Sprintcars returned to Archerfield Speedway last night for a hectic and action-packed night of racing in Round Three of the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Series, with Lachlan McHugh again emerging victorious, claiming his sixth win of the season, in only eight races, with Luke Oldfield crossing the line in second after holding off a very hard-charging and in-form Callum Walker. Oldfield sat in second for most of the race, having started from pole position, except for a few laps mid race when Walker slipped through and into second, closing in ever so slightly on McHugh before Oldfield raced his way back to second a few laps later. Walker finished third to round out the podium, while Aaron Kelly and Kevin Titman completed the top five.

Cody Maroske topped the qualifying order to start the night off, stopping the clock at 11.565 seconds, beating Lachlan McHugh by just 0.004 seconds. Dylan Menz was third quickest, the Q46 racer showing plenty of speed as he recorded a 11.660 second lap, less than one tenth of a second slower than McHugh. Callum Walker and Luke Oldfield rounded out the fastest five, while the fastest twenty-six cars were separated by just 0.965 seconds. Tim Farrell rode out a massive wreck in his qualifying run and while Farrell fortunately walked away from the crash, he would take no further part in the night.

The first of the Development Series heat events started with Libby Ellis and Erin Vanderreyden sharing the front row and leading the field to green light conditions. Ellis got the jump and led them to the first corner with Vanderreyden settling into second ahead of Zack Howell and Jason King. Howell made his way around Vanderreyden, leaving the NQ47 racer with both Jason King and Brant Chandler on her tail. As Vanderreyden rounded turn four on the second lap her car suffered mechanical dramas and slowed, leaving King and Chandler nowhere to go. King climbed over the left rear of Vanderreyden before being clipped by Chandler, with King then a passenger as the NQ69 racer tipped over. John White spun the Q96 in an effort to avoid the chaos unfolding in front of him, only to be collected by Jeremy Gaudry who had been left nowhere to go and ran into both White and Vanderreyden. All drivers walked away but Vanderreyden, King and White were all unable to restart the event. Ellis led the restart with Howell second ahead of Chandler and nine laps still to run. Ellis managed to open a small lead when the race got back underway, with Chandler spending a couple of laps searching high and low for a way past Howell, only for Howell to spin to a stop a few laps later. Ellis again led the restart with Chandler this time in second with six laps left to run and half the field already out of the race. Another caution soon followed for the spun car of Jeremy Gaudry, and while Ellis did a remarkable job for the rest of the race, holding off a very hard-charging Chandler for several laps, the win ultimately went to Chandler who managed to slip underneath Ellis in the final corner of the race. Brant Chandler got the win, before promptly spinning the #45 racer in turn one after greeting the chequered flag, with Libby Ellis second ahead of Zack Howell and Jeremy Gaudry. Nicholas O'Keefe, Erin Vanderreyden, Jason King and John White all failed to finish the event.

Heat one of the open Sprintcars started with Allan Woods from pole position with Randy Morgan alongside on the front row. Woods got the better start and led the field into turn one with Morgan in second, while behind them Mitchell Gee raced around fellow third-row starter Lachlan Caunt, underneath Darren Jensen and was looking to get around Andrew Baumber all before entering turn one. Contact between Baumber and Gee ended with Gee high on the track in the path of a luckless Darren Jensen, the Q75 racer riding the right rear wheel of Gee and launching into a very high and very fast series of end-to-end rolls into the turn one catch fence. Jensen was quick to exit the race car and fortunately walked away unscathed. Neither Jensen nor Gee would return to the track for the rest of the night. A full restart followed, twice as officials were not happy with the start, with Woods eventually securing the lead when the lights went green. Morgan settled into second but immediately came under pressure from Cody Maroske, while at the rear of the field Aaron Kelly and Scott Genrich battled over the minor positions. Maroske was absolutely relentless as he searched for a way past Morgan, with Morgan having a superb run to withstand the pressure for most of the race, only to surrender the spot a handful of laps from home. Allan Woods got the win with Cody Maroske second ahead of Randy Morgan, Andrew Baumber, Aaron Kelly and Lachlan Caunt. Scott Genrich, Mitchell Gee and Darren Jensen all failed to finish the event.

Kevin Titman and Kristy Bonsey shared the front row for the start of heat two, with Bonsey initially getting her nose in front, only for Titman to power through on the bottom and take control of the race. Bonsey settled into second ahead of Dave Fanning, while much deeper in the field Luke Oldfield and Lachlan McHugh began making their way forward. Oldfield displaced Dan Murray, Taylor Prosser and Paul Rooks in quick succession, with McHugh not far behind trying to do the same, before turning his attention to Kristy Bonsey, who had surrendered second to Fanning. Oldfield had incredible speed on board the Q17 racer and within a couple of laps he had caught, and passed, Bonsey and closed in on the back of Fanning, searching for a way into second before slipping underneath the Q89 racer as they rounded turn one. Kevin Titman got the win ahead of Luke Oldfield while Lachlan McHugh managed to get the better of Dave Fanning in the closing stages of the race to steal third. Fanning crossed the line fourth and led Kristy Bonsey, Paul Rooks, Dan Murray, Taylor Prosser and Nathan McFarlane home.

Heat three was another action-packed affair with Andrew Corbet and Brendon Claridge leading the ten-car field to green light conditions. Corbet secured the lead when the green flag flew, with Claridge second ahead of Daniel Cassidy. Claridge got a little sideways in turn two, leaving Cassidy nowhere to go, and while both drivers were able to avoid stopping, in the chaos that unfolded behind them both Callum Walker and Mitch Gowland ended up stopped on the track and brought the race under caution. A full restart followed with Corbet again securing the lead in advance of Claridge while Brad Ayers withstood a challenge from Adam Butler and raced underneath Cassidy and into third. Brent Kratzmann attempted a bold run on the high side of his rivals, and seemed to have plenty of speed, however contact with the wall coming out of turn two saw Kratzmann invert the Q2 racer. Kratzmann walked away but was unable to continue the race. Corbet and Claridge again led the field back to race conditions with Corbet again securing the lead as they greeted the green flag. Brad Ayers was quick to displace Claridge and settle into second and set out after Corbet while Claridge surrendered his position to a hard-charging Daniel Cassidy. Claridge fought back, racing underneath Cassidy half a lap later, the pair having a thrilling battle for the minor positions while Ayers closed in on Corbet. Callum Walker started making his way forward but all eyes were now on Ayers and Corbet as they negotiated over the race lead. Ayers slid underneath Corbet as they rounded turn one and took the lead, only for Corbet to fight back, racing up the inside of the Ayers are they rounded turn two and raced down the back straight side-by-side. Contact between the pair entering turn three saw both cars into the wall, and while both drivers walked away they would both be unable to finish the race. Claridge inherited the race lead for the restart with Cassidy in second ahead of Walker. Walker searched relentlessly for a way past Cassidy, and nearly got the job done on several occasions, but in the end it was Brendon Claridge who got the win ahead of Daniel Cassidy, Callum Walker, Adam Butler, Dylan Menz and Kevin Britten. Andrew Corbet, Brad Ayers, Mitch Gowland and Brent Kratzmann all failed to finish the event.

The second Development Series heat hit the track with Brant Chandler and Jeremy Gaudry set to lead them to the green light conditions. Chandler was quick to secure the lead with Gaudry second ahead of Zack Howell. Nicholas O'Keefe initially challenged Howell for position before fading as John White raced through on the bottom as they rounded the first corner, with White then switching to the high side and starting to look around the top for a way past Howell. Unfortunately for White a small error in turn three saw him make contact with the turn three wall and while he was able to keep the car running and avoid a stoppage, he pulled out of the event a lap later. Brant Chandler opened a comfortable lead over the rest of the field, while Libby Ellis and Nicholas O'Keefe battled towards the back of the field as they searched for a way past Zack Howell. Howell spun the #13 racer in turn two and brought the race under caution with four laps left to run. Brant Chandler went on to take the win ahead of Jeremy Gaudry and Libby Ellis with Nicholas O'Keefe and Zack Howell rounding out the finishers. John White and Jason King did not finish the event.

Heat four of the open Sprintcars started with Scott Genrich and Andrew Baumber from the front row, with Taylor Prosser and Kevin Titman close behind. Genrich got the jump and quickly settled into the race lead ahead of Baumber and Titman, and while Baumber initially challenged Genrich for the lead, all eyes were on Kevin Titman as he raced underneath Baumber through turn two and started searching the high side for a way around Genrich as they made their way down the back straight. Deeper in the field Adam Butler had an impressive run on the high side as he began to move forward, while Aaron Kelly found some speed on the bottom, quickly advancing before battling Butler for track position. Butler and Kelly put on a thrilling show, all the while Cody Maroske was closing in behind, the Q5 racer soon joining Kelly and Butler as they negotiated over mid field positions. At the front Titman held nothing back as he searched tirelessly for a way past Genrich, eventually getting underneath the Q18 racer with just a few laps left to run. Kevin Titman went on to take the win ahead of Scott Genrich and Andrew Baumber, with Taylor Prosser fourth ahead of Adam Butler, Cody Maroske, Aaron Kelly, Brendon Claridge and Mitch Gowland.

Andrew Corbet and Kristy Bonsey shared the front row for the start of heat five and while Corbet got the jump and led the field into the first corner Bonsey persisted on the bottom, the pair racing side-by-side until Bonsey emerged in front in turn three. From there Bonsey began to pull away, opening a very sizable lead over the rest of the field and leaving Corbet to try to defend his position from Randy Morgan and Dave Fanning, who were negotiating over third and fourth while searching for a way past Corbet. Lachlan McHugh began making his way forward from the rear of the field and spent several laps searching for a way past Mark Pholi, only for Dylan Menz to join the battle get underneath McHugh and, briefly, take his position. McHugh quickly fired back, getting back underneath Menz half a lap later and set out after Pholi who had caught Fanning and Morgan. McHugh raced around Pholi in turn one before slipping underneath Fanning in turn two and started closing in on Morgan and Corbet. Kristy Bonsey went on to take the win, almost half a lap ahead of Andrew Corbet in second. Lachlan McHugh managed to climb into third by the fall of the chequered flag, and led Dave Fanning, Randy Morgan, Mark Pholi, Dan Murray, Dylan Menz and Lachlan McHugh across the line.

The final heat of the night started with Nathan McFarlane from pole position with Kevin Britten alongside and Brent Kratzmann and Allan Woods close behind. McFarlane got a brilliant start and quickly secured the lead while Kratzmann raced inside of Woods and Britten to move into second and set out after McFarlane. Britten tried to fight back to regain second but was quickly forced on the defensive as Woods started putting the pressure on. Callum Walker and Luke Oldfield began trying to advance from the rear of the field, with Walker having a great battle with Daniel Cassidy, while closer to the front Britten and Woods closed in on Kratzmann and made it a close three-way battle for second. Britten had a look inside Kratzmann as they rounded turn two, the pair coming together as they exited the turn, with Kratzmann able to hang on to the advantage as Woods tried to race around the top side. Kratzmann held down second ahead of Britten and Woods, with Woods soon coming under pressure from Cassidy, but the race was brought under caution when Kratzmann spun the Q2 racer entering turn four a few laps later, leaving Woods nowhere to go. Woods restarted at the rear of the field while Kratzmann was out for the rest of the night. McFarlane led the restart from Britten and Cassidy with Walker and Oldfield close behind. Walker got underneath Cassidy and moved into third with one lap left to run, but Cassidy fought back, the pair greeting the chequered flag side-by-side. Nathan McFarlane got the win ahead of Kevin Britten with Daniel Cassidy narrowly beating Callum Walker to the line. Walker was officially fourth ahead of Luke Oldfield, Allan Woods and Paul Rooks. Brent Kratzmann did not finish the event.

The Development Series cars lined up for the eight-lap C-Main event, with Brant Chandler and Libby Ellis to lead them away. Chandler got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, leaving Ellis and Jeremy Gaudry to battle over second while John White and Zack Howell negotiated over the minor positions. Ellis made her way past Chandler and took control of the race, even opening a small lead over Chandler and Gaudry. A caution for the spun car of Gaudry with three laps to run bunched the field back up and while both Chandler and Jason King challenged Ellis for position, neither could find a way past before the chequered flag. Libby Ellis took the win, her first feature victory in the Development Series, with Jason King second ahead of Brant Chandler and Zack Howell, all four drivers earning transfers to the back of the B-Main field. John White finished fifth in the C-Main event ahead of Jeremy Gaudry, while Nicholas O'Keefe did not finish the event.

The top eight Dash saw highest points scorer Lachlan McHugh draw position four for the start and shuffle the starts for the dash event, leaving Callum Walker from pole position and Luke Oldfield alongside. Oldfield quickly secured the lead when the lights went green, with Walker second ahead of McHugh while Cody Maroske, Aaron Kelly and Adam Butler negotiated over the minor positions. Dylan Menz had a great battle with Daniel Cassidy at the rear of the field before Menz secured the advantage and worked the high line beautifully to advance, racing around the top side of both Kelly and Butler in just a few laps. Luke Oldfield got the win with Lachlan McHugh second ahead of Callum Walker, Cody Maroske, Dylan Menz, Adam Butler, Aaron Kelly and Daniel Cassidy.

With Brent Kratzmann out of contention fifteen cars took to the track for the fifteen-lap B-Main event. Taylor Prosser and Randy Morgan led them to the green flag with Lachlan Caunt and Allan Woods right behind them. Morgan was quick to secure the lead while Prosser faded quickly before pulling out of the event after completing just one lap. Woods settled into second while Nathan McFarlane and Kevin Britten fought over third and fourth in a battle that would rage for much of the race. While McFarlane and Britten raced side-by-side, behind them the battle was on between Andrew Corbet and Brendon Claridge, the pair often two abreast as they negotiated over minor mid-field positions, while deeper in the field Mark Pholi, who missed qualifying with mechanical issues that plagued the Q14 racer most of the night, starting to make his way forward, his sights set on making a transfer to the main race. Britten and Caunt were absolutely relentless and unyielding, neither willing to settle for fourth, the pair thrilling the crowd as they held nothing back, while race leader Morgan began to navigate lapped traffic as Woods started to close in. A caution soon followed for the spun car of Zack Howell in turn three, leaving a two-lap dash to the chequered flag. Randy Morgan got the win ahead of Allan Woods and Lachlan Caunt, with Kevin Britten securing the fourth and final transfer to the main race. Mark Pholi did an incredible job to advance to fifth and only narrowly missed a transfer to the A-Main, with Brendon Claridge, Jason King, Nathan McFarlane, Andrew Corbet, Scott Genrich, Brant Chandler, Libby Ellis and Zack Howell rounding out the finishers. Taylor Prosser and Mitch Gowland did not finish the event.

Luke Oldfield and Lachlan McHugh led the eighteen-car field to the green flag to get the thirty-lap main event underway. Oldfield and McHugh raced wheel-to-wheel into the first couple of corners but it was McHugh who managed to emerge in front exiting turn two and lead the field down the back straight. Oldfield stayed with him and tried to challenge for control, the pair pulling a little ahead of Cody Maroske and Callum Walker, who were battling over third, while Aaron Kelly and Adam Butler fought over minor positions. Menz faded a little, having surrendered a position to Kelly, with Kevin Titman coming on strongly and slipping underneath Menz as he raced his Q59 racer a little close to the front of the field. Once Titman had cleared Menz he turned his attention to Daniel Cassidy, looking first underneath the #15 racer before racing around the top side and securing the advantage, setting out after Adam Butler, while Aaron Kelly and Cody Maroske thrilled the crowd as they fought over track position. Dylan Menz soon caught Cassidy, slipping underneath his rival, while deeper in the field Andrew Baumber spun the NQ2 racer, but managed to keep it going before slowing to a stop on the inside edge of the track and causing a stoppage. Baumber was disqualified for deliberately stopping the race and spent the rest of the race on the infield.

Lachlan McHugh led the restart from Luke Oldfield and Callum Walker with twenty-two laps still to run. Cody Maroske was all over the back of Walker when the green flag flew, searching for a way on to the podium, while Kevin Titman was quick to race underneath Adam Butler and set his sights on Aaron Kelly. McHugh began opening a small lead while Walker closed in on Oldfield and started challenging for second, just as the battle between Kelly and Maroske started to heat up. Walker was fast, and patient, biding his time, searching high and low for the right way past Oldfield, eventually seizing the opportunity on the low side as they rounded turn four, the Q33 racer slipping beautifully underneath Oldfield in the #17 car and moving into second. Oldfield came under pressure from Maroske, who had managed to get ahead of Kelly and open a very small margin on him, but Oldfield was not done and while he must be getting a little tired of second, it is still one step higher on the podium than third. Oldfield fought back hard, closing in on Walker as the laps wore on, eventually getting around the top side of the Q33 racer as they raced side-by-side down the back straight. McHugh began navigating his way past the back markers, with Oldfield and Walker both closing in slightly in heavy lapped traffic. Deep in the field Kristy Bonsey, Kevin Britten and Daniel Cassidy raced three abreast, while Aaron Kelly had managed to get back in front of Cody Maroske as Maroske faded a little late in the race. Walker had another massive look on the inside of Oldfield as they made their way through the lapped traffic, with Walker persistent, momentarily getting his nose a fraction back in front. Oldfield would not surrender though and powered around the top side, the duo side-by-side for just over a lap before Oldfield was again able to emerge just in front and secure second. Kevin Titman continued advancing, getting past Maroske and looking sensational on the high side as he chased down Aaron Kelly. Lachlan McHugh went on to take the win, his sixth this season, with Luke Oldfield securing his sixth second place and Callum Walker crossing the line in third, his third podium of the season. Aaron Kelly finished fourth with Kevin Titman impressive in fifth. Dylan Menz was sixth across the line and led Cody Maroske, Randy Morgan, Allan Woods, Dave Fanning, Lachlan Caunt, Adam Butler, Kevin Britten, Dan Murray, Kristy Bonsey and Paul Rooks past the chequered flag. Daniel Cassidy and Andrew Baumber both failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will take next weekend off before returning to Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 12 December 2020 for what will be the beginning of an absolutely mammoth month of racing between the middle of December 2020 and the middle of January 2021. See you track side race fans!