Sprintcars Queensland headed out to Ausdeck Archerfield Speedway last night for round thirteen of the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Series and while it was an action-packed night, the feature event was ultimately declared after just twenty-five laps due to the time curfew of the venue. Bryan Mann had dominated the first twenty-five laps after getting the better of Andrew Scheuerle on the start, with Mann running away from his rivals at each restart and making it look effortless as he weaved through lapped traffic. Bryan Mann was declared the winner with Aaron Kelly second, having displaced Andrew Scheuerle in the later stages of the race. Andrew Scheuerle finished third to round out the podium while Cody Maroske had a phenomenal drive in the Q5 racer to come home in fourth, with Callum Walker rounding out the top five after an epic battle with Luke Oldfield.

Qualifying got underway and while Cody Maroske initially set the bar, Andrew Baumber soon took over the top spot, only for both drivers to be shuffled back in the running order when the final two groups hit the track. Callum Walker secured quick time with a quick 11.744 second lap, with Luke Oldfield (11.790), Andrew Scheuerle (11.821), Bryan Mann (11.825) and Aaron Kelly (11.864) rounding out the fastest five. The top twenty qualifiers were separated by just 0.874 seconds, while Dylan Menz suffered mechanical woes that prematurely ended his night.

Mitch Gowland and Brent Kratzmann shared the front row for the start of heat one, with Kratzmann powering around the top side when the green flag flew, securing the lead before quickly opening a comfortable margin on the rest of the field. Gowland settled into second, with both Ryan McNamara and Cody Maroske on his tail, while deeper in the field Callum Walker tried to find a way around Andrew Baumber while also defending his position from Nicholas Whell. Walker eventually got the better of both Whell and Baumber, leaving the pair to negotiate over minor positions while Walker set out after Maroske. McNamara was all over the back of Gowland and spent several laps searching for a way through before getting around the outside of the Q32 racer as they rounded turn two just a few laps from home. Maroske had an unsuccessful look underneath Gowland soon after but a small error saw Maroske surrender a position to Walker. Walker turned his attention to Gowland and while he caught the Q32 in lapped traffic, he ran out of time before the chequered flag to make his move. Brent Kratzmann got the win, some 4.483 seconds ahead of Ryan McNamara in second, with Mitch Gowland crossing the line in third and leading Callum Walker, Cody Maroske, Nicholas Whell, Andrew Baumber and Libby Ellis home.

Andrew Corbet and Adam Butler shared the front row for the start of the second heat with Corbet securing the lead from pole position. As Corbet started to open a small lead, deeper in the field Aaron Kelly, Luke Oldfield and Dan Murray raced three abreast through turn two as they negotiated over mid-field positions with Kelly momentarily getting his nose in front before Oldfield powered through to take the advantage and lead the trio to turn three. Tim Farrell started looking underneath Adam Butler for a way into second, all the while Oldfield closed in behind. Oldfield searched high and low for a way past Farrell for most of the race but could not quite get the better of the Q51 racer. Andrew Corbet went on to take the win ahead of Adam Butler and Tim Farrell, with Luke Oldfield forced to settle for fourth ahead of Aaron Kelly, Dan Murray, Nelson Reddacliff and Daniel Helmore.

The third heat of the night saw Allan Woods and Kristy Bonsey share the front row for the start, with Mitchell Gee and Kevin Titman right behind them. Bonsey got the jump and secured the race lead when the lights went green, leaving Woods in second, only for both Mitchell Gee and Kevin Titman to slip underneath the Q28 racer and relegate Woods back to fourth by the end of the first lap. Woods fought back and raced underneath Titman, with Titman then making a small mistake in turn two, allowing both Bryan Mann and Andrew Scheuerle to slip through. Mann started challenging Woods for position but the race was quickly brought to an abrupt stop when Gee made heavy contact with the turn four wall and inverted the Q43 racer. Fortunately Gee walked away from the wreck but sadly would be out for the rest of the night. Bonsey led the restart from Woods and Mann, with Scheuerle and Titman close behind. Bonsey was brilliant out in front and built a healthy lead in just half a lap, while behind her Mann challenged Woods for second and Titman searched high and low for a way past Scheuerle. Mann eventually got past Woods with a few laps left to run, leaving Woods to defend his position from both Scheuerle and Titman who closed in fast as they raced towards the chequered flag. Kristy Bonsey got the win ahead of Bryan Mann, Allan Woods, Andrew Scheuerle, Kevin Titman and Jason King. Mitchell Gee did not finish the event.

Nicholas Whell started heat four from pole position with Kristy Bonsey alongside. The first start was aborted, officials deeming Bonsey to have jumped the start, sending her back to the second row for the restart and promoting Andrew Baumber to the front row alongside Whell. Whell got the jump second time around, leaving Baumber and Tim Farrell to fight over second, only for Baumber to spin entering turn four, bringing the race under caution before the end of the first lap. Bonsey got her front row starting position back for the restart and while Whell initially secured the lead, Bonsey was exceptional on the bottom, challenging Whell and persisting on the bottom until she got the job done, racing underneath Whell and taking control of the race by the end of the first lap. Bonsey immediately started opening a small lead on her rivals, while Whell held off the advances of Tim Farrell and Callum Walker. Walker was relentless on the back of Farrell, relentlessly searching high and low for a way past the Q51 racer, but Farrell refused to surrender the position, even while challenging Whell for second in lapped traffic. Kristy Bonsey got the win ahead of Nicholas Whell, Tim Farrell, Callum Walker, Cody Maroske, Nelson Reddacliff and Andrew Baumber.

Mitch Gowland and Adam Butler led the seven-car field to the green flag for the start of heat five, with Gowland initially securing the advantage and leading them through the first corner. Butler fought back on the high side though and soon raced around the Q32 racer, taking control of the race with just half a lap completed, while behind them Kevin Titman and Brent Kratzmann raced side-by-side as they negotiated over third. Titman soon moved ahead of Kratzmann, leaving Kratzmann with Aaron Kelly and Bryan Mann on his tail. Mann raced around Kelly and turned his attention to Kratzmann while Kelly fought back and put all kinds of pressure on Mann in an effort to regain his position. Titman got underneath Gowland when Gowland got too high in turn two, leaving Gowland with Kratzmann, Mann and Kelly closing in fast. Kratzmann got underneath Gowland, with Mann following half a lap later, and while Gowland charged hard to try and regain his position from Mann, Mann was too strong. The race was soon brought under caution when Jason King spun the Q69 racer at the rear of the field with three laps left to run. Butler led the restart from Titman and Kratzmann with Adam Butler going on to take the win ahead of Kevin Titman and Brent Kratzmann. Bryan Mann came home in fourth ahead of Aaron Kelly and Mitch Gowland, with Jason King rounding out the finishers.

The sixth and final heat of the evening started with Allan Woods and Andrew Corbet sharing the front row ahead of Dan Murray and Ryan McNamara. Woods got the jump when the race got underway, with Corbet settling into second ahead of Murray and McNamara. Andrew Scheuerle initially challenged McNamara before Luke Oldfield charged through, slipping underneath Scheuerle with just half a lap completed. Oldfield looked to get underneath McNamara, as McNamara searched for a way around Murray, while Scheuerle worked the bottom perfectly to regain his position from Oldfield and slip underneath McNamara moments later. Scheuerle turned his focus to Murray but McNamara charged on the high side, as Oldfield raced through on the bottom, the trio three-wide coming out of turn two, with Oldfield emerging in front of both McNamara and Scheuerle before displacing Murray half a lap later. Four laps into the event Daniel Helmore spun the Q18 racer to a stop in turn four and brought the race under caution. Woods led the restart from Corbet and Oldfield, and while Woods was comfortable in the race lead, the battle for second really started to heat up. Oldfield had one unsuccessful look underneath Corbet before successfully getting through on the following lap, only for Corbet to fight back hard on the high line, racing around Oldfield and regaining his position just one lap after loosing it to the Q17 racer. Oldfield persisted but Corbet was too strong and while Allan Woods secured the win, Andrew Corbet crossed the line second ahead of Luke Oldfield and Andrew Scheuerle. Dan Murray finished fourth ahead of Ryan McNamara, Libby Ellis and Daniel Helmore.

Callum Walker led the points going into the Dash event, but the pre-Dash draw saw him relegated back to sixth for the start. Kristy Bonsey and Bryan Mann shared the front row for the start with Bonsey initially securing the lead, only for Mann to withstand a challenged from Andrew Scheuerle and power around the high side, getting the better of Bonsey just half a lap into the six-lap affair. Bonsey was left with both Andrew Scheuerle and Aaron Kelly on her tail, while behind them Kevin Titman and Luke Oldfield negotiated over mid-field positions. Bryan Mann got the win, earning pole position of the main race, with Andrew Scheuerle crossing the line in second ahead of Kristy Bonsey third ahead of Aaron Kelly, Luke Oldfield, Kevin Titman, Callum Walker and Adam Butler.

Ryan McNamara and Andrew Baumber led the field to green light conditions for the start of the B-Main. McNamara quickly secured the lead and began opening a very comfortable margin on the rest of the field, while Baumber surrendered second to Nicholas Whell. Baumber settled into third while Mitch Gowland and Nelson Reddacliff fought over the fourth and final transfer position, with Gowland soon securing the advantage. Gowland set about chasing down Baumber, catching the NQ2 racer a few laps later and quickly making his way into third, while at the tail of the field Jason King and Libby Ellis raced two abreast as they negotiated over minor places. Reddacliff brought the race under caution when he spun to a stop in turn four with only a handful of laps remaining. McNamara led the restart and was untouchable out in front, while deeper in the field Reddacliff set about making up lost ground, quickly making his way forward and into fifth before slipping underneath Baumber and into fourth just a couple of laps before the chequered flag. Baumber though was not about to surrender without a fight and made one last final charge around the high side, challenging Reddacliff for the last transfer position as they exited the final corner and raced towards the finish. The pair raced side-by-side across the line, coming together as they crossed the line, the difference between them, and the difference between making the main race or not, just one thousandth of a second. Ryan McNamara got the win ahead of Nicholas Whell and Mitch Gowland, with Nelson Reddacliff securing the last transfer position by the smallest of margins. Andrew Baumber finished fifth, and would still get a start in the main race when Whell withdrew from the competition. With Jason King, Libby Ellis and Daniel Helmore rounding out the finishers of the B-Main event.

Bryan Mann and Andrew Scheuerle led the eighteen-car field to the green flag for the start of the A-Main event, with Mann securing the lead but not without a fight from Scheuerle. Scheuerle first looked on the high side before switching to the bottom, the pair side-by-side as they rounded the second corner, but it was Mann who emerged in front and took control of the race. Scheuerle slid underneath Mann in turn three, only for Mann to immediately return serve and slip back underneath Scheuerle in turn four. Aaron Kelly and Kristy Bonsey fought over third, with both Kevin Titman and Callum Walker in hot pursuit, while Brent Kratzmann chased Adam Butler before making heavy contact with wall coming out of turn two and dropping back through the field. Kevin Titman brought the race under caution when he got into the wall in turn three, prematurely ending his night.

Bryan Mann led the restart from Andrew Scheuerle and Aaron Kelly, with Kristy Bonsey fourth ahead of Callum Walker and twenty-eight laps left to run. Bonsey quickly came under pressure from Callum Walker, soon surrendering fourth, while Adam Butler took to the high line, attempting to race boldly around both Walker and Bonsey, before getting too high in turn three and surrendering several positions. The race however was promptly brought under caution for an incident involving Andrew Baumber and Dan Murray in turn two.

With twenty-eight laps still to run it was again Bryan Mann who led them back to green light conditions, with Andrew Scheuerle, Aaron Kelly and Callum Walker on his tail. Mann set about opening a comfortable margin on the rest while Walker challenged Kelly for third. Brent Kratzmann started making his way forward, while Adam Butler and Kristy Bonsey stayed close to Walker as Luke Oldfield started advancing his way through the field. Oldfield made his way past Bonsey and turned his attention to Butler while Cody Maroske was making impressive progress towards the front of the field, displacing Bonsey and setting his sights on Oldfield, Butler and Walker. Butler again got too high in turn three, this time making contact with Oldfield and inverting the Q10 racer in turn four and bringing the race to a stop once more.

Bryan Mann led the restart with seventeen laps still to run and Andrew Scheuerle and Aaron Kelly still on his tail. Oldfield raced around Walker and turned his attention to Kelly, while Brent Kratzmann and Ryan McNamara, who are having a close points battle in the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Series, had a thrilling battle for track position mid-field. Callum Walker fought back and slipped underneath Oldfield, regaining his position, with Oldfield unrelenting as he once again challenged Walker for position. While Walker and Oldfield were busy battling each other Cody Maroske arrived on the scene, taking to the high line and racing exquisitely around Oldfield before taking to the high side of Walker. Maroske managed to get his nose in front, only for Walker to deny him a way through, the Q33 racer fighting back and, albeit briefly, keeping Maroske behind him. Andrew Corbet looped the Q78 racer in turn two and brought the race under caution with twelve laps still on the board.

The order at the front remained unchanged and once more it was Bryan Mann, Andrew Scheuerle and Aaron Kelly who led them back to the green flag. Callum Walker briefly challenged Kelly, with Maroske on his tail, only for Kelly to have a bold look underneath Scheuerle, racing his way underneath the former Australian Champion and into second before turning his attention to trying to close the gap to Bryan Mann. Cody Maroske got underneath Callum Walker and set out after Scheuerle, while a little further back Brent Kratzmann searched for a way underneath Luke Oldfield, with Ryan McNamara and Allan Woods closing in fast. Woods took to the high side, racing around McNamara before closing on Kratzmann, while Maroske and Scheuerle traded places back and forth before Scheuerle again secured the advantage. Kratzmann had a look on the inside of Oldfield, with Woods also searching for a way through, but the race was soon brought to another stop when Tim Farrell got into the turn three wall and inverted the beautifully presented Q51 racer. Fortunately Farrell was unscathed, but with the ten-thirty curfew at the venue fast approaching we were left with no option but to declare the race with five laps still to run. Bryan Mann got a well-deserved win ahead of Aaron Kelly and Andrew Scheuerle, with Cody Maroske home in fourth and Callum Walker rounding out the top five. Luke Oldfield finished sixth and led Allan Woods, Brent Kratzmann, Andrew Corbet, Kristy Bonsey, Ryan McNamara, Mitch Gowland and Nelson Reddacliff across the line. Tim Farrell was credited with fourteenth ahead of Andrew Baumber, Adam Butler, Dan Murray and Kevin Titman.

Our next race is currently scheduled for next weekend, Saturday 21 March 2020 at Ausdeck Archerfield Speedway, though this is subject to change pending the global health situation. We will keep everyone posted on our Facebook page of changes to the rest of our season calendar as more information and changes to State and Federal Government directives and advices are updated. Until next time race fans…