Brisbane's AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway last night played host to night one of the 2016 Australian Sprintcar Open, which doubles as Round Seven of World Series Sprintcars. Twenty-nine cars took to the track, with American Donny Schatz the defending champion looking to continue his dominance in this event, and get back on the podium after missing the top three in Wednesday nights Construction Solutions Piston Cup. Schatz was in fine company with a field rich in both talent and experience, setting the scene for a thrilling night of Sprintcar racing action. Schatz started the twenty-lap A-Main event from position seven, and spent almost the entire race working his way forward. Brooke Tatnell led most of the race but a spectacular outside passing move down the back straight with just a lap and a half to run was enough for Schatz to secure the win. Schatz, knowing the A-Main tonight will be 50 gruelling laps, ran the same right rear tyre for the entire program last night, to see just how the tyre might perform in the final tonight. Brooke Tatnell finished last night in second, while Kerry Madsen managed to hang on to third, despite a late race challenge by Andrew Scheuerle. Scheuerle finished an impressive fourth to be the first Queenslander home, with James McFadden rounding out the top five.

When qualifying got under way it was Luke Dillon in the W26 racer who set quick time, his 11.690 beating the 11.715 set by Donny Schatz by just 0.025 seconds. James McFadden was third quickest, with Steven Lines and Kerry Madsen rounding out the fastest five. Jamie Veal beat Brad Sweet by just one thousandth of a second, while Andrew Scheuerle was the best of the Brisbane locals, stopping the clock a 11.953 and securing eighth. Lachlan McHugh impressed with a 11.961 second lap, just eight thousandths of a second slower than Scheuerle, while deep in the field Andrew Liebke (Q47) and Andrew Wright (N78) recorded identical times of 12.460 seconds. Kevin Titman unfortunately missed the top twenty-seven inversion by just 0.006 seconds, while the entire field of twenty-nine was separated by just 0.983 seconds.

Heat one started with Andrew Liebke and Bryan Mann from the front row, with Liebke getting a brilliant start from pole. Liebke quickly secured the race lead with Mann in second and Ian Madsen quickly securing third. By the end of the first lap the trio had begun to open a small lead over the rest of the field, while Kyle Hirst slid underneath Allan Woods to steal fourth. Unfortunately for Woods, he slammed the wall in turn four and quickly faded to the rear of the field. Ryan Jones and Kyle Hirst had a great battle midfield, with positions changing several times, but it was hard not to watch Bryan Mann as he searched high and low for a way past Liebke as he raced to the lead. Mann tried the top and showed his nose on the bottom. He was relentless and the crowd loved it. Ian Madsen was right on the tail of the Q16 racer of Mann, and while Madsen was challenged for a few laps by Hirst, when Mann committed to the highline to run around Liebke as they rounded turn four with just one lap left to run, Madsen followed the same line, racing past on the outside of Liebke on the final corner of the race. Bryan Mann went on to take the win with Ian Madsen in second and Andrew Liebke in third after an impressive drive. Kyle Hirst crossed the line in fourth, with Ryan Jones, Steven Lines, Luke Dillon, Brad Sweet, Kevin Titman and Allan Woods rounding out the finishers.

Andrew Wright and Brandon Rawlings shared the front row for the start of heat two, with Luke Oldfield and Callum Walker from the second row. Wright got the jump on the start and settled into the race lead, leaving Rawlings and Oldfield to argue over second. Rawlings secured the position coming out of turn two, as Oldfield slammed the wall heading down the back straight with Brooke Tatnell right on his tail. As the leaders completed the first lap Callum Walker got a little too sideways in turn four, his front being clipped by Kerry Madsen on his way through, with Walker left stranded high on the track. The race was brought under caution and while Walker restarted at the rear of the field, he only completed a couple of circuits before pulling out the race. Wright led the restart from Rawlings and Oldfield, with Tatnell back in fourth. Tatnell slipped under Oldfield in turn one, but that only seemed to give Oldfield more determination. Oldfield took the Q36 Titan Garages racer to the high side as they entered turn three, bolding running around the outside of Tatnell, who was looking for a way under Rawlings. Oldfield had such momentum on the top that moments after getting his nose in front of Tatnell, he raced around Rawlings as well and set out after Wright and the race lead. Tatnell slipped under Rawlings a lap later, leaving Rawlings with Andrew Scheuerle on his tail, and set out after Wright and Oldfield. The leading trio put on a breath-taking show for race fans, as Oldfield searching high and low for a way past Wright, while Tatnell waited for the right opportunity to strike. Scheuerle found his way past Rawlings, while Donny Schatz began climbing his way forward, getting past Jason Sides before racing underneath Rawlings in turn one. Tatnell slipped under Oldfield in turn two, before running around the outside of Wright as they raced down the back straight a lap later. With a lap and a half left to run Oldfield swept around the outside of Wright to steal second moments before the white flag flew. Brooke Tatnell went on to take the win ahead of Luke Oldfield, Andrew Wright, Andrew Scheuerle, Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen, Jason Sides, Brandon Rawlings and Darren Silcock. Callum Walker did not finish the event.

David Whell started from pole position in heat three, with Darren Jensen alongside. The first start was aborted, with officials deeming Jensen to have jumped the start. Whell and Jensen raced side-by-side into the first corner for the second start, with Jason Pryde having a bit of a look up the inside of Whell as well. Jensen secured the lead, with Whell in second as Pryde drifted slightly up track in turn two. Daniel Harding slipped around the outside of Pryde, while David Murcott tried to switch lines and slip underneath, all while Mitchell Gee raced through on the low line under Murcott and Pryde. Gee, Murcott and Pryde were three-wide in turn two when contact between them saw Murcott invert the A1 racer coming out of turn two, with Jamie Veal becoming involved after being left with nowhere to go. Lachlan McHugh and James McFadden came together as both tried to take evasive action, and while all drivers walked away unscathed, Veal and Murcott were unable to restart the race. McFadden took to the restart from the rear of the field, but pulled out of the race after just four laps, the front end damage to the NQ25 racer proving too much to continue. Whell and Jensen again led the restart with Whell this time securing the lead. Jensen was all over the back of Whell for the first lap, before taking to the high side to steal the lead early on the second lap of the race. Mitchell Gee, in his first night back in the seat after a scary qualifying crash last week that saw the teenager taken to hospital, had a great drive on the low line to slip underneath Pryde, while Lachlan McHugh was working the high side. Gee moved on to Daniel Harding, slipping underneath the W12 racer as they entered turn one. Harding however fought back hard on the highline and within half a lap had not only regained his position from Gee, but had raced around Whell as well. Harding began to pull ahead of his rivals, while Gee and Whell had a brilliant race for the minor positions, with McHugh quickly closing in. Gee eventually ran around the outside of Whell as they raced down the back straight, but it was Darren Jensen who went on to take the win. Daniel Harding crossed the line in second ahead of Mitchell Gee, David Whell, Lachlan McHugh and Jason Pryde. James McFadden, David Murcott and Jamie Veal all failed to finish the event.

Brandon Rawlings and Andrew Liebke shared the front row for the start of heat four, with Rawlings getting the best start and quickly securing the race lead. Callum Walker and Brooke Tatnell both came charging through on the low line, momentarily relegating Liebke to fourth. But Liebke fought back in turn two, regaining his position from Walker, but Tatnell had already begun putting a couple of lengths between himself and the rest of the field, all the while chasing down Rawlings and the race lead. Kyle Hirst and Ian Madsen slipped effortlessly underneath Liebke early on the second lap, only for Liebke to slide back under Madsen as they entered turn three. Madsen returned the favour in turn four and finally secured the position, leaving Liebke to try and defend his position from Brad Sweet and Kerry Madsen. As Brad Sweet tried to find his way through on the low line, Kerry Madsen took to the high line, with Sweet capitalising when Liebke ran wide in turn four. A lap later and Kerry Madsen slipped underneath Liebke in turn one, only for Liebke to steal his position back less than half a lap later. Madsen then switched to the low line and the pair raced side-by-side out of turn four and down the main straight. Contact between the pair when the right rear of the N29 Madsen racer climbed over the left front of the Q47 of Liebke, left Liebke with enough damage to end his race. Callum Walker very nearly came to grief as Liebke tried to limp the stricken Q47 from the race track, but the race was brought under caution when Liebke, with brake issues, slowed to a stop on the bottom edge of turn two. Rawlings and Tatnell led the restart with Hirst and Ian Madsen close behind. Rawlings and Tatnell resumed their battle for the lead, with Tatnell eventually finding a way past, leaving Rawlings to defend his position from Hirst. Hirst managed to get around the outside of Rawlings with half a lap to run, while Rawlings got a little too sideways in the final corner. Rawlings managed to recover and salvage third, but Ian Madsen, who had been in fourth and right on the tail of the Rawlings and Hirst combination, was forced to take evasive action, nearly spinning the ACT18 racer and loosing a couple of positions within sight of the chequered flag. Brooke Tatnell went on to take the win ahead of Kyle Hirst and Brandon Rawlings, with Kerry Madsen crossing the line in fourth. Luke Dillon managed to come home in fifth and led Ian Madsen, Brad Sweet, Darren Silcock and Callum Walker across the line. Andrew Liebke did not finish the event.

The fifth heat of the night saw Bryan Mann and David Whell share the front row, with Mann getting a brilliant start and quickly securing the race lead. Allan Woods quickly slipped up the inside of Whell as the field raced into turn one for the first time, with Ryan Jones quickly following Woods through. Turn two saw both Steven Lines and Jason Pryde race under Whell, the trio three-wide mid corner, with Lines coming out in front and Whell able to get back in front of Pryde by the time they hit turn three. Bryan Mann had simply checked out and was already halfway down the main straight when contact between Pryde and Whell in turn four unsettled the W14 racer of Pryde just enough to see him very gently tip the car on its side. Unfortunately though a flat left rear tyre would see him relegated to the infield before the race resumed. A full race restart followed with Mann again getting a brilliant start and immediately starting to open a sizable lead. Mitchell Gee, who took to the restart from position four, was quick to dart up the inside of Whell in turn one, before Allan Woods raced underneath him in turn two. Woods was marginally in front, while Whell, Gee, Ryan Jones and Steven Lines all argued over track position, at one stage almost four-wide in turn four. Woods remained in second as they raced into turn three, with Gee next ahead of Jones and Whell. Towards the rear of the field James McFadden and Kevin Titman were trying to find a way past Lachlan McHugh, as McHugh tried to make his way in front of Lines. Bryan Mann was way out in front and went on to take the win by a staggering 5.872 seconds or nearly half a lap. Mitchell Gee crossed the line in second, followed by Ryan Jones, James McFadden and Steven Lines. Allan Woods and Lachlan McHugh raced side-by-side across the line, with Woods beating McHugh by just 0.129 seconds. Kevin Titman was eighth with David Whell rounding out the finishers. Jason Pryde did not finish the event.

The sixth and final heat of the night started with Darren Jensen and Andrew Wright from the front row, with Daniel Harding and Luke Oldfield out of row two. Jensen got the jump on the start and quickly secured the race lead, with Wright in second but under immense pressure from both Harding and Oldfield. Andrew Scheuerle and Donny Schatz were beginning to make their way closer to the front, while David Murcott slipped underneath Oldfield in turn two. Jason Sides slipped under Oldfield down the back straight, with Oldfield soon finding both Scheuerle and Schatz on his tail. Darren Jensen climbed the wall in turn four, but somehow managed to get all four wheels back on the track and continued on with the race. Unfortunately the Q75 racer did suffer some damage after his wall climbing antics and Jensen quickly faded to the rear of the field. Andrew Wright went on to take the win ahead of Daniel Harding and David Murcott, while Luke Oldfield made a small error in the final corner, giving Scheuerle all the invitation he needed to advance one more position. Andrew Scheuerle officially finished fourth with Jason Sides in fifth after being penalised for an infield pass. Luke Oldfield crossed the line in sixth and led Jamie Veal, Donny Schatz and Darren Jensen past the chequered flag.

The Preliminary B-Main rolled onto the track, minus Andrew Liebke who still had no brakes in the Q47 racer, with fourteen cars to take the green. Bryan Mann and Brad Sweet led the field around for the start of the 15-lap journey, with only the top four finishers to transfer to the back of the Preliminary A-Main event. Mann got the jump on the start and immediately established a small but comfortable lead over Brad Sweet, Jason Sides and Ian Madsen. Further back in the field Titman was trying to make up for a poor qualifying result and was making impressive progress through the field, up to eighth, from an original starting position of fourteenth, in just the first lap. It was a brilliant run on the low line, with Titman quickly setting his sights on Darren Jensen, the pair having a thrilling battle as they each edged closer to a transfer position. Once Titman made it past Jensen, Andrew Wright was next in line, while further back in the field Brandon Rawlings and Allan Woods had a tense battle over the minor places, before Woods moved on to challenge Jensen and left Rawlings to battle Callum Walker. The race ran the entire fifteen laps without incident, and while Sweet closed in on Mann in the closing stages of the race, it was Bryan Mann who took the win. Brad Sweet crossed the line in second, with Jason Sides and Ian Madsen securing transfers to the A-main event. Luke Oldfield finished in fifth and led Kevin Titman, Andrew Wright, Darren Jensen, Allan Woods, Brandon Rawlings, Callum Walker, Jason Pryde, David Whell and Darren Silcock across the line.

Brooke Tatnell and Luke Dillon led an eighteen-car field to the green for the start of the 20-lap Preliminary A-Main. Tatnell got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, with Kerry Madsen quick to move on the low line under Dillon to steal second, with Dillon fighting back hard on the low side through turn three before Madsen pulled away. Andrew Scheuerle slipped under Dillon at the end of the first lap as James McFadden tried the high line. Donny Schatz was also working the high line, having started from position seven and keen to make his way to the front. Unfortunately the race was quickly brought to a stop for David Murcott who had spun to a stop in turn one. Murcott restarted at the rear of the field while Brooke Tatnell, Kerry Madsen and Luke Dillon led the restart with nineteen laps to run. Schatz ran around the outside of Mitchell Gee in turn one, before sliding underneath McFadden half a lap later, while Andrew Scheuerle slipped under Luke Dillon. Schatz now had Dillon and Scheuerle in his sights and in less than half a lap had raced around the outside of Dillon and was putting the challenge to the Q25 of Scheuerle. Scheuerle managed to hold him off for over twelve laps, thrilling the crowd as the pair put on a breath-taking show, while further back in the field Bryan Mann, Brad Sweet and Jason Sides were arguing over the minor places. Mitchell Gee and Steven Lines raced side-by-side for a couple of laps before Lines made his way in front, leaving Gee to battle with Kyle Hirst. David Murcott, Ian Madsen, Daniel Harding and Jamie Veal battled at the rear of the field, as Tatnell approached ready to put them a lap down. With lapped traffic now in play, Kerry Madsen, Andrew Scheuerle and Donny Schatz began really closing in on Tatnell, with Schatz stepping up his game, racing around Scheuerle in turn one, Madsen almost a lap later, and setting his sights on Tatnell. Scheuerle had a couple of big looks up the inside of Madsen, very nearly stealing third, while they both chased Schatz and Tatnell. Schatz timed his run perfectly, taking once again to the high line and racing around the outside of Tatnell and into the lead with just a lap and a half left to run. Donny Schatz went on to take the win with Brooke Tatnell in second and Kerry Madsen managing to hold off Andrew Scheuerle for third. Scheuerle finished a very impressive fourth with James McFadden, Luke Dillon, Steven Lines, Mitchell Gee, Jason Sides and Kyle Hirst rounding out the top ten. Brad Sweet finished eleventh after transferring from the B-Main, and led Lachlan McHugh, Bryan Mann, Ian Madsen, Ryan Jones, Jamie Veal, David Murcott and Daniel Harding past the chequered flag.

The boys will return to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway tonight for the conclusion of Round Seven of World Series Sprintcars and the Australian Sprintcar Open. With $20,000 on the line for the winner, and an event that Donny Schatz has dominated in the past, the night will culminate in a thrilling 50-lap feature event. Come on out to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway tonight and see it all for yourself!