Sprintcars Queensland headed to Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway last night for Rumble on the Mountain and what a night of Sprintcar racing it was. The main race started with a breath-taking battle for the race lead between Brent Kratzmann and Luke Oldfield, the pair exchanging positions back and forth relentlessly for several laps before Kratzmann settled into the race lead, only for Lachlan McHugh and Cody Maroske to join the fight, displacing both Oldfield and Kratzmann and going on to have their own intense battle for control of the race. The racing was brilliant, with an elated Cody Maroske getting the win at the conclusion of the thirty-lap affair and Lachlan McHugh forced to settle for second. Mitchell Gee managed to finish third and round out the podium, while early leader Brent Kratzmann crossed the line in fourth ahead of an impressive Tim Farrell who rounded out the top five, having made his way ahead of Luke Oldfield before the fall of the chequered flag.

Qualifying got underway and with track conditions changing rapidly it was certainly an advantage to be in an early qualifying group. Dylan Menz ended up topping the leader board with an impressive 11.516 second lap while Taylor Prosser and Cody Maroske recorded identical times to tie for second, both stopping the clock at 11.604 seconds. Lachlan McHugh, who stopped early with a fuel line issue, still managed to secure fourth quickest with a 11.692 second lap, with Brent Kratzmann rounding out the fastest five after stopping the clock at 11.700. The top eighteen cars in the field of twenty-two were separated by less than one second, and with the competition extremely close it set the scene for a fierce night of racing.

After a lengthy delay for some much needed track preparation heat one started with Nelson Reddacliff and Luke Oldfield from the front row with Reddacliff initially getting his nose a fraction in front as the pair took the green. Oldfield fought back on the top-side and quickly took control of the race while mid-field they battled three-wide for the minor positions. The race was soon brought under caution though when Scott Genrich spun to a stop in turn one. A full restart followed with Reddacliff and Oldfield racing side-by-side into turn one, with Peacock having a look on the inside of Reddacliff in a three-way battle for the lead. Oldfield soon secured the advantage and began opening a comfortable lead, while further back in the field Dylan Menz had a massive look underneath Brent Kratzmann but could not quite get the job done. Kratzmann kept Menz behind him and turned his attention to Peacock, challenging the Q55 racer for third as Peacock began to close in on Reddacliff. Peacock and Reddacliff had a fierce battle for second, even coming together at one point, with Peacock soon having another massive look underneath Reddacliff, only to spin the Q55 racer right in front of Kratzmann, who did a magnificent job to avoid Peacock, and brought the race under caution. Oldfield led the restart from Reddacliff, Kratzmann and Menz with six laps still to run. Oldfield was unstoppable out in front and quickly opened a comfortable lead, while Kratzmann looked underneath Reddacliff, the pair racing side-by-side for a couple of laps before Kratzmann was able to secure second. Reddacliff fought back but could not find a way back past Kratzmann, while further back in the field Peacock was quickly trying to make up lost ground and charging from the rear of the field. Luke Oldfield went on to take the win with Nelson Reddacliff credited with second ahead of Dylan Menz when Brent Kratzmann, who crossed the line second, was penalised two positions post race for hitting the cone on the last restart. Steve Greer finished fifth and led Jayden Peacock, Anthony Lambert, Brodie Tulloch, Taylor Prosser and Michael Rowell across the line. Scott Genrich did not finish the event.

Andrew Corbet and Brendon Claridge shared the front row for the start of heat two, with Corbet getting the better start and quickly securing the race lead while Mitchell Gee started to charge from position four. Randy Morgan sat in a strong second behind Corbet, with Gee slipping into third while Claridge faded. Lachlan McHugh and Cody Maroske began trying to advance from mid-field, while closer to the front Randy Morgan closed in on Corbet, the battle for the lead heating up with just four laps left to run. Gee had a look underneath Randy Morgan as Morgan stepped up the pressure on Corbet as the leaders approached lapped traffic, but the race was brought under caution when Lachlan McHugh spun to a stop with two laps left to run. Corbet led the restart from Randy Morgan and Mitchell Gee in a two-lap dash to the chequered flag. Maroske had a massive look underneath Gee but could not quite find a way through, but all eyes were on Randy Morgan as he raced underneath Andrew Corbet and into the lead just moments after greeting the white flag with one lap left to run. Corbet tried to return serve but it was Randy Morgan who got the win ahead Andrew Corbet and Mitchell Gee. Cody Marsoke finished fourth and led Tim Farrell, Lachlan McHugh, Richard Morgan, Nicholas Whell, Nathan Black, Brendon Claridge and Libby Ellis across the line.

Heat three started with Jayden Peacock from the front row with Taylor Prosser alongside. The first start was a little messy, with Peacock getting the advantage, while behind them Lachlan McHugh took to the high side and moved up several positions before spinning in turn four and bringing the racing under caution. A full restart followed with Peacock again getting the lead when the green flag flew once more. Brent Kratzmann was impressive on the bottom, quickly slipping through on the bottom and making his way into second, while McHugh began charging forward on the high line from the rear of the field. Dylan Menz raced underneath Taylor Prosser, while the mid-field cars raced almost four-wide for the minor positions as they powered down the back straight. At the front of the field Kratzmann was on a mission and started challenging Peacock for control of the race, soon racing underneath the Q55 racer and moving into the race lead. Peacock fought back, challenging Kratzmann as they negotiated over the lead, while behind them Tim Farrell and Lachlan McHugh argued over fourth and fifth, while also closing in on Brodie Tulloch in third. Brent Kratzmann went on to take a well deserved and much needed win, with Jayden Peacock home in second ahead of Brodie Tulloch, Lachlan McHugh, Tim Farrell, Dylan Menz, Anthony Lambert, Steve Greer, Taylor Prosser, Scott Genrich and Michael Rowell.

Nelson Reddacliff started heat four from pole position but it was fellow front row starter Andrew Corbet who got the best start when the lights went green. Corbet quickly secured the race lead, while Luke Oldfield had a lot of drive in the Q17 racer, eager to get to the front from the second row of the starting line-up, but the race was soon brought under caution when Libby Ellis had a spin at the rear of the field. With Ellis facing the wrong way in turn one, Corbet spun the Q78 racer in turns three and four, right in front of the oncoming field, leaving Reddacliff and Richard Morgan with nowhere to go, the pair making light contact with Corbet and becoming stopped on the track as well. All cars restarted, with Corbet, Reddacliff and Richard Morgan joining Ellis at the rear of the field, leaving Oldfield and Mitchell Gee from the front row for the restart. Oldfield was quick to secure the lead when the race resumed, while Cody Maroske had a massive look on the inside of both Gee and Oldfield in an effort to steal control of the race. Gee and Maroske came together, leaving Gee facing the wrong way and again halting the race once more. Another full restart followed, with Gee joining the rest at the rear of the field and Maroske promoted to the front row alongside Oldfield as they led the field back to green light conditions. Oldfield again secured the lead when the green flag flew, while behind them Randy Morgan started challenging Cody Maroske for position, while Mitchell Gee tried to find a way forward from the rear of the field. Richard Morgan and Nicholas Whell raced side-by-side as they fought over fourth and fifth position, while both Gee and Corbet began making their way forward. Maroske ran in second and started to close in on Oldfield and the lead with two laps left to run, getting to within striking distance and having a bold look on the inside of the Q17 racer but was not quite able to get the job done before the fall of the chequered flag. Luke Oldfield got the win ahead of Cody Maroske and Randy Morgan, with Richard Morgan fourth ahead of Andrew Corbet, Mitchell Gee, Nicholas Whell, Libby Ellis, Nathan Black, Brendon Claridge and Nelson Reddacliff.

For the Bronze Shootout Lachlan McHugh, Mitchell Gee, Randy Morgan and Jayden Peacock took to the track for a series of qualifying laps. Jayden Peacock was the quickest of the quartet, with a 13.724 second lap and advanced to the Silver Shootout, with Randy Morgan joining him after locking in the second fastest time (13.902) in the Bronze Shootout. Lachlan McHugh and Mitchell Gee were eliminated from the shootout events.

Luke Oldfield and Dylan Menz joined Jayden Peacock and Randy Morgan on track for the Silver Shootout, with Oldfield this time going the fastest, with a 13.743 second lap with Jayden Peacock (13.797) second quickest of the group. Randy Morgan (13.858) and Dylan Menz (14.012) were eliminated from the shootout event, with both Oldfield and Peacock advancing to the Gold Shootout and a chance to start the main race from the front row.

The Gold Shootout event hit the track with Cody Maroske and Brent Kratzmann joining Luke Oldfield and Jayden Peacock on track. Brent Kratzmann was exceptionally quick and locked in the fastest lap of the event, 13.638, an impressive 0.266 seconds faster than second quickest Luke Oldfield and his 13.904 second lap. Kratzmann and Oldfield would share the front row for the start of the main race, with Jayden Peacock (13.910) and Cody Maroske (13.922) set to fill the second row for the start of the upcoming feature event.

A small field of six cars took to the track for the six-lap B-Main event and the last chance to secure a spot on the feature event field. Anthony Lambert and Nicholas Whell led them to the green flag with Lambert quick to take control and settle into the lead. Nathan Black slipped into second, but was quickly displaced by a determined Nicholas Whell, only for the race to be brought under caution when Michael Rowell and Scott Genrich tangled at the rear of the field. A full restart followed with Lambert again securing the advantage and quickly opening a small lead. Whell settled into second ahead of Black and Libby Ellis, while Genrich began searching for a way past Ellis and into the final transfer position. Ellis began closing in on Black and started to search the bottom for a way past the #37 racer, but it was Anthony Lambert who got the win ahead of Nicholas Whell and Nathan Black. Libby Ellis crossed the line in fourth to secure the last of the transfer positions, with Michael Rowell and Scott Genrich rounding out the finishers.

Brent Kratzmann and Luke Oldfield led the twenty-car field to the green flag for the start of the A-Main event, with Kratzmann leading the opening corners ahead of Oldfield while Dylan Menz had a phenomenal run on the high side of Cody Maroske. All eyes were on the leading pair though with Oldfield not content to settle for second, the Q17 racer fighting back and racing around Kratzmann to take the lead before the end of the first lap. Kratzmann boldly fought back, sliding back underneath Oldfield and regaining the lead before Oldfield raced back around the high side. Kratzmann again slipped back underneath, before Oldfield once more made his way in front and relegated Kratzmann back to second. The pair continued for several laps, negotiating back and forth over the race lead, thrilling the crowd with Kratzmann eventually getting back underneath Oldfield, emerging in front and leading the race. Kratzmann approached lapped traffic just six laps into the thirty-lap affair and began trying to make his way through very heavy traffic, almost coming to grief several times, with the race brought under caution soon after when Nathan Black spun in turn four. Lachlan McHugh was left with nowhere to go, the NQ7 racer making heavy contact with the spun car. Fortunately for McHugh he was able to keep the car running and start in his position when the race resumed.

Brent Kratzmann led the restart from Luke Oldfield and Cody Maroske, with Maroske wasting no time and promptly slid underneath Oldfield and into second and started looking for a way past Kratzmann, only for Oldfield to get back past Maroske and regain second. Kratzmann was reasonably comfortable in front while Maroske and Oldfield fought over second, with Maroske getting underneath Oldfield just moments before Richard Morgan spun the NQ54 racer in turn three and brought the race under caution.

Brent Kratzmann again led the restart from Luke Oldfield and Cody Maroske, with Lachlan McHugh and Dylan Menz close behind with nineteen laps left to run. Kratzmann got a brilliant start and opened a small lead on the rest of the field, while Lachlan McHugh boldly raced underneath both Maroske and Oldfield to move into second. Oldfield fought back but could not quite regain second, with McHugh setting out after Kratzmann and leaving Oldfield and Maroske to continue their battle, the pair now fighting over third and fourth. McHugh closed in on Kratzmann, while Maroske and Oldfield raced two-abreast, with Oldfield trying to advance on the high line but struggling to find enough drive. McHugh searched high and low for a way past Kratzmann, with Kratzmann having a brilliant run and defending the position successfully as they approached lapped traffic. With Kratzmann and McHugh embroiled in their own battle for the race lead, Cody Maroske seemed to almost come out of nowhere and made it look easy as he raced underneath both McHugh and Kratzmann in quick succession to take control of the race. McHugh made his way past Kratzmann in lapped traffic and moved into second before having a bold look for a way through to the lead on the inside of Maroske. McHugh managed to get ahead of Maroske, but Maroske fought back on the high side in heavy lapped traffic to regain the lead. McHugh came together with the lapped car of Libby Ellis, knocking the front end out of the NQ73 racer and bringing the race under caution.

With eight laps left to run it was Cody Maroske who led the field back to green light conditions, with Lachlan McHugh second ahead of Mitchell Gee who had managed to slip into the top three. Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann continued their battle from earlier in the race, only this time vying for a top five result instead of the win, while McHugh was all over the back of Maroske and searching for a way through to the race lead. Maroske entered lapped traffic with two laps left to run and weaved through the back markers better than his rivals, with Cody Maroske going on to take the win, his second of the season. Lachlan McHugh crossed the line in second with Mitchell Gee home in third despite being in an unfamiliar car (Gee was driving the Q74 racer of Brodie Tulloch this weekend). Early leader Brent Kratzmann hung on to finish fourth with Tim Farrell managing to displace Luke Oldfield to finish a solid fifth, his best result of the season so far. Luke Oldfield finished sixth and led Randy Morgan, Dylan Menz, Nicholas Whell, Brendon Claridge, Anthony Lambert, Taylor Prosser, Jayden Peacock, Andrew Corbet, Brodie Tulloch, Nelson Reddacliff, Steve Greer and Richard Morgan across the line. Libby Ellis and Nathan Black did not finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to Archerfield Speedway next Saturday night for another round of the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Series. See you trackside race fans.