Former Australian Champion David Murcott took the win in the 2015-2016 season finale at AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway last night, with Andrew Scheuerle and Luke Oldfield joining him on the last podium of the season. Lachlan McHugh and Ben Atkinson rounded out the top five in very slick track conditions and a tough field behind them. Lachlan McHugh entered the final round of the East Cost Logistics Crispy Memorial Sprintcar Series just twelve points ahead of Andrew Scheuerle, and while Scheuerle had a brilliant night to significantly close the gap to McHugh on the points ladder, McHugh did just enough to secure the series championship. The Sprintcar Rookie, who turned eighteen on Friday, managed to win the East Cost Logistics Crispy Memorial Sprintcar Series by just two points, with Andrew Scheuerle officially second in the series.

Qualifying got underway with twenty-seven cars taking to the track to race the clock with Andrew Scheuerle topping the leader board with an 11.798 second lap. Luke Oldfield was second quickest around the tight Archerfield Speedway circuit, his 11.805 second lap just seven thousandths of a second slower than Scheuerle. David Murcott was third quickest with Lachlan McHugh and Bryan Mann rounding out the fastest five. The top twenty-three cars were separated by less than nine tenths of a second, but the qualifying runs were not without incident. Dave Fanning had a fire on board the Q89 racer at the end his qualifying run that saw his night come to a premature end, while Ben Hilder, who managed to qualifying is position sixteen, took a wild ride through turn three when he clipped the wall and launched the immaculately presented Motorguard Motorsport Q95 racer into the air. It was a hard landing and while Ben was able to walk away from the wreck, with the help of trackside crash crew and medical personnel, he was later taken to hospital for tests and observations. Reports from the Hilder family this morning confirm that Ben has suffered some injuries to his back and spent the night in hospital, but in time is hopeful of a full recovery. Sprintcars Queensland wish Ben all the very best for a speedy and complete return to health.

Heat one started with Rob Hamilton from pole position and Steven White, in only his second drive for the season, out of position two. Hamilton got a great start from the front row and led the field into turn one, but White boldly fought back on the high side as they rounded turn one. Hamilton had the better run through turn two to finally secure the race lead, while White left the bottom open for Brent Aprile to slip through. Brent Kratzmann was quick to follow Aprile, and while White fought back on the top, Kratzmann had secured the advantage by the time the reached turn three. Andrew Scheuerle slipped underneath White while further back on the field Anthony Vanderreyden got a little too acquainted with the wall in turn three, before spinning to a stop in turn one and bringing the race under caution. Brent Aprile had managed to steal the lead from Hamilton before the stoppage and led the restart with nine laps left to run. Kratzmann had a big look on the inside of Hamilton when the race resumed, but couldn’t quite get the job done, soon finding himself under enormous pressure from Andrew Scheuerle. Scheuerle put all kinds of pressure on Kratzmann, working the highline as the pair raced side-by-side down the back straight and putting on a great show for the large crowd on the hill. Kratzmann however fought back hard and refused to surrender the position, and began challenging Hamilton for second. Unfortunately for Kratzmann he couldn’t quite find his way through, but gave Scheuerle the opportunity to race around the outside. Steven White tried the race underneath Kratzmann through turn four, the pair banging wheels as they exited the turn, only for Kratzmann to once again pull ahead and start to chase down Scheuerle. Scheuerle soon closed in on Hamilton and started searching for a way around the Q11 racer, with Kratzmann edging closer with every passing lap. With the white flag in the air Kratzmann made his move, perfectly timing the run to steal third and leave Scheuerle little time to fight back. Brent Aprile took the win, about a third of a lap ahead of his nearest rival, with Rob Hamilton doing a truly remarkable job to cross the line in second. Brent Kratzmann finished third and led Andrew Scheuerle, Steven White, Jayden Peacock, Kristy Bonsey and Callum Walker across the line. Anthony Vanderreyden did not finish the event.

Dave Fanning was scheduled to start heat two from pole position, with Ben Atkinson elevated to the front row in his absence. Atkinson now started alongside Richard Morgan, with Bryan Mann and Mark Pholi close behind. Atkinson got a great start and while Morgan tried to go with him on the high side it was Atkinson who led the field out of the first corner. Luke Oldfield had a brilliant run on the high side after starting from position six, racing spectacularly around Bryan Mann and Mark Pholi in the first two corners before challenging Morgan for second when the race was just half a lap old. The battle between Oldfield and Morgan was just starting to heat up when Morgan retired from the race with mechanical issues on board the striking Q54 racer. Mann chased Pholi, but Pholi soon pulled away as he worked on closing the gap to Oldfield, while at the tail of the field James Grady and Brett Minett had a great race between themselves. Race leader Atkinson started blowing a lot a smoke, his car speed dropping off enough to allow Oldfield to not only close the gap but to challenge for the lead with just a couple of laps left to run. Oldfield searched high and low for a way past but Ben Atkinson hung on to take the win. Luke Oldfield finished second ahead of Mark Pholi, Bryan Mann, Scott Doyle, James Grady and Brett Minett. Richard Morgan did not finish the event.

Dave Whell and Peter Milnes shared the front row for the start of heat three, with Brad Ayers and Kevin Titman from the second row. Whell got a great start and quickly shot into the race lead, but Kevin Titman was quick to dive straight between Ayers and Milnes as they raced three wide down the main straight. Milnes and Titman entered turn one ahead of Ayers, with Milnes on the high side and a fraction ahead of Titman. David Murcott and Lachlan McHugh, who hard started alongside each other on the third row of the starting grid, were making impressive progress through the field, with Murcott leading the way and McHugh right on his tail tank. The pair raced around Ayers through turns one and two, before trying to run underneath Titman as they navigated turns three and four. Titman however was determined and fought back hard on the inside of Murcott, managing to get his nose a faction back in front before Murcott powered around the outside to secure the advantage. With Titman focused on his battle with Murcott, he left the bottom wide open for McHugh, who needed no invitation to stick his nose underneath Titman as they raced side-by-side down the back straight. McHugh was in front in turn three, but Titman got tremendous drive on the high side of turn four, regaining his position and setting out after Murcott. Meanwhile Murcott was searching for a way past Milnes, working the high line beautifully until a small mistake in turn two allowed both Titman and McHugh to slip through. Murcott quickly set about making up lost ground, while Titman almost spun the Q59 coming out of turn four a few laps later and surrendered several positions. McHugh closed in on Milnes and began looking for an inside passing opportunity, careful to give both himself and his opposition ample racing room, but got a little too out of shape in turn four and looped the NQ23 racer with a little over a lap to go. Dave Whell did a remarkable job out in front to take the win with Peter Milnes withstanding all kinds of pressure to cross the line in second. David Murcott finished third and led Brad Ayers, Kevin Titman, Lachlan McHugh, Darren Silcock and Dale Shilleto across the line.

Heat four started with Jayden Peacock and Peter Milnes from the front row with Peacock getting a great start and leading the field into turn one. Milnes immediately fought back hard on the high side, while Brent Kratzmann, who started from position three, was looking for a way through on the low line. Milnes managed to get ahead of Peacock but got too sideways coming out of turn two, spinning down track towards the infield, directly in front of both Peacock and Kratzmann. While Milnes mounted the inside curb and completed a 360-degree spin before rejoining the race at the rear of the field, the battle for the lead was really heating up. Peacock had the lead with Kratzmann pushing hard on the inside as they raced down the back straight and into turn three, with Kratzmann sliding underneath Peacock to momentarily snare the race lead. Peacock, now with Lachlan McHugh on his tail, fought back hard to regain his lead, only for Kratzmann to power around the outside in turns one and two to take control of the race. Peacock was left to defend his position in second, though Luke Oldfield and Lachlan McHugh were busy negotiating over third and fourth. McHugh, on the high side, and Oldfield, on the bottom, raced side-by-side down the main straight and into turn one, before skillfully running either side of Peacock as he spun the Q77 racer mid-track. Lachlan McHugh led the restart, with Brent Kratzmann, who had been penalized one position for passing on the infield when he initially stole the lead, in second and Luke Oldfield in third with eight laps left to run. McHugh got a brilliant start, quickly opening a comfortable margin over his rivals while Kratzmann and Oldfield put on a spectacular show as they argued over second. Kratzmann was smooth and consistent and while Oldfield was relentless in his efforts to find a way past, Kratzmann was able to pull away slightly and create a small margin over his rival, while further back in the field Kristy Bonsey was having a great run and was soon having a big look up the inside of Peter Milnes as she tried to steal his position. Back at the front of the field and McHugh was nearly half a lap ahead of Kratzmann and Oldfield, with Oldfield seeming to find something extra in the Q36 racer and quickly closed the gap to Kratzmann before running around the outside to steal second with a lap and a half left to run. Kratzmann immediately stepped up his game and was all over the back of Oldfield searching high and low for a way through but couldn’t quite make it happen before the fall of the chequered flag. Lachlan McHugh took the win ahead of Luke Oldfield, Brent Kratzmann, Darren Silcock, Peter Milnes, Kristy Bonsey and Jayden Peacock. Mark Pholi did not finish the event, a mechanical issue on board the Q14 racer brought his race, and his night, to a very premature end.

Heat five started with Scott Doyle from pole position with Dave Whell alongside. The pair raced wheel-to-wheel down the main straight with Doyle settling into the race lead by the time they reached turn one. Ben Atkinson took to the high line and quickly raced around Whell, while Andrew Scheuerle was quick to see how quick the high line could be and swiftly followed Atkinson on the top. Scheuerle raced around Brad Ayers and was working on making his way in front of Whell, all the while Whell was trying to regain his position from Atkinson. Ayers had a brilliant run on the bottom through turn four, slipping underneath Scheuerle and leading him into turn one, while Whell raced up the inside of Atkinson only for Atkinson to quickly fight back on the high line. Scheuerle had once again committed to the high line and found a way back past Ayers, and though Ayers did not surrender without a fight, Bryan Mann soon joined the battle and Ayers was forced on the defensive as he tried valiantly to keep Mann behind him. The pair exchanged positions a couple of times, while Scheuerle finally found a way past Whell. Meanwhile Atkinson stole the lead from Doyle running the outside in turn two, before spinning to a stop in turn four and bringing the race under caution. Doyle led the restart from Whell, Scheuerle, Mann and Ayers with seven thrilling laps left to run. Doyle got a great start and quickly opened a small lead, though with Scheuerle on a mission to get to the front it was short-lived. Scheuerle took to the high line to race around Whell in turn two and by the time he and Doyle hit turn three Scheuerle was committed to the high line and challenging for the lead. The pair raced side-by-side through turns three and four, and half way down the main straight, before Scheuerle emerged in front and took control of the race, desperate to earn his position in the up-coming Dash event. Bryan Mann seemingly effortlessly switched between the high line and the low as he searched for the right opportunity to get past Dave Whell, eventually racing around the outside as they headed down the back straight. Mann set his sights on Doyle and just half a lap after getting around Whell, Mann managed to race around Doyle and move into second. Brad Ayers had a brilliant run on the bottom, successfully challenging Whell for position, slipping through on the inside of turn four, but there was no stopping Andrew Scheuerle out in front as he went on to take the win. Bryan Mann crossed the line in second ahead of Scott Doyle, Brad Ayers, Ben Atkinson, Dave Whell, Brett Minett and James Grady.

The sixth heat of the night, and final heat of the season, started with Rob Hamilton and Steven White again sharing the front row. Hamilton got a brilliant start and quickly settled into the race lead with White in second and starting to search for a way into the lead. Hamilton and White immediately began pulling a way from the rest of the field, while Kevin Titman raced up the inside of Callum Walker, whilst simultaneously trying to keep David Murcott behind him. Titman then raced up the inside of White to steal second just as the race was brought under caution for Callum Walker who had come to a stop in the middle of turn four after contact with Brent Aprile. Hamilton led the restart from White and Titman with nine laps left to run, with Hamilton really nailing the start and quickly opening a small lead over White and Titman. White soon managed to open a small margin over Titman, while Titman tried to defend his position from both Brent Aprile and David Murcott. In the end both Aprile and Murcott found their way through, and each began working on slowly closing the gap to White in second but were unable to get close enough to make a move before the fall of the chequered flag. Rob Hamilton went on to take the win, earning his position in the Dash event, with Steven White across the line in second ahead of Brent Aprile and David Murcott. Kevin Titman finished fifth and led Callum Walker, Anthony Vanderreyden and Dale Shilleto across the line.

Andrew Scheuerle, Luke Oldfield, David Murcott, Lachlan McHugh, Brent Aprile, Ben Atkinson, Rob Hamilton and Dave Whell rolled onto the track to contest the Dash event. Scheuerle, as highest point scorer for the night, drew a random marble to determine the inversion for the start of the Dash event. While Scheuerle has previously had a knack for drawing one and starting the field in qualifying order, last night he drew eight to invert the entire eight car field, leaving Dave Whell and Rob Hamilton from the front row for the six-lap affair. Whell got the best start, quickly securing the lead with Hamilton settling into second and Aprile and Atkinson arguing over third. As Aprile and Atkinson exchanged positions several times, Murcott searched high and low for a way past, eventually getting past Aprile when he made a small error in turn two that cost him several positions. Meanwhile at the front of the field Hamilton set up for a bold challenge for the race lead and took to the highline searching for a way around Whell and into the race lead. Looking exceptionally comfortable in the Q11 racer, Hamilton was committed to the high line and raced around the outside of Whell as they came out of turn four and powered down the main straight, stealing the lead and taking control of the race. Hamilton began to pull away from the field, building a margin of several car lengths in just half a lap, with Whell, Atkinson and Murcott trying to keep up. Unfortunately Hamilton got a little too sideways in turn four and looped the Q11 racer, completing two complete 360-degree spins mid-track before straightening the car and rejoining the race. Officials had however already brought the race under caution and Hamilton took to the restart from the rear of the field. Whell led the restart from Atkinson and Murcott, and while Murcott put all kinds of pressure on the back of Atkinson as he challenged for second, Murcott was soon forced on the defensive as young Lachlan McHugh began looking for his way through. Murcott raced under Whell in turn two, with McHugh going around the outside half a lap later and Luke Oldfield following soon after. Ben Atkinson took the win, earning pole position for the start of the 30-lap A-Main event, with David Murcott officially second and set to share the front row for the start of the feature. Lachlan McHugh finished third and led Luke Oldfield, Andrew Scheuerle, Brent Aprile, Rob Hamilton and David Whell across the line.

Nine cars lined up for the start of the B-Main event, to be contested over twelve laps, with only the top four finishers to transfer to the back of the A-Main field. Peter Milnes and Scott Doyle led the field to the green, with the pair racing side-by-side into the first corner. Milnes had the lead but Doyle wasn’t giving up without a fight and committed to the high line as he challenged for the lead. It took a couple of laps but eventually Doyle was able to make the high side work for him and he was able to race around the outside of Milnes in turn two to take control of the race. Jayden Peacock was having a great run, carefully maneuvering his way into a transfer position, while Brett Minett, in only his second race meeting in a Sprintcar, was sitting very comfortably in third. The race was however brought under caution for the stopped car of Darren Silcock in turn four. Doyle led the restart but Milnes dived underneath the Q43 racer in the first corner of the restart to steal the lead back, just as Peacock raced underneath Minett and Dale Shilleto began climbing his way through the field. Shilleto was having a brilliant run through the field, working the high line and having a great battle with Peacock, but things turned sour when he ran a little too high in turn three, slammed the wall, and tore the front right wheel from the car. Shilleto was obviously unable to restart the event with just two laps left to run. Milnes led the restart from Doyle, Peacock and Minett but it was battle between Minett and Anthony Vanderreyden, over the final transfer position that had everyone captivated. Vanderreyden held nothing back but Minett was determined and remained focused, hitting his marks and withstanding the pressure of his more experience rival. Peter Milnes went on to take the win with Jayden Peacock in second and Scott Doyle in third. Brett Minett crossed the line in fourth, securing the final transfer to the A-Main, and his first A-main start, with Anthony Vanderreyden, Darren Silcock, Kristy Bonsey and James Grady rounding out the finishers. Dale Shilleto did not finish the event.

Ben Atkinson and David Murcott led the field of eighteen starters around to take the green at the start of the 30-lap A-Main event, with Lachlan McHugh and Luke Oldfield close behind. Murcott quickly secured the lead while Oldfield made short work of displacing Atkinson from second to secure the position for himself. Kevin Titman was working the high line trying to find a way closer to the front, while Lachlan McHugh set his sights on another podium finish. Jayden Peacock and Brett Minett both began to climb their way through the field, while Brent Kratzmann worked the low line as he edged his way closer to the front. The race was soon brought under caution when Rob Hamilton spun to a stop low on the track coming out of turn four.

David Murcott led the restart from Lachlan McHugh and Luke Oldfield with Brent Aprile and Andrew Scheuerle close behind. Steven White, who had lost ground during the first third of the race, started to climb his way slowly back through the field, while Brent Kratzmann and Kevin Titman battled for a couple of laps before Kratzmann managed to pull ahead and put a couple of cars between them as he moved closer to the front. Jayden Peacock had a very impressive run, making great progress as he quietly navigated his way past several cars to be the lead car in battle with Brad Ayers, David Whell and Bryan Mann, all while keeping an eye on trying to close the gap to Kratzmann ahead of them. Kratzmann was closing in on Atkinson and Aprile, while Ayers and Whell found a way back past Peacock, and White started putting pressure on the back of Titman. White soon found his way underneath Titman as they came out of turn two, and managed to get past Peacock in the same spot on the following lap before setting his sights on Doyle, who in turn was closing in fast on Dave Whell. White had a big look underneath Doyle but could not quite get the job done, with Doyle then swiftly racing past Whell and leaving Whell and White to argue over the minor places. David Murcott went on to take the win with Andrew Scheuerle a strong second ahead of Luke Oldfield in third. Lachlan McHugh crossed the line fourth and led Ben Atkinson, Brent Aprile, Brent Kratzmann, Brad Ayers and Bryan Mann across the line. Scott Doyle rounded out the top ten with Dave Whell, Steven White, Jayden Peacock, Brett Minett, Kevin Titman and Peter Milnes also completing the race. Rob Hamilton and Callum Walker did not finish the event.

Lachlan McHugh took the overall series win in the east Coast Logistics Crispy Memorial Sprintcar Series, securing the championship by just two points with Andrew Scheuerle, who has won almost everything else season, in second. And that ladies and gentleman, wraps up the 2015-2016 race season for all of us at Sprintcars Queensland. It has been a truly spectacular race season with plenty of highs (and lows), and one that will long be remembered. Our end of season presentation dinner is in a couple of weeks and the teams will have just a few short months to prepare for a bumper 2016-2017 season, with the new season kicking off in mid September 2016. Enjoy your winter break and see you trackside in September!