Sprintcars Queensland returned to Archerfield Speedway last night for our third consecutive night of racing, with Mother Nature playing a little nicer and allowing us to complete Round Two of the Sprintcar State's Series QLD/NSW: Super Sevens Sprintcar Series. Lachlan McHugh got the win, but had to work hard for it as Jock Goodyer challenged fiercely several times before the fall of the chequered flag, the pair thrilling the crowd as they traded the lead back and forth and weaved their way through heavy lapped traffic. Jock Goodyer was forced to settle for second, and joined Callum Walker, Luke Oldfield, Lachlan McHugh and Cody Maroske as the only drivers in South East Queensland to climb higher than the third step of the podium this season, while Marcus Dumesny rounded out the podium, coming home in third after successfully defending the position from both Aaron Kelly and Luke Oldfield. Kelly finished fourth, his third consecutive fourth place result in Brisbane, with Luke Oldfield rounding out the top five.

Lachlan McHugh started the night off by setting the fastest qualifying lap, stopping the clock at 11.783 seconds, with Luke Oldfield (11.997) the only other car to go sub-twelve seconds. Kevin Titman was third quickest (12.069) with Ryan McNamara (12.143) and Marcus Dumesny (12. 222) rounding out the fastest five in qualifying. The top twenty-one cars were separated by less than one second, while just 1.768 seconds separated the thirty-five qualifiers. Jayden Peacock and Mitchell Gee had insurmountable mechanical woes that not only prevented them from qualifying but also ended their night before it began, while Kristy Bonsey, who was forced to swap engines since Friday nights show, was unable to complete qualifying due to an engine drama but did make it back trackside for the rest of the night, doing it tough from the rear of the field.

Heat one started with Sean Rose and Lachlan Caunt sharing the front row and while Rose initially got his nose in front, Caunt soon powered around the top side and took control of the race before they entered turn one. Cody Maroske and Lachlan McHugh began working their way forward, the pair racing around Mitch Gowland before slipping underneath Rose as they came around to complete the first lap. McHugh got underneath Maroske, wasting no time as he charged towards the front of the field, with Terry Kelly his next target. McHugh displaced Kelly, leaving Kelly to try to defend his position from Maroske, while deeper in the field Aaron Kelly raced underneath Gowland before getting underneath Rose and turning his attention to Jock Goodyer. Randy Morgan, who had already made his way into second, raced underneath Caunt and into the race lead, with McHugh closing in fast. While Caunt had a brief but unsuccessful look on the inside of Morgan, McHugh quickly joined the battle for the lead, racing underneath Caunt before getting ahead of Morgan a lap later. Kristy Bonsey and Sean Rose had a close battle at the rear of the field, but it was Lachlan McHugh who got the win, after being scheduled to start from position ten, with Randy Morgan second ahead of Cody Maroske, Jock Goodyer, Lachlan Caunt, Aaron Kelly, Terry Kelly, Kristy Bonsey, Sean Rose, Mitch Gowland and Sam Blysma. Unfortunately for Mark Pholi some engine woes plagued the Q14 racer and he pulled out of the event before taking the green, his night prematurely over.

Jai Stephenson and Peter Doukas led the field to the green flag to get heat two underway, with Doukas getting the lead only for the race to quickly be brought under caution when Andrew Wright and David Donegan came together in turn two. A full restart followed with Doukas and Stephenson racing side-by-side for half a lap before Stephenson emerged in front. Brent Kratzmann, who moved from seventh to third for the restart in the absence of both Wright and Donegan, surrendered positions to Todd Moule, Marcus Dumesny and Kevin Britten on the start, but quickly starting fighting back, racing underneath Britten and Moule in quick succession, leaving the pair with Luke Oldfield on their tail, and set out after Dumesny. Dumesny searched for a way past Stephenson as Kratzmann closed in, while further back in the field Oldfield had secured the advantage over both Britten and Moule and was rapidly closing in on Kratzmann. Dumesny had a bold and successful look underneath Stephenson as they rounded turn two, only to leave the door open for Kratzmann, who quickly slipped underneath Dumesny before getting by on the inside of Stephenson half a lap later. Dumesny got underneath Stephenson soon after, with Oldfield on his tail, but Stephenson fought back on the high side. Oldfield slipped underneath both Stephenson and Dumesny, the trio three-abreast down the main straight, while Kratzmann had caught Doukas and was challenging for control of the race. Kratzmann raced underneath Doukas and took control of the race, but very slight contact between the pair as Doukas tried to fight back saw Doukas spin the V98 racer and bring the race under caution. Kratzmann led the restart from Oldfield and Dumesny with four laps still to run. Dumesny slid underneath Oldfield to take over second, with Oldfield immediately fighting back but unable to find a way back through. Brent Kratzmann got the win ahead of Marcus Dumesny and Luke Oldfield, with Andrew Corbet fourth ahead of Jai Stephenson, Todd Moule, Kevin Britten, Peter Doukas and Michael Rowell. David Donegan and Andrew Wright both failed to finish the event.

Heat three saw Andrew Baumber from pole position with Chris McInerney sharing the front row for the start. While the leading pair raced side-by-side into the first corner, it was McInerney who initially emerged in front before Baumber fought back on the bottom and took control of the race. Jackson Delamont and Dylan Menz negotiated over third and fourth before Menz surrendered his position to Taylor Prosser, only for Menz, now with both Brock Dean and Callum Walker on his tail, to start fighting back and challenging Prosser for position. Menz soon got around Prosser while Baumber surrendered the lead to a determined McInerney, leaving Baumber with Delamont on his tail. Kevin Titman started making his way forward after starting from position ten, displacing both Walker and Dean and turning his attention to Prosser and Menz. The later part of the race saw a fierce battle between Menz, Prosser and Titman, with Menz eventually pulling ahead when he had a better run past lapped traffic than his rivals. Menz closed in on Baumber, taking to the high line coming out of the final corner and drag racing the NQ2 racer to the chequered flag. Chris McInerney got the win in advance of Jackson Delamont, with Dylan Menz stealing third on the final corner. Andrew Baumber finished fourth and led Taylor Prosser, Kevin Titman, Brock Dean, Callum Walker, Ryan McNamara, Peter Campbell, Zack Howell and Allan Woods across the line.

Terry Kelly and Jai Stephenson shared the front row for the start of heat four and while Kelly initially shot into the lead, Dylan Menz, from position three, had a brilliant run on the low line, racing underneath both Stephenson and Kelly to secure the lead with less than half a lap completed. Stephenson got underneath Kelly, leaving Kelly with Randy Morgan on his tail, while Stephenson started looking underneath Menz and putting up a fight for the race lead. Aaron Kelly started challenging Morgan, the pair soon catching the tail of Menz before quickly slipping underneath the Q46 racer. Behind them Lachlan McHugh was trying to make his way forward, caught behind an intense battle between Andrew Corbet and Allan Woods, with Corbet soon pulling ahead and slipping past Menz. McHugh charged on the bottom, getting past both Woods and Menz in quick succession, before turning his attention to Corbet and Chris McInerney. McHugh made it look easy, patiently searching for the right opportunity and did not hesitate when the smallest of opportunities presented itself, slipping past both Corbet and McInerney and switching his focus to Terry Kelly. Woods impressed on the high side, while Aaron Kelly put all kids of pressure on Randy Morgan as they raced towards the chequered flag. Jai Stephenson got the win ahead of Randy Morgan and Aaron Kelly, with Lachlan McHugh home in fourth, leading Terry Kelly, Andrew Corbet, Chris McInerney, Allan Woods, Sam Blysma, Dylan Menz and Peter Campbell across the line.

Michael Rowell and David Donegan shared the front row for the start of heat five and led the field to green light conditions, with Rowell getting the best start and securing the lead, and Mitch Gowland, from position three, having a phenomenal drive as he challenged Donegan for second. Donegan won that battle and set out challenging Rowell for the race lead, while Gowland battled with Todd Moule and Brock Dean. Ryan McNamara charged from the rear, racing around Brent Kratzmann, with Callum Walker and Luke Oldfield behind, all four trying to advance. Kratzmann challenged McNamara for mid-field positions, with Kratzmann making his way ahead of the Q88 racer and Oldfield following Kratzmann on the bottom. Ahead of them Kevin Britten was doing a brilliant job on board the Q34 racer, running the high line as he searched for a way around Brock Dean and then began challenging Moule and Donegan for track position. Britten looked comfortable on the high line, absolutely relentless as he raced around Donegan and then Moule, while behind him the battle was raging between Walker, Kratzmann, Oldfield and McNamara. Oldfield and McNamara made their way past Kratzmann, only for Kratzmann to quickly slide back underneath McNamara. Walker sat back a fraction but soon charged forward, racing underneath both McNamara and Kratzmann as they rounded turn four and challenged Oldfield at the same time. Brock Dean got the better of David Donegan, with Oldfield quick to also displace the VA75 racer of Donegan, while Walker, Kratzmann and McNamara put on a show behind. Dean and Oldfield soon caught Moule, but when Dean had a bold look on the inside of Moule and got a little sideways in turn two, Oldfield had nowhere to go and lost a lost of ground, and several positions, as he slowed to avoid Dean. Oldfield found himself back in the battle between Kratzmann, Walker and McNamara, the quartet stealing the show as they tried to find a way past Donegan. Michael Rowell was largely untroubled out in front and got the win ahead of Mitch Gowland and an impressive Kevin Britten, with Todd Moule home in fourth ahead of Brock Dean, Callum Walker, Luke Oldfield, Ryan McNamara, David Donegan, Brent Kratzmann and Zack Howell.

The final heat of the night saw Sean Rose from pole position with Peter Doukas sharing the front row. Rose got the jump when the lights went green, while behind him Lachlan Caunt raced up the inside and Andrew Baumber, and Jock Goodyer took to the high line to get around Cody Maroske and Taylor Prosser. Jackson Delamont got underneath Baumber, while Maroske tried to challenge Goodyer but soon came under pressure from both Prosser and Kevin Titman. Titman made his way past on the inside of Prosser and then Maroske, while Goodyer battled Baumber. Marcus Dumesny raced past both Prosser and Maroske, the trio soon catching Titman, with Dumesny getting the best of Titman before showing the way underneath Baumber and Rose. Goodyer got around Lachlan Caunt, with Caunt soon becoming embroiled in a thrilling battle with both Dumesny and Titman. Dumesny and Titman raced wheel-to-wheel for most of the rest of the race, searching tirelessly for a way past Caunt but it was Peter Doukas who got the win ahead of Jock Goodyer and Jackson Delamont. Lachlan Caunt hung on to finish fourth with Marcus Dumesny crossing the line fifth, side-by-side with Titman, the N47 racer just 0.091 seconds ahead of Titman, Kevin Titman finished sixth and led Cody Maroske, Kristy Bonsey, Andrew Baumber, Sean Rose, Libby Ellis and Taylor Prosser past the chequered flag.

The Bronze Shootout saw Jock Goodyer secure the quickest time, stopping the clock at 14.490 seconds and earning his place in the Silver Shootout. Aaron Kelly locked in the second quickest time, 14.635 seconds, and advanced with Goodyer, while Andrew Corbet (14.960) and Ryan McNamara (15.235) were eliminated from the Shootout events.

With Jock Goodyer and Aaron Kelly remaining on track for the Silver Shootout, Luke Oldfield and Kevin Titman joined them for the race against the clock. Goodyer again went quickest of the quartet, stopping the clock at 13.966 seconds with Aaron Kelly again second best with a 14.498 second lap. Luke Oldfield (14.568) and Kevin Titman (14.970) would take no further part in the shootout events.

Lachlan McHugh and Marcus Dumesny hit the track with Jock Goodyer and Aaron Kelly for the Gold Shootout, with McHugh just managing to beat Goodyer to the top spot. McHugh stopped the clock at 13.923 seconds while Goodyer was second quickest with a 13.979 second laps, just 0.056 of a second slower than McHugh. Marcus Dumesny (14.232) and Aaron Kelly (14.240) completed the Gold Shootout contenders.

Eighteen cars took to the track for the B-Main with Todd Moule and Jai Stephenson leading them to the green flag. Moule got the jump when the green flag flew, but it was Mitch Gowland on the inside who charged from position three, racing underneath both Stephenson and Moule to take control of the race with just half a lap completed. Dylan Menz was having a decent run on the high line from mid-field but the race was promptly brought under caution when Chris McInerney spun entering turn four. A full restart followed with Moule securing the lead and Gowland again racing underneath Stephenson to move into second. Stephenson came under pressure from Prosser, who had followed Gowland on the bottom, while Menz again took to the high line in an effort to make his way into one of the transfer positions. Libby Ellis passed several cars at the rear of the field, while Gowland had a massive look underneath Moule and was challenging for the race lead just as the race was brought under caution with Ellis spun to a stop in turn two, having been left nowhere to go when Andrew Baumber looped the NQ2 racer. Moule led the restart from Gowland and Stephenson, with Gowland having a bold, but unsuccessful look on the inside of Moule when they returned to race conditions. Stephenson came under pressure from Prosser, while Menz and Peter Doukas negotiated over minor positions. Doukas got under Stephenson, with Menz following a lap later, while Gowland was in absolutely magnificent form and relentlessly chased Moule, working the bottom to get the job done and moved into the race lead. Gowland immediately started opening a small but comfortable margin on the rest of the field, while Doukas started challenging both Prosser and Moule, soon moving the V98 racer into second. Prosser and Moule continued to battle until Moule pulled out of the event, opening the door for Stephenson to charge around the high side once more. Dylan Menz and Lachlan Caunt had a close battle just outside of the top four transfer positions, both holding nothing back as they fought for the opportunity to start the main race. Caunt got up the inside of Prosser with the pair racing two abreast for several laps, while Menz sat just behind, searching for the right moment to attempt to race between them. A caution followed for Terry Kelly who had looped the S37 racer in turn two, with Gowland leading the restart from Doukas and Stephenson with four laps to run. Taylor Prosser sat in fourth and held the final transfer to the feature event, but Dylan Menz and Lachlan Caunt were both on his tail and both were fixated on displacing Prosser. Caunt got underneath Menz, only for Menz to quickly charge back around the top and begin challenging Prosser for fourth. The race was again brought under caution, this time for the spun car of Zack Howell in turn four, and left us with a two-lap dash to the chequered flag. Mitch Gowland got the win ahead of Peter Doukas and Jai Stephenson, while Menz and Prosser traded slide jobs for the final two laps to see who would finish fourth. Dylan Menz crossed the line in fourth with Lachlan Caunt slipping underneath Prosser on the final corner to steal fifth. Taylor Prosser finished sixth and led Terry Kelly, Sam Blysma, Peter Campbell, Kristy Bonsey, David Donegan, Michael Rowell, Andrew Baumber, Chris McInerney, Sean Rose and Zack Howell across the line. Libby Ellis and Todd Moule did not finish the race.

Lachlan McHugh and Jock Goodyer led the twenty-car field around for the start of the thirty-five-lap A-Main. McHugh got the jump and quickly secured the lead, though Goodyer has a massive look on the inside of McHugh as they rounded turn four for the first time. Unfortunately the race was quickly brought to a stop with a massive pile up of cars in turn three that started mid-field and left many with nowhere to go. Randy Morgan and Andrew Corbet both inverted their cars, while Brent Kratzmann, Ryan McNamara, Callum Walker, Dylan Menz, Allan Woods and Jai Stephenson were all also involved. All drivers were unscathed, and with an open red situation crews worked frantically to get Menz, Woods, Kratzmann, Stephenson and Walker, all with varying levels of damage, back on track. Morgan, McNamara and Corbet were unable to restart the event, but all others involved took the green when the race resumed.

A full restart followed with Lachlan McHugh and Jock Goodyer again leading the way, with McHugh again quick to secure the lead but immediately under pressure from Goodyer. Aaron Kelly and Marcus Dumesny negotiated over third, while deeper in the field Dylan Menz was on the high line once more, trying to make his way forward from the rear of the field. Luke Oldfield joined Kelly and Dumesny in an intense battle for the final spot on the podium, while Kevin Titman and Cody Maroske battled behind them. Oldfield got the best of Kelly, only for Kelly to power back around the topside, while Brock Dean, Mitch Gowland and Allan Woods were putting on a show deeper in the field. Oldfield and Kelly continued to entertain with a captivating battle, the pair racing each other and trying to find a way past Dumesny, all the while Kevin Titman and Cody Maroske closed in behind. Oldfield eventually temporarily got the better of Kelly, leaving Kelly to try and defend his position from Titman, with Kelly then surging once more to challenge Oldfield. Allan Woods and Kevin Britten had a great mid-field battle, while Dylan Menz continued to work the high line in a valiant and spectacular effort to advance. McHugh began weaving his way through the back markers but all eyes were soon on Goodyer who was rapidly closing in on McHugh and the race lead. While McHugh was able to open a small margin at times, Goodyer was always quick to close the gap, relentlessly chasing McHugh and weaving his way through the back markers with skill and pace. Goodyer slid underneath McHugh and into the race lead as they rounded turn one, only for McHugh to immediately return serve moments later, regaining the lead in turn two. Goodyer had another big, but unsuccessful, look under McHugh half a lap later with the race brought under caution soon afterward for Kevin Titman, who exited the race with front end damage on the Q59 racer, his run of bad luck seemingly not yet over.

With thirteen laps still to run Lachlan McHugh led them back to green light conditions, with Jock Goodyer second ahead of Marcus Dumesny. Luke Oldfield raced around Aaron Kelly and searched the high line for a way past Dumesny, while Kelly fought back on the bottom, the pair side-by-side for a number of laps and traded places back and forth numerous times. McHugh once again had built a commanding lead, but Goodyer again used lapped traffic to his advantage, closing quickly on McHugh as they raced their way past the back markers. A caution with just one lap left on the board, for the spun car of Dylan Menz in turn four, left us with a two-lap sprint to the chequered flag. McHugh led the restart from Goodyer and Dumesny, with Kelly in front of Oldfield, Callum Walker and Cody Maroske. Goodyer had a massive look underneath McHugh through turn two but McHugh was able to hang on to the lead, with Goodyer then having to withstand a late challenge from Dumesny on the final lap. Walker challenged Oldfield for fifth, while Oldfield took to the high line in one last effort to find a way around Kelly on the final lap of the race. Lachlan McHugh got the win ahead of Jock Goodyer and Marcus Dumesny, with Aaron Kelly having another impressive run to come home in fourth, again, with Luke Oldfield fifth to round out the top five. Callum Walker crossed the line in sixth and led Cody Maroske, Allan Woods, Kevin Britten, Jackson Delamont, Peter Doukas, Mitch Gowland, Brent Kratzmann, Brock Dean and Jai Stephenson across the line. Dylan Menz and Kevin Titman both failed to finish the event, the result absolutely not indicative of the effort they put in or the show they put on. Andrew Corbet, Ryan McNamara and Randy Morgan all also failed to complete the thirty-five lap journey.

After three consecutive nights of racing the drivers and teams will have tonight off before heading north to Fraser Shores Maryborough Speedway tomorrow night, Tuesday 05 January 2021, for a huge Tuesday night show. It will be Round Three of the Sprintcar State's Series QLD/NSW: Super Sevens Sprintcar Series and you will not want to miss a moment of what is already shaping up to be another action-packed night. Join us trackside, or tune in live via speedwayaustralia.tv for a small fee, and cheer on your favourite.