In what was one of the largest fields of Sprintcars seen at the venue in recent years, twenty-eight Sprintcars headed North to Fraser Shores Maryborough Speedway last night for Round Three of the Sprintcar State's Series QLD/NSW: Super Sevens Series for a special Tuesday night show. It was an action-packed night, with the lap record being lowered several times, it now sits a remarkable 0.677 seconds lower than it did at the start of the night, with the night culminating in a breath-taking feature event that included a three-way battle for the race lead in heavy lapped traffic. In the end it was Lachlan McHugh who again got the win, with Marcus Dumesny second and Jayden Peacock rounding out the podium in third. Darren Jensen and Brodie Tulloch completed the top five on a track that remained fast from qualifying right through the feature event.

Right from beginning it was clear the team at Maryborough Speedway had worked hard to give an exceptionally fast track. Jock Goodyer lowered the lap record in the hot lapping sessions, becoming the first person to break into the ten-second bracket, beating the previous lap record of 11.079 set by Shane Stewart back in 2013. Goodyer stopped the clock at 10.872 seconds, but his new record would not stand for long. Qualifying got underway and it was Jayden Peacock who secured the fastest lap, stopping the clock at an impressive 10.802 seconds, thus lowering the record Goodyer set earlier, with Callum Walker second ahead of Luke Oldfield, Lachlan McHugh and Kevin Titman. Just 0.097 separated the top five on a very fast track, with twenty-four of the twenty-eight drivers separated by less than one second. Marcus Dumesny and Cody Maroske were separated by one thousandth of a second just outside the top five, while Libby Ellis secured another personal best. The top nine qualifiers all beat the old lap record set by Stewart in 2013, with Andrew Wright just 0.001 seconds slower than the original record.

Heat one started with Jai Stephenson from pole position with Brodie Tulloch alongside. Tulloch got a brilliant start and quickly secured the race lead, while it was hard to ignore Jayden Peacock as he charged spectacularly around the high line, advancing from position eight to third in just half a lap. Peacock began challenging Stephenson for second, searching relentlessly for a way past the #45 but Stephenson was smooth and refused to surrender the position. Brodie Tulloch got the win with Jai Stephenson holding on to finish second ahead of Jayden Peacock and Ryan McNamara, with Steve Greer, Cody Maroske, Marcus Dumesny, Dylan Menz and David Donegan rounding out the finishers.

Heat two hit the track with Lachlan Caunt and Sean Rose sharing the front row for the start, with Nicholas Whell and Peter Doukas close behind. Caunt secured the lead when the lights went green and started opening a small but comfortable margin while Rose settled into second. Jock Goodyer tried to advance from mid-field, working the top side as he searched unsuccessfully for a way around Doukas, with Goodyer quickly heading back to the bottom as Kevin Titman closed in behind. Goodyer continued to pressure Doukas, but soon surrendered a position to Titman when he ran a little too high and gave Titman the only invitation he needed to slip underneath. Goodyer soon regained the position but it was Lachlan Caunt got the win ahead of Sean Rose and Nicholas Whell, with Peter Doukas home in fourth. Jock Goodyer finished fifth and led Kevin Titman, Darren Jensen, Callum Walker and Dave Jobe across the line.

Heat three saw Brad Ayers and Kristy Bonsey share the front row and lead the field to the green flag, but once that green flag flew, all eyes were on Luke Oldfield as he took to the high line and raced his way forward and into second by the end of the first lap. Ayers had the lead but Oldfield closed in fast and soon began putting all kinds of pressure on the Q4 racer as they negotiated over the race lead. Oldfield challenged Ayers but Ayers denied him a way through, stoically refusing to surrender the lead, while deeper in the field Lachlan McHugh was all over the back of Taylor Prosser as they fought over mid-field positions. McHugh had a big look underneath Prosser but could not quite get the job done, while Oldfield was still having no luck finding a way past Ayers at the front. Kristy Bonsey sat comfortably in third, untroubled by the battles both in front and behind, but when Ayers made a small error as laps started running out Oldfield did not hesitate. Luke Oldfield slipped straight underneath Ayers and into the lead on the final lap before going on to take the win ahead of Brad Ayers and Kristy Bonsey, with Taylor Prosser successfully holding off Lachlan McHugh to finish fourth. McHugh finished fifth and led Chris McInerney, Andrew Wright, Sam Blysma and Nelson Reddacliff across the line. Libby Ellis did not finish the event.

Heat four started with Steve Greer and Lachlan Caunt from the front row, with Greer getting the lead first time around, only for officials to bring the race under caution, sending Greer to the second row for the restart for jumping the start and thus elevating Sean Rose to pole position. Rose secured the lead when the lights went green with Caunt settling into second, while Luke Oldfield again took to the high line and began to make his way forward, racing into fourth before sliding underneath Cody Maroske. Maroske was quick to return the favour, getting back past Oldfield a lap later, while Rose continued to lead as the action all unfolded behind him. Cody Maroske challenged Caunt for third but rode the right rear of the N9 racer and rode out a spectacular wreck that prematurely ended his race. Oldfield suffered some damage to his main wing as he made contact with the airborne car of Maroske, but was lucky to avoid any further involvement. Rose led the restart from Peter Doukas, while Steve Greer and Darren Jensen battled mid-field before Jensen pulled ahead and left Greer to try and defend his position from Marcus Dumesny. Doukas closed in on Rose as Oldfield quickly closed in on Doukas and started challenging for second as they raced closer to the chequered flag. Sean Rose got the win ahead of Peter Doukas and Luke Oldfield, with Darren Jensen, Steve Greer, Marcus Dumesny and Lachlan Caunt rounding out the finishers. Cody Maroske and David Donegan did not finish the event.

Jai Stephenson and Brad Ayers shared the front row for the start of heat five, with Nicholas Whell and Brodie Tulloch from the second row. Stephenson pulled off a massive wheel stand when the lights went green and surrendered the lead, with Whell charging on the bottom and taking control of the race. Stephenson settled into second while Jock Goodyer began to advance from deep in the field with Kevin Titman right on his tail. Whell opened a very comfortable margin on the rest of the field, with Stephenson second ahead of Ryan McNamara and Brad Ayers. Titman was all over the back of Goodyer, the pair putting on a brilliant show mid-field, with the race soon brought under caution for the spun car of Ryan McNamara. Whell led the restart from Stephenson ad Ayers with five laps still to run, while Goodyer took to the top in an effort to advance, only to be blocked by Brodie Tulloch who was searching for a way past Ayers. Kevin Titman worked the bottom, challenging Goodyer for position when the race was again paused, this time for the spun car of Dave Jobe. Whell again led the restart while Jayden Peacock took to the high line and challenged both Titman and Goodyer for position, he and Titman trading places a couple of times as they fought over mid-field positions. Ayers spun to the infield a few laps from home, but it was Nicholas Whell who got the win ahead of Jai Stephenson and Brodie Tulloch, with Jock Goodyer, Kevin Titman, Jayden Peacock, Ryan McNamara and Dave Jobe rounding out the finishers. Brad Ayers did not finish the event.

The final heat of the night saw Kristy Bonsey and Chris McInerney share the front row and lead the field to green light conditions, with McInerney getting a brilliant start and quickly securing the race lead in advance of Bonsey. Dylan Menz and Taylor Prosser battled for the minor positions, with contact between pair leaving Menz with damage to his front wing. Menz got past Bonsey and into second and set out after McInerney, while Lachlan McHugh began his charge from towards the rear of the field, working the top side beautifully and moving into third behind McInerney and Menz and set his sights on the leaders. Menz was all over the back of McInerney, searching relentlessly for a way into the race lead, but when Menz made a small error on the back of McInerney he surrendered his spot to McHugh who was quick to capitalise on even the smallest of opportunities. McHugh began challenging McInerney for the race lead with five laps still to run, getting around the top side and moving into the race lead at half race distance, spending just five laps advancing from position eight to the race lead. Menz stayed with McInerney, relentlessly searching for a way past, the pair now negotiating over second while McHugh opened a massive lead. Lachlan McHugh got the win, some 5.665 seconds ahead of second placed Chris McInerney, with Dylan Menz home in third. Kristy Bonsey finished fourth and led Taylor Prosser, Sam Blysma, Andrew Wright, Callum Walker, Nelson Reddacliff and Libby Ellis across the line.

With a bit of track work during interval it quickly became clear as the shootout contenders rolled onto the track that the lap record was likely to be lowered again. And we were not disappointed. The Bronze Shootout hit the track with Jock Goodyer setting the benchmark, and lowered the lap record, at 10.670 seconds, with Marcus Dumesny second quickest with a 10.776 second lap. Both drivers would advance to the Silver Shootout while Peter Doukas (10.937) and Callum Walker (11.165) were eliminated from the Shootout events.

Jayden Peacock and Kevin Titman joined Jock Goodyer and Marcus Dumesny on track for the Silver Shootout, with Goodyer lowering his own lap record to 10.447 seconds to lock in the quickest time ahead of Marcus Dumesny and his 10.679 second lap. Kevin Titman (10.797) and Jayden Peacock (10.962) were eliminated from the Shootout, while both Goodyer and Dumesny again advanced.

The Gold Shootout hit the track, with Luke Oldfield and Lachlan McHugh joining Jock Goodyer and Marcus Dumesny on track for a few qualifying laps. Goodyer went quicker again, recording a 10.428 second lap, but that was only quick enough for second this time around, with Lachlan McHugh stopping the clock at 10.402 seconds and securing the top spot in the Gold Shootout, pole position for the start of the main race, and a new lap record all in one exceptionally quick lap. Goodyer was second quickest, set to share the front row of the A-Main with McHugh, while Luke Oldfield (10.725) and Marcus Dumesny (10.805) completed the Gold Shootout contenders.

Eleven cars hit the track for the B-Main event with Ryan McNamara and Cody Maroske to lead them to the green flag. Maroske was quick to secure the lead, while Jai Stephenson and Lachlan Caunt came together, with Caunt slowing and losing several positions just moments after taking the green. With only one lap completed Steve Greer hit one of the infield tyres and inverted the Q84 racer in spectacular fashion, and while Greer was unscathed in the wreck, his night of competition was over. Maroske led the restart from Ryan McNamara and Taylor Prosser with Stephenson fourth ahead of Brad Ayers. With ten laps still to run Maroske opened a sizable, though short-lived, lead, while Prosser chased after McNamara as Ayers and Donegan negotiated over the fifth. McNamara closed in quickly on Maroske and quietly slipped underneath the Q5 racer to steal the lead and began opening a comfortable lead, while Ayers started challenging Stephenson for third. Ayers had a massive but unsuccessful look underneath Stephenson, with Donegan staying close behind, but it was Ryan McNamara who got the win ahead of Cody Maroske and Taylor Prosser. Jai Stephenson secured the final transfer to the A-main when he crossed the line in fourth, with Brad Ayers, David Donegan, Lachlan Caunt, Nelson Reddacliff and Libby Ellis rounding out the finishers. Dave Jobe and Steve Greer did not finish the event.

The track was still exceptionally fast as the top twenty cars rolled out for the thirty-five lap main event. Lachlan McHugh and Jock Goodyer shared the front row for the start with Luke Oldfield and Marcus Dumesny right behind them. The first start saw the leading pair race side-by-side towards the opening corner with Goodyer securing the lead in advance of McHugh and Oldfield, only for the race to be brought under caution when Cody Maroske ended up in the wall. Maroske, less than impressed, was unscathed but unable to continue the race.

A full restart followed with McHugh this time securing the lead as the leading pair headed towards the first turn, only for the race to again be brought under caution. Callum Walker got a little too high as he took the green, riding the wall into turn one before slowing to a stop, enough damage to end his race but very lucky to avoid a bigger incident.

Third time around it was another very even start for the leading pair with Lachlan McHugh again securing the lead when the green flag flew, with Jock Goodyer settling into second in advance of Luke Oldfield. Behind them Darren Jensen raced underneath Kevin Titman while McHugh opened a sizable lead with only two laps completed. After only three laps McHugh entered lapped traffic and began weaving his way through the back markers. The race was soon brought under caution when Dylan Menz spun to a stop four laps in, with a short delay following while the ambulance left the infield to attend to someone off the racetrack.

On the restart it was Lachlan McHugh who led them back to green light conditions, ahead of Jock Goodyer, Luke Oldfield, Jayden Peacock and Peter Doukas with thirty-one laps still to run. Oldfield immediately started challenging Goodyer for second while McHugh opened a comfortable lead. Doukas began challenging Peacock but as the leaders approached lapped traffic once more, all eyes were on Goodyer as he rapidly closed in on McHugh. Unfortunately the race was again paused, this time for Kevin Titman who had made heavy contact with the fence and stopped high on the track, the immaculately presented Q59 racer unable to continue the race with only eight laps completed.

With twenty-seven laps still to run it was again Lachlan McHugh who led them back to the green flag, with Jock Goodyer second ahead of Luke Oldfield, Jayden Peacock and Peter Doukas. Goodyer had a massive look underneath McHugh on the start but could not quite get the job done, with McHugh soon pulling slightly ahead. Andrew Wright and Ryan McNamara had a fierce battle deep on the field, while Goodyer capitalised when McHugh bounced through a rut and momentarily got off the gas. Goodyer slipped underneath McHugh and into the race lead with twenty-three laps still to run and plenty of lapped traffic just ahead. Goodyer got temporarily caught behind a lapped car, giving McHugh the only invitation he needed to slip back past and regain control of the race, only for Goodyer to immediately return the favour and slip back past McHugh into the lead, with Oldfield quickly joining the battle. Oldfield got underneath McHugh and moved into second, his sights set on Goodyer and the race lead, while Goodyer gradually extended his lead, opening small but comfortable margin on both Oldfield and McHugh. McHugh fought back, unsuccessfully challenging Oldfield for second, until the race was brought to a stop for Doukas who crashed out of the event, shredding his main wing at around half race distance.

Jock Goodyer led the restart from Luke Oldfield and Lachlan McHugh, with McHugh quick to race his way back past Oldfield and regain second, but Goodyer had opened a significant lead and was closing on lapped traffic once more with fifteen laps to go. With lapped traffic in play, McHugh, and Oldfield, closed in on Goodyer, only for Goodyer to spin, leaving McHugh nowhere to go. McHugh made contact with Goodyer, spinning the NQ7 racer as well, but was, somehow, able to keep the car moving, avoiding contact with the rest of the field and driving away from the incident. Unfortunately Oldfield had no such luck, being left with nowhere to go and no time to react, spinning the Q17 racer into Goodyer and out of contention. Goodyer suffered a flat left rear tyre and was out of the race while Oldfield restarted at the rear.

Lachlan McHugh inherited the lead for the restart with Marcus Dumesny second ahead of Jayden Peacock, Darren Jenson and Brodie Tulloch. Oldfield started charging forward from the rear, soon battling with Ryan McNamara over sixth, with McHugh out the front opening a massive lead. Dumesny managed to close in on McHugh as they began weaving through the back markers with five laps left to run, but it was again Lachlan McHugh who secured the win ahead of Marcus Dumesny and Jayden Peacock. Darren Jensen finished fourth ahead of Brodie Tulloch and Ryan McNamara with Luke Oldfield seventh across the line. Oldfield managed to record the fastest lap of the race, an impressive 11.190 second lap, an impressive feat with so many other cars on the track. Sam Blysma finished eighth ahead of Andrew Wright, Jai Stephenson and Chris McInerney. Jock Goodyer, Dylan Menz, Nicholas Whell, Peter Doukas, Kevin Titman, Taylor Prosser, Sean Rose, Callum Walker and Cody Maroske all failed to finish the thirty-five lap affair.

We now have just a couple of days off before Sprintcars head back to Brisbane and Archerfield Speedway this Friday and Saturday night, 08 and 09 January 2021, for a MASSIVE weekend of Sprintcar Racing for the Titan Garages Queensland Sprintcar Open and the next two nights of competition in the Sprintcar State's Series QLD/NSW: Super Sevens Series. Come and join us trackside race fans - or, if you cannot make it to the track, tune in LIVE (for a small fee) via speedwayaustralia.tv and see all the action as it unfolds.