With night two of the Easter weekend abandoned due to wet weather in Brisbane, the field headed back to Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway last night for night three of the BK Trading Australia Easter Triple Challenge. It was another action packed night of Sprintcar racing, culminating in a thrilling forty-lap A-Main that saw three different feature race leaders and several lead changes, as well as a few breath-taking battles and some big wrecks, but it was Lachlan McHugh who got the win when the final chequered flag of the weekend flew. Bryan Mann, who led almost the entire first half of the main event, finished second while Jackson Delamont secured third on the final lap. Allan Woods crossed the line in fourth, having surrendered third to Delamont with less than half a lap left to run, while Daniel Sayre rounded out the top five. Luke Oldfield and Andrew Scheuerle were among the early casualties, both exiting the race, in separate incidents, in the first few laps.

Qualifying got underway with Bryan Mann this time topping the leader board, stopping the clock at a quick 10.799 seconds, while Dylan Menz secured second with a 10.805 second lap. Andrew Scheuerle recorded a 10.823 to secure third quickest overall, while Brent Kratzmann was just a fraction slower with a 10.832 second lap. It was enough for Kratzmann to secure fourth fastest in the thirty-four car field, while Allan Woods rounded out the fastest five with a 10.865 second lap. Andrew Corbet beat Michael Saller by just one thousandth of a second, while Scott Genrich beat Michael Rowell by the same small margin. Steve Greer and Jackson Delamont recorded identical times (10.951), as did Chris McInerney and Ryan McNamara (11.124) while the fastest twelve cars all managed to get into the 10-second bracket, with all twelve separated by just 0.18 seconds. The top thirty-one cars were separated by just 0.727 seconds, proving just how close the competition was last night.

Luke Oldfield and Ryan McNamara shared the front row for the start of heat one, the pair racing side-by-side through the first couple of corners, neither willing to relinquish control of the race, until McNamara managed to secure the advantage as they rounded turn three. Oldfield was relentless as he chased after McNamara, searching high and low for a way into the race lead, even tagging the wall and using it to gain a little extra momentum, but there was little he could do about McNamara out in front. Oldfield had several big looks underneath the Q88 of McNamara, but McNamara denied him at every opportunity, while behind them Robbie Farr sat comfortably in third as Lachlan McHugh began to close in. Bryan Mann got underneath Andrew Corbet while at the front of the field Oldfield was still all over the back of McNamara with one lap left to run. Oldfield timed his run perfectly, sliding underneath McNamara as they rounded turn one for the final time, with Luke Oldfield going on to take the win ahead of Ryan McNamara. Robbie Farr held on to finish third despite a last lap challenge from Lachlan McHugh, the pair crossing the line side-by-side with Farr just six hundredths of a second in front. Lachlan McHugh finished fourth ahead of Bryan Mann, Daniel Sayre, Andrew Corbet, Jai Stephenson, Scott Genrich, Nathan Black and Libby Ellis.

Anthony Lambert and Chris McInerney led heat two to the green and while Lambert quickly secured the lead, Kevin Titman, from position four, was on the move, looking underneath McInerney in an attempt to steal second. Dylan Menz began making his way forward and made his way past Peter Lack, only for Lack to fight back to try and regain his position. Danny Reidy joined the battle, racing beautifully around the outside of Lack just moments before Menz spun the Q74 racer to a stop and brought the race under caution. Lambert led the restart from Titman and McInerney with seven laps left to run, and while Lambert and Titman started to pull away from the field McInerney found himself under increasing pressure from a hard-charging Allan Woods. Woods slid underneath McInerney, only for McInerney to quickly return serve to regain his position. Woods pounced again, getting back past McInerney with Michael Saller soon joining the battle, getting around McInerney as they made their way through turn four and set his sights on Woods. At the front of the field Titman was all over the back of Lambert, eventually securing the advantage as Woods and Saller started to close in. Kevin Titman got the win ahead of Anthony Lambert, while Michael Saller slid underneath Allan Woods with half a lap left to run to secure third. Woods finished fourth and led Danny Reidy, Chris McInerney, Peter Lack, Randy Morgan, Dylan Menz, Geoff Davey and Scott Johnston across the line.

Heat three started with Daniel Cassidy and Mitch Gowland from the front row, with Dave Whell and Jackson Delamont close behind. Gowland managed to get his nose in front when the lights went green, but Cassidy was too quick and promptly secured the race lead. Behind them Brent Kratzmann, from position six was stealing the show and captivating the crowd as he took to the high side and immediately started charging forward. Kratzmann spectacularly raced around the high side, essentially making it four wide through turn two, making his way ahead of Greer, Whell, Delamont and Gowland in quick succession, before settling into second and starting chasing down Cassidy and the race lead. Behind them Andrew Scheuerle searched for a way past Mitch Gowland, eventually getting underneath the Q32 racer, with Jackson Delamont looking to follow him through, while Dave Whell had a gutsy look underneath Kratzmann as he tried to steal second. Unfortunately for race leader Cassidy his race came to a premature end, the #15 racer exiting the race after the right rear wheel parted company with the car. Kratzmann inherited the lead for the restart, and while Dave Whell initially challenged Kratzmann for control of the race it was not long before Kratzmann pulled ahead and opened a sizable and very comfortable lead. Behind him Scheuerle had his sights set firmly on Whell and soon slid beautifully underneath Whell before starting to try to close the gap to Kratzmann. Brent Kratzmann got the win ahead of Andrew Scheuerle, while Jackson Delamont got the better of Dave Whell in the final couple of laps to steal third. Dave Whell finished fourth and led Ben Hilder, Mitch Gowland, Brett Minett, Anthony Vanderreyden, Nathan McFarlane and Steve Greer across the line. Daniel Cassidy did not finish the event.

Mitch Gowland started heat four from pole position with Peter Lack alongside. Gowland got a terrific start and quickly secured the race lead, while Lack immediately came under fire from a determined Michael Saller. Kratzmann looked to go around the high line again in a repeat of his early heat, but could not quite make it work as well as it did before, while Lack raced around the high side of Saller to regain his position before continuing the momentum on the top side and trying to get around Gowland as well. Lack and Gowland ran two abreast for half a lap before Lack was able to emerge in front, but it wasn’t long before the race was brought under caution. Geoff Davey spun the NQ74 racer, leaving Libby Ellis nowhere to go, the pair making contact and bringing about the caution. Lack led the restart from Gowland and Saller while behind them Kratzmann and Sayre fought over the mid field positions. Gowland began to fade as Saller got past to take second, while Kratzmann and Sayre soon raced either side of Gowland as they negotiated over track position. Lapped traffic came into play, and while Lack was able to move through the back markers with ease, Saller and Kratzmann nearly came to grief. Kratzmann got into the back of a lapped car with one lap left to run, surrendering his position to Sayre in the process, but the was no stopping Peter Lack out in front as he raced to victory two and a half seconds ahead of Michael Saller in second. Daniel Sayre crossed the line in third with Brent Kratzmann, Randy Morgan, Mitch Gowland, Jai Stephenson, Steve Greer, Dylan Menz, Libby Ellis and Geoff Davey rounding out the finishers.

Chris McInerney and Anthony Lambert led the heat five field to the green, and while the pair raced wheel-to-wheel for a couple of corners it was McInerney who led the way out of turn two. Lachlan McHugh ran the high side to get the better of Luke Oldfield and settle into third, immediately putting pressure on Lambert as he began searching for a way into second. Robbie Farr an Luke Oldfield had their own battle a little further back, with Kevin Titman in fine form, running the high side and trying to make his way around the outside of Farr. Lachlan McHugh had a massive but unsuccessful look underneath Lambert in an attempt to steal second, while Oldfield and Titman battled for minor positions with Farr right on their tail. Lambert took to the high line and raced around McInerney in spectacular fashion to take control of the race as they made their way through lapped traffic, before opening a small margin on his rivals with half the race still to run. McInerney promptly surrendered another position, this time to Lachlan McHugh, before finding Luke Oldfield on his tail. Oldfield quickly made his way underneath McInerney and set out after McHugh, while McHugh closed in on Lambert and began challenging for the race lead with one lap left to run. Anthony Lambert was too strong though and managed to hang on to get the win ahead of Lachlan McHugh and Luke Oldfield. Kevin Titman crossed the line in fourth and led Robbie Farr, Chris McInerney, Andrew Scheuerle, Scott Genrich, Brett Minett, Daniel Cassidy and Nathan Black across the line.

Heat six started with Danny Reidy and Ryan McNamara sharing the front row as they led the field to the green flag, with Reidy quickly securing the race lead when the lights turned green. Dave Whell moved into second but immediately came under pressure from Jackson Delamont, the N48 racer racing through underneath Whell to steal second, while Andrew Corbet and Ryan McNamara began negotiating over minor positions. Alan Woods joined the fight, sliding underneath McNamara, with Nathan McFarlane have a brilliant run and following Woods through. Corbet and Whell continued to battle over positions three and four while Woods started closing in on Whell before racing exquisitely around the outside of the Q21 racer. Whell fought back to regain his position, only for Woods to fire straight back around the top side, eventually securing the advantage with one lap left to run. Danny Reidy easily got the win ahead of Jackson Delamont and Andrew Corbet, while Allan Woods crossed the line in fourth ahead of Dave Whell in fifth. Nathan McFarlane finished sixth and led Ryan McNamara, Bryan Mann, Ben Hilder, Anthony Vanderreyden and Scott Johnston across the line.

The Bronze Shootout saw Bryan Mann, Robbie Farr, Jackson Delamont and Kevin Titman took to the track for a couple of timed laps, with Bryan Mann securing the quickest time of the quartet, a 11.919 second lap, and securing a transfer to the Silver Shootout. Jackson Delamont was second quickest, stopping the clock at 12.003 second and would join Mann in the Silver Shootout, while Robbie Farr (12.070) and Kevin Titman (12.111) were eliminated from the shootout events.

Bryan Mann and Jackson Delamont were joined on track by Michael Saller and Allan Woods for the Silver Shootout event, with Jackson Delamont this time locking in the quickest time. Delamont stopped the clock at 11.740 seconds, narrowly beating Bryan Mann and his time of 11.950 seconds. Delamont and Mann would advance to the Gold Shootout, leaving Michael Saller (12.060) and Allan Woods (12.223) out of the event.

Brent Kratzmann was the highest points scorer of the evening heading into the Shootout events, and, together with current Australian Sprintcar Champion Andrew Scheuerle, joined Jackson Delamont and Bryan Mann on the track for the Gold Shootout. Jackson Delamont again dominated, his 11.712 second lap enough to secure pole position for the A-Main event, with Bryan Mann (12.133) set to share the front row. Andrew Scheuerle (who scored an identical time to Mann with a 12.133 second lap) and Brent Kratzmann (12.367) would start the feature event from the second row.

Danny Reidy and Steve Greer led the seventeen-car field to the start of what was scheduled to be a fifteen-lap B-Main event. Greer got the better start and secured the lead but it was short-lived as chaos unfolded behind them. Chris McInerney and Mitch Gowland came together as they took the green, with McInerney inverting the N40 racer. McInerney was unscathed in the incident but was out of the race with front end damage and a deflated left rear tyre, while Anthony Vanderreyden, who became involved after being left with nowhere to go, was able to restart at the rear of the field. A full restart followed with Reidy this time securing the lead when the green flag flew, but again it was short-lived as Geoff Davey, Scott Johnston and a luckless Anthony Vanderreyden came together at the tail of the field and brought the race under caution. Davey had collided with the wall in turn one, leaving both Johnston and Vanderreyden with nowhere to go, the trio becoming stuck together in turn one. There was a bit of delay while officials tried to separate the trio, with the rest of the field doing more than a few rolling laps, leaving crews concerned about fuel with fifteen laps still to run. Danny Reidy again secured the lead when the lights went green for the third time, while Ryan McNamara and Steve Greer negotiated over second. McNamara soon secured the advantage but the race was again brought under caution soon after, with just two laps completed, for the spun car of Nathan Black. Reidy led the restart from McNamara and Greer, while McNamara briefly challenged Reidy for control, Reidy soon started to pull ahead. Ben Hilder was on the move, making impressive progress as he chased after a transfer position, challenging Jai Stephenson and Steve Greer mid-field. Stephenson had a look around the high side of Greer, while Hilder had a look on the bottom, only for Hilder to tag the back of Greer and turn them both around, bringing the race back under caution. With only three laps completed it was Reidy who again led the restart from McNamara, Stephenson and Randy Morgan, and while McNamara again challenged Reidy on the start he was unable to find a way into the lead. Morgan had a bold but unsuccessful look underneath Stephenson before switching to the top side and trying to run around the high side. Mitch Gowland challenged Morgan and Stephenson on the bottom, before Morgan moved back to the bottom to race underneath Stephenson moments before Greer spun the Q84 racer to a stop, necessitating another caution just six laps in. Danny Reidy and Ryan McNamara remained comfortable out in front, but it was hard not to watch the battle behind them as their rivals negotiated over the final two transfer positions. Morgan ran the high line to move into fourth and start challenging Stephenson, eventually getting through underneath the #45 racer, and while Gowland tried to follow Morgan through he could not quite make it work. But Gowland persisted, trying again a lap later, racing two abreast with Stephenson as they fought over the last transfer spot, with Gowland eventually getting the job done. Meanwhile at the front of the field Danny Reidy had opened a sizable lead, while McNamara got into the back of a lapped car and surrendered second to Morgan. Another caution, for the spun car of Nathan Black, brought the race back under caution with Reidy to again lead the restart from Morgan and McNamara with four laps to run. Morgan had mechanical issues on the start and faded quickly, circulating slowly on the high line, and brought the race under caution two laps later. With just two laps left to run the race was declared with Danny Reidy getting the win ahead of Ryan McNamara and Mitch Gowland, while Jai Stephenson secured the final transfer to the A-Main. Nathan McFarlane finished fifth ahead of Daniel Cassidy, Ben Hilder, Brett Minett, Scott Genrich, Scott Johnston, Anthony Vanderreyden and Libby Ellis. Randy Morgan, Nathan Black, Steve Greer, Chris McInerney and Geoff Davey all failed to finish the shortened event.

Jackson Delamont and Bryan Mann led the twenty-car field to the green for the start of the forty-lap A-Main event. Delamont secured the lead while Brent Kratzmann unsuccessfully tried to race around the high side from position four. Deep in the field Dave Whell made contact with the wall entering turn one, leaving Ryan McNamara nowhere to go, the incident bringing the race to a stop and, sadly, bringing about a premature end to the weekend for both Whell and McNamara.

A full restart followed with Bryan Mann this time getting the better start and quickly securing the race lead. Brent Kratzmann settled into fourth behind Jackson Delamont and Andrew Scheuerle but soon surrendered his position to Michael Saller as Saller came charging through on the bottom, while deeper in the field Lachlan McHugh and Robbie Farr made contact as the two championship contenders battled for mid-field positions. The race however was soon brought to a stop when Luke Oldfield rode out another massive wreck in turns three and four, the #17 racer rolling end-to-end and out of the race. Oldfield has had a remarkable run of bad luck in recent weeks and while he was, fortunately, able to walk away from this wreck unscathed, the same cannot be said for his always immaculately presented Q17 racer.

Bryan Mann led the restart from Jackson Delamont, Michael Saller, Andrew Scheuerle, Brent Kratzmann and Lachlan McHugh with thirty-eight laps still to run. Kevin Titman and Allan Woods had a thrilling battle deeper in the field, while Kratzmann took to the high line, having a breath-taking run around the outside of Scheuerle before attempting to dive underneath Saller. Contact between Saller and Kratzmann left Scheuerle with nowhere to go, the Toowoomba-based racer inverting the A1 out of the race.

Bryan Mann again led the restart, with thirty-eight laps still on the board, with Jackson Delamont, in second and Lachlan McHugh advancing to third in the absence of Michael Saller, Brent Kratzmann and Andrew Scheuerle. McHugh did not waste the opportunity, immediately challenging Delamont for second, having a big look on the inside of the N48 racer, while further back in the field Kevin Titman and Allan Woods resumed their battle, with Titman looking to race through underneath Woods. With thirty-five laps still to run it was all action at the front of the field, with McHugh relentlessly pursuing Delamont, searching high and low for a way into second as Delamont started edging a little closer to Mann. Before long Delamont began challenging Mann for control of the race, with McHugh on his tail and searching for a way through, the trio completely captivating the crowd as they fought over the race lead. Mann ran mid track while McHugh used the high side to get around Delamont with thirty laps still to run. McHugh had a big look underneath Mann half a lap later but Mann refused to surrender control, with Delamont quickly taking his position back from McHugh. Delamont got the better of Mann a couple of laps later, briefly leading the race before Mann regained the advantage as the leaders began navigating lapped traffic. McHugh got around Delamont to move into second before relieving Mann of the race lead soon after. Mann fought back and had a big look underneath McHugh as they raced closer to the half-way mark of the race, but McHugh was too quick in lapped traffic and soon started to pull away. Michael Saller had made his way back up to eighth after the earlier incident with Brent Kratzmann and Andrew Scheuerle saw him sent rear of the field, while towards the rear of the field Anthony Lambert, Dylan Menz and Jai Stephenson were having their own intense battle for the minor placing as Mann tried to find a way through and put them a lap down. Allan Woods began challenging Delamont, while Mann began closing in on McHugh with three and half laps left to run. Woods got the better of Delamont but there was little anyone could do to catch McHugh. Lachlan McHugh went on to take the win ahead of Bryan Mann, while Jackson Delamont regained third from Allan Woods just half a lap from the chequered flag. Allan Woods fought back, challenging Delamont all the way to the line, the pair greeting the chequered flag side-by-side, with Woods forced to settle for fourth just 0.228 seconds behind third place. Daniel Sayre rounded out the top five and led Kevin Titman, Robbie Farr, Michael Saller, Danny Reidy, Andrew Corbet, Peter Lack, Anthony Lambert, Jai Stephenson, Dylan Menz and Mitch Gowland across the line. Brent Kratzmann pulled out of the event after completing fifteen laps, while Andrew Scheuerle, Luke Oldfield, Ryan McNamara and Dave Whell also failed to finish the event.

Congratulations to Robbie Farr and his team for taking out the Queensland USC Championship, with Lachlan McHugh second overall and Andrew Scheuerle third.

Sprintcars Queensland will take next weekend off before returning the Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway the following weekend for a HUGE two-night extravaganza of Sprintcar racing. The Queensland Title will be held at the venue on Saturday 04 and Sunday 05 May 2019 and will be a weekend not to be missed. See you trackside!