took to the high line, quickly making his way past Clem Hoffmans and putting the challenge to Richard Morgan. Mark Pholi took the win with Andrew Scheuerle second and Peter Lack officially third. Richard Morgan and Luke Oldfield crossed the line side-by-side, with Oldfield getting fourth by just 0.017 seconds. Richard Morgan was fifth across the line ahead of Clem Hoffmans, Andrew Marks and Callum Walker.

The sixth and final Sprintcar heat event of the night saw Dave Fanning and Jason Bottin from the front row, with Kevin Titman and Bryan Mann right on their tail. Fanning and Bottin raced wheel-to-wheel into turn one, but it was Fanning who secured the lead and took control of the race. Bryan Mann quickly slipped underneath Bottin through turn two, and began challenging Fanning for the lead by the time they hit turn three. Mann, fast and committed to the low line, managed to take control of the race by the end of the first lap and began opening a comfortable margin over his rivals. Lachlan McHugh began climbing his way through the field, eventually catching Kevin Titman and capitalising on a rare mistake by the Q59 racer. McHugh quietly slipped underneath Titman as he navigated turn two, with Titman fighting back hard on the high line. Bryan Mann went on to take the win, with Dave Fanning second and Lachlan McHugh third. Kevin Titman was fourth across the line and led Anthony Lambert, David Whell and Bruce Marshall past the chequered flag. Jason Bottin pulled out of the event after completing just two laps.

The top eight qualifiers took to the track for the series of shootout events. First up was Lachlan McHugh, Andrew Scheuerle, Bryan Mann, Brent Kratzmann, Dave Whell and Luke Oldfield (qualifiers three to eight) for the Bronze Shootout. It was a race against the clock, with the fastest four to advance to the Silver Shootout and the two slowest cars eliminated from the event. Bryan Mann topped the time board with a 13.436 second lap, just over half a second quicker than second placed Andrew Scheuerle. Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann also secured transfers to the Silver Shootout, with Lachlan McHugh and Dave Whell eliminated from the shootout event and set to start the A-Main from positions seven and eight respectively.

Mitchell Gee and Peter Lack joined Bryan Mann, Andrew Scheuerle, Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann on track for the Silver Shootout. Like the Bronze Shootout this was also a race against the clock, with Bryan Mann again dominating the event. Mann stopped the clock at 13.427 seconds, with Luke Oldfield, Brent Kratzmann and Andrew Scheuerle all transferring to the Gold Shootout. Peter Lack was eliminated from the shootout event and would start the A-Main from position five, while Mitchell Gee, who had a spin early in the event and brought the race under caution and was instantly relegated to the infield, would start the A-main out of position six.

The Gold Shootout was a five-lap race with Andrew Scheuerle from pole position, Brent Kratzmann alongside and Luke Oldfield and Bryan Mann right behind. Scheuerle got the jump on the start and quickly secured the lead. Oldfield was quick to move into second, and while Kratzmann fought back hard, the pair putting on a captivating show for the fans, Oldfield was not going to be denied. Andrew Scheuerle went on to take the win, with Luke Oldfield, Brent Kratzmann and Bryan Mann rounding out the finishers. Scheuerle again declined the Kratzmann Caravans Challenge, which, had he accepted, would have inverted the first fourteen starters in the A-Main event, with additional prize money up for grabs for himself and Oldfield should either of them come from the seventh row of the starting line up and win the event.

Eleven cars lined up for the start of the 12-lap B-Main event, with Dave Fanning and Michael Kendall from the front row. Fanning got the jump on the start and quickly secured the race lead, while Kendall held down second ahead of Callum Walker. The race was brought under caution at the half way mark for the spun car of Scott Doyle, with Fanning, Kendall and Walker to lead the restart. Anthony Lambert, Jason Bottin and Bruce Marshall argued over positions mid field but there simply was no catching Dave Fanning our in front. Fanning took the win, with Michael Kendall, Callum Walker and Anthony Lambert all securing transfers to the A-Main event. Jason Bottin finished fifth ahead of Bruce Marshall, again driving in place of Dan Murray, Andrew Marks, Darren Silcock, Clem Hoffmans, Kristy Bonsey and Scott Doyle.

Andrew Scheuerle and Luke Oldfield shared the front row for the start of the 30-lap A-main event. If that wasn’t enough to ensure an exciting race was about to unfold, behind them was Brent Kratzmann, Bryan Mann, Peter Lack, Mitchell Gee, Lachlan McHugh and David Whell. And that was just the first four rows. The depth of talent through the entire field was remarkable, and with young up and coming stars like Mitchell Gee, Lachlan McHugh, Ben Hilder, Brandon Rawlings and Callum Walker, it is clear there is a very bright future ahead for these young drivers, and the sport of Sprintcar racing. When the lights went green though all eyes were on the leading pair as Scheuerle and Oldfield raced towards the first corner. Scheuerle seemed to have the lead coming out of turn four as the lights went green, but Oldfield is magnificent on the high line and once committed he found impressive momentum on the high line. Oldfield managed to run around the outside of Scheuerle to steal the lead, and began opening a small margin over one of the most in-form and consistent drivers in the country at the moment. Unfortunately the race was brought under caution with less than a lap completed when Richard Morgan and Anthony Lambert became stranded on the track in the middle of turn two.

A full race restart followed with Luke Oldfield again getting the better start and quickly securing the race lead. This time though it was hard to ignore Brent Kratzmann as he raced underneath Scheuerle down the main straight and into the opening corner. Kratzmann has been having a great season, with plenty of pace in the Q4 racer, but some small mistakes have cost him consistency and results. Moments after making his way into second last night, a small error in turn two saw him lose positions to both Andrew Scheuerle and Bryan Mann, only to fight back again as the trio rounded turns three and four. Further back in the field Steven Johnson was working the high line, while Kevin Titman and Michael Kendall were trying to make their way closer to the front of the field. Brandon Rawlings and Lachlan McHugh had a thrilling battle over positions mid field, but the race came to another stop when Steven Johnson spun his Q27 racer in turn four.

Luke Oldfield led the restart with 22 laps left to run and both Andrew Scheuerle and Brent Kratzmann right on his tail. Michael Kendall ran around the outside of David Whell, with Kevin Titman following less than half a lap later. Kendall and Titman had a great battle as they tried to chase down Lachlan McHugh, Brandon Rawlings and Mark Pholi. Brent Kratzmann soon found himself under pressure from Mitchell Gee and Peter Lack, while race leader Luke Oldfield began negotiating lapped traffic, sticking to the high side and, eventually, running around the outside of Ben Hilder and Steven Johnson. As this was unfolding contact between Gee, Fanning and Kratzmann in turn three brought the race to another stop. Kratzmann was somehow able to keep the Q4 racer running, but Fanning had spun to a stop.

With fourteen laps left to run it was Oldfield to lead them away, from Scheuerle, Mann, Kratzmann, Gee and Lack. Michael Kendall, up to an impressive ninth, took the high side and within just a couple of laps had raced around Lachlan McHugh and Mark Pholi, and set out after Kevin Titman. It wasn’t long before Oldfield, still completely dominating the race, once again approached lapped traffic. This time though he encountered two drivers who were racing two-wide as they themselves argued over position. Oldfield searched for a way through, but a slight hesitation was all the invitation Scheuerle needed. Scheuerle raced around the outside of Oldfield in turn four, stealing the lead, before darting straight between the lapped cars as they rounded turn two. Oldfield followed in turn three, again straight between the lapped cars, and set out after Scheuerle. Unfortunately for Oldfield he ran out of Laps and Andrew Scheuerle took his fifth straight win at the venue this season. Luke Oldfield finished second with Bryan Mann filling the final podium position. Mitchell Gee had another solid run to finish fourth, crossing the line side-by-side with Bryan Mann and missing third by just one thousandth of a second, with Peter Lack fifth across the line. Kevin Titman salvaged sixth with Michael Kendall a very impressive seventh in his first Sprintcar drive in nearly a decade. Lachlan McHugh finished in eighth and led Mark Pholi, Callum Walker, Brent Kratzmann, Ben Hilder, David Whell, Steven Johnson, Anthony Lambert and Dave Fanning across the line. Brandon Rawlings pulled out of the event with a flat tyre while Richard Morgan was unable to restart the event after his incident on the opening lap.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway next Saturday night, 12 December 2015 for our last race before the Christmas racing Season kicks off on Boxing Day Night, where USA superstar Donny Schatz will join us for six thrilling nights of racing. Schatz was undefeated in his six appearances here last Christmas, but with Andrew Scheuerle currently in some of the best form of his career, Schatz may have a bigger challenge on his hands this year. The local stars have just one more race to try and put a stop to Scheuerle's winning steak before the international rounds commence. Can anyone beat Scheuerle? Luke Oldfield came agonisingly close last night, while Peter Lack has also shown exceptional form this season and could easily be the one to upset Scheuerle's winning streak heading into Christmas. Brent Kratzmann and Kevin Titman are also strong contenders and with last Season's Track Champion Bryan Mann now back in the seat the list of possible winners just keeps growing. Maybe it will be Mitchell Gee, who is yet to claim his maiden Sprintcar A-Main victory, who will be the one to stop Scheuerle. So come on out to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway next Saturday night, cheer on your favourite driver and see the racing action for yourself!