Kicking Up The Dirt – Hi-Tec Oils Speedway – USC Round 1

Kicking Up The Dirt – Hi-Tec Oils Speedway – USC Round 1

Joanne White

With perfect weather for the opening night of the Ultimate Sprintcar Championship at Hi-Tech Oils Speedway in Toowoomba an impressive field of 38 Sprintcars turned up to put on a spectacular show.  The entire field lined up for a truly spectacular four wide parade lap to start the show before hot-lapping and qualifying got under way.  It was an action-packed night of Sprintcar racing that thrilled the crowd and made each and every driver work hard for each track positions.  Track conditions were somewhat rough and trying and played a massive part in the results, but at the end of the night it was Luke Oldfield who stood atop the dais after taking the win in the feature event.  Robbie Farr, second, and Jamie Veal, third, joined him on the podium, while Andrew Scheuerle and Jake Tranter completed the top five.

Qualifying got under way with Robbie Farr quickly securing the top spot in the qualifying session, stopping the clock at a quick 11.670 seconds.  Toby Bell-Bowen was second quickest with an 11.838 second lap, with Mark Pholi and Andrew Wright next in line.  Luke Oldfield rounded out the fastest five, beating Jamie Veal by a tiny one thousandth of a second.  The fastest twenty cars were separated by less than one second making for an extremely closely matched field and some thrilling racing ahead.  James Grady collected the wall coming out turn two on his qualifying run, loosing his right rear tyre, but fortunately did not come to any further harm.

Heat one started with Andrew Wright and Luke Oldfield from the front row with Mitchell Gee and Brandon Rawlings from the second row.  Andrew Wright got the jump on the start while Luke Oldfield settled into second as Mitchell Gee and held off Brandon Rawlings as they fought over third and fourth.  Mid field Kevin Titman and Danny Reidy were having a brilliant battle over track position, but back at the front of the field Wright and Oldfield were putting on a spectacular show as they fought for the race lead.  Oldfield worked the bottom and had several looks up the inside of Wright before eventually getting the job done moving into the race lead.  Wright fought back hard but there was no stopping Oldfield out in front.  Luke Oldfield took the win ahead of Andrew Wright, Mitchell Gee, Brandon Rawlings, Kevin Titman, Danny Reidy, Sammy Walsh, Rob Hamilton, Matthew Butler, Steve Greer, Anthony Lambert, James Grady and Courtney O’Hehir.

Mark Pholi and Jamie Veal shared the front row for the start of heat two with Brent Kratzmann and Chad Ely taking to the green from row two.  Pholi got a great start and quickly settled into the race lead, but Veal was right on his tail tank and challenging hard, working the high side and looking for a way past.  Kratzmann struggled mid field and faded a little but the race was soon brought under caution as Mitch Gowland and Scott Genrich slowed in turn three.  Mark Pholi led the restart from Jamie Veal and Darren Kane, while Brent Kratzmann began trying to make up lost ground.  Kratzmann ran around the outside of Chad Ely and began chasing down Darren Kane, setting to work closing the gap while Michael Saller and Allan Woods battled with Chad Ely mid-field.  Pholi had built up a massive lead but hit some ruts on the bottom of the track and bounced up the track, giving Jamie Veal all the invitation he needed to slip underneath, steal the lead and take the win in heat two.  Mark Pholi managed to hang on to finish second ahead of Peter Lack, Brent Kratzmann, Allan Woods, Chad Ely, Michael Saller, Dylan Menz, Dan Murray, Mitch Gowland, Scott Genrich and Darren Kane.

Heat three saw Robbie Farr start from pole position with Toby Bell-Bowen alongside.  Farr and Bell-Bowen raced side-by-side into the opening couple of corners, neither willing to surrender the lead, when the race was brought under caution for Luca Cox who had spun to a stop.  A full race restart followed, with Farr and Bell-Bowen again to lead them away.  Farr got the jump on the start but officials pulled the race up, deeming Bell-Bowen to have held back on the start and relegated him to the second row for the third attempted start.  This elevated Jake Tranter to the front row alongside Robbie Farr, with Farr getting the jump and securing the race lead.  Tranter settled into second but immediately came under pressure from Bell-Bowen who made quick work of finding a way past on the low side.  Andrew Scheuerle sat in a very comfortable fourth while mid field Nelson Reddacliff tried to hold off the advances of Callum Walker.  Walker soon found his way through on the bottom while at the front of the field Farr and Bell-Bowen were entering lapped traffic.  The longer they spent in traffic, the closer Bell-Bowen was able to get to Farr, dramatically closing the gap and starting to look like a real threat to the race leader.  Another yellow light stoppage, this time for Sean Iacono, the race was brought under caution once more and gave Farr a clear track on the restart.  Farr led from Bell-Bowen, Jake Tranter, Andrew Scheuerle and Simon Jupe for the restart.  Tommy Machett and Luca Cox had a great battle towards the tail end of the field, but it was only three laps before Farr once again entered lapped traffic.  Robbie Farr went on to take the win ahead of Toby Bell-Bowen, Jake Tranter, Andrew Scheuerle, Callum Walker and Dave Whell.  Simon Jupe was seventh across the line and led Jackson Delamont, Nelson Reddacliff, Kristy Bonsey, Jimmy Matchett, Luca Cox and Sean Iacono across the line.

Heat four started with Allan Woods from pole potion with Steve Greer alongside and Michael Saller and Rob Hamilton out of the second row.  Jamie Veal and Andrew Wright were coming from the rear of the field, with Mitchell Gee, Chad Ely, Kevin Titman and Peter Lack making up a very interesting mid-field.  Woods got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, with Saller and Gee in hot pursuit, while both Kevin Titman and Peter Lack began to make their way forward.  Rob Hamilton brought the race under caution when he spun in turn four, with Woods to lead the restart from Saller, Lack and Titman.  Unfortunately for Woods he hit the cone on the restart, and chaos unfolded behind him.  Jamie Veal had contact with Steve Greer mid field, with Veal ending up upside down and out of the race.  Woods was relegated to the rear of the field for the restart with Saller inheriting the race lead.  Saller got a great start while Peter Lack and Kevin Titman chased hard but the race was soon brought under caution once more when Andrew Wright got a little too side-ways in turn four, leaving both Chad Ely and James Grady nowhere to go. Saller again led the field to the green with Lack right on his tail.  Lack immediately took to the high line in a spectacular run around the outside to steal the lead, while Kevin Titman and Mitchell Gee had a great battle, with Gee managing to secure the advantage.  Titman tried to fight back, but the pair were now on the tail of Saller, with Gee soon having a big look on the low side of Saller as he searched for his way into second.  Courtney O’Hehir brought the race under caution while Allan Woods exited the race with a flat left rear tyre.  Peter Lack led the restart and instantly opened a sizable lead over his rivals, while Gee found his way under Saller.  Peter Lack went on to take the win ahead of Mitchell Gee, Michael Saller and Chad Ely.  Kevin Titman crossed the line in fifth and led Andrew Wright, Steve Greer, Courtney O’Hehir, James Grady, Mitch Gowland and Rob Hamilton across the line.  Allan Woods and Jamie Veal did not finish the race.

Matthew Butler and Dave Whell shared the front row for the start of heat five, with Danny Reidy and Jackson Delamont out of row two.  Dave Whell got the jump on the start and secured the race lead, while Scheuerle ran the high side and Robbie Farr swiftly worked his way through the field, passing several cars in quick succession with Matthew Butler next in the crosshairs.  Luke Oldfield had a big look on the inside of Brandon Rawlings but all eyes were on Farr as he edged closer to the front and began closing in on Whell.  Whell was about to enter lapped traffic when Luca Cox spun the N91 racer in turns one and two and brought the race under caution.  Unfortunately for Whell this meant Farr was now right on his tail and it was moments after the green flag flew that Farr took to the high side and raced around Whell and into the lead as they came out of turn two.  Danny Reidy and Andrew Scheuerle were both making forward progress, while Brandon Rawlings had a spin, right in front of Farr as Farr approached the tail end of the field and the chequered flag.   Farr went on to take the win ahead of Dave Whell, Danny Reidy, Andrew Scheuerle, Luke Oldfield, Jackson Delamont, Sammy Walsh, Simon Jupe, Matthew Butler, Sean Iacono, Luca Cox, Anthony Lambert and Brandon Rawlings.

Heat six started with Kristy Bonsey and Scott Genrich from the front row, with Callum Walker and Dylan Menz from row two.  Once again the mid-field was full of tough competition with Nelson Reddacliff, Darren Kane, Jake Tranter, Brent Kratzmann, Toby Bell-Bowen and Mark Pholi set to make it a thrilling race.  Bonsey got the jump on the start and quickly secured the lead, but the race was brought to a stop when Genrich and Menz came together, with Genrich slowing to a stop in turn three.  Unfortunately for Genrich he was unable to restart the event.  A full restart followed with Menz now joining Bonsey on the front row.  Bonsey again got a great start and took control of the race, while behind her Brent Kratzmann very nearly rolled after hitting a rut in turn one.  Jake Tranter slipped under Kratzmann, the pair making slight contact on the exit of the turn, while Nelson Reddacliff spun on the bottom of the track entering turn two.    Bonsey and Menz again led the restart and while Bonsey again got the better start, Menz quickly took to the high line to secure the lead.  Darren Kane and Toby Bell-Bowen were quickly making their forward, while Kratzmann worked the low line as he tried to advance through the field.  Kane was in second and chasing down Menz with plenty of momentum, soon sliding under the Q46 racer in turn two to take over the race lead and leave Menz to try and defend his position from a hard-charging Bell-Bowen.  Within only a few laps the leaders had caught the tail of the field, and when Kane momentarily got caught behind a lapped car Bell-Bowen wasted no time in slipping through on the bottom to take control of the race.  The back markers were embroiled in their own battle, making for heavy traffic for the leaders, and when Bell-Bowen made contact with a lapped car he spun low on the track, leaving Kane with nowhere to go.  The race was brought under caution with just one lap left to run.  Callum Walker inherited the race lead and would go on to take the win ahead of Brent Kratzmann, Jake Tranter, Kristy Bonsey, Toby Bell-Bowen, Mark Pholi, Jimmy Matchett, Darren Kane, Dan Murray and Nelson Reddacliff. Dylan Menz and Scott Genrich did not finish the event.

The top eight qualifiers took to the track for the eight-lap dash event, with Robbie Farr and Peter Lack sharing the front row for the start and Luke Oldfield and Mitchell Gee from the second row.  Brent Kratzmann, Toby Bell-Bowen, Jake Tranter and Mark Pholi rounded out a star-studded field.  Farr got a brilliant start and quickly settled into the race lead with Lack chasing hard, while further back in the field Bell-Bowen was on the move as he charged under Oldfield and Gee.  Oldfield and Gee had a great battle but it was hard not to watch Lack as he took to the high side and tried everything looking for a way past Farr.  Lack looked very comfortable on the high side but in the end Robbie Farr took the win.  Peter Lack secured second despite a last corner charge by Toby Bell-Bowen, who was forced to settle for third.  Mitchell Gee finished fourth ahead of Luke Oldfield, Brent Kratzmann, Mark Pholi and Jake Tranter.

The first of two B-Main events hit the track with Michael Saller and Sammy Walsh from the front row in a field of eleven cars, with only the first two finishers to transfer to the A-Main.  Saller got the better start and quickly settled into the race lead, only for Walsh to take to the high side in a spectacular drive to race around the outside and steal the lead in turn two.  Unfortunately Rob Hamilton spun the Q11 racer and brought the race under caution, bringing on a full restart, with Walsh this time getting a brilliant drive from the outside of the front row.  Delamont had a big look underneath Saller, with Steve Greer caught up as well, and Anthony Lambert spun in turn four.  Walsh led the restart but before long the race was once again under caution, this time for Luca Cox who had slowed to stop on the inside edge of the track whilst trying to make it to the infield.  Walsh again led the restart while further back in the field Darren Kane was working the high line as he raced around the outside of Greer and set his sights on Matthew Butler.  Greer however was fighting back hard and slipped back past Kane, only for Kane to quickly regain his position in a thrilling battle for the mid-field positions.  Sammy Walsh took the win and secured a transfer to the A-Main, with Michael Saller across the line in second to secure the final transfer position.  Jackson Delamont crossed the line in third and led Matthew Butler, Steve Greer, Darren Kane, Dan Murray, Rob Hamilton, Anthony Lambert and Mitch Gowland across the line.  Luca Cox did not finish the event.

Brandon Rawlings and Simon Jupe shared the front row for the start of the second B-Main event, with Kristy Bonsey and Allan Woods from the second row.  Rawlings got a brilliant start and quickly secured the advantage while Woods took to the high line and raced around Jupe to secure second.  Jupe fought back hard, racing under Woods to regain his position, while Woods searched high and low for a way back past.  Sean Iacono had a spin in turn four and brought the race under caution with Rawlings set to lead the restart from Jupe and Woods.  Once the lights went green once more Woods immediately took to the high line around Jupe and regained second, only with Dylan Menz now joining the battle between Woods and Jupe making for an exciting three-way battle.  Iacono had another spin to bring the race to a stop and was relegated to the infield for the final five laps.  Rawlings led the restart from Woods, Jupe and Menz, with Menz taking to the high side and putting on a spectacular show as he tried to find a way around Jupe.  Menz swiftly switched to the low side and slid under Jupe, only for Jupe to fire straight back with a slide job of his own in a breath-taking battle that left fans captivated.  Brandon Rawlings took the win ahead of Allan Woods, with both drivers securing a start in the up-coming A-Main event.  Simon Jupe finished third and led Dylan Menz, Kristy Bonsey, Courtney O’Hehir, Nelson Reddacliff and James Grady across the line. Jimmy Matchett and Sean Iacono did not finish the race.

Robbie Farr and Peter Lack shared the front row for the start of the A-Main event, with Farr electing to start from the outside.  Farr got the jump on the start and quickly settled into the race lead, but Lack was chasing hard and thrilling the Toowoomba crowd.  Toby Bell-Bowen though had other ideas, quickly sliding underneath Lack to steal second.  Andrew Wright had a spin in the N78 racer, with young Callum Walker left with nowhere to go.  Farr led the restart from Bell-Bowen, Lack and Mitchell Gee, with Bell-Bowen putting enormous pressure on Farr for the race lead.  Mitchell Gee was quickly closing in on Peter Lack before sliding underneath and advancing one position closer to the front, while Bell-Bowen and Farr traded slide jobs for control of the race.  Unfortunately the race was quickly brought under caution as Lack slowed to a stop on the back straight.  Lack was pushed to the infield where officials and Andrew Wright assessed the car in the hopes of getting Lack back in the race but to no avail. 

Robbie Farr led the restart with twenty-six laps left to run.  Mitchell Gee had a brilliant run to slide almost effortlessly under Bell-Bowen to steal second, with Luke Oldfield quickly following him through.  Gee had plenty of speed in the Titan Garages and Carports #36 racer and really started closing in on Farr.  The race was again brought under caution when Callum Walker spun to a stop with about twenty-three laps left to run.

Robbie Farr led the restart from Mitchell Gee, Luke Oldfield, Toby Bell-Bowen, Jake Tranter and Brent Kratzmann.  Farr got a great start but Gee was right with him, challenging for the lead while trying to hold off a hard charging Bell-Bowen.  It was hard to know where to look in a race that had some many intense battles unfolding right through the field.  Farr, Gee, Oldfield and Bell-Bowen were putting on a spectacular show out the front, but Brent Kratzmann and Mark Pholi were having a great battle amongst themselves, as were Allan Woods and Danny Reidy.  Oldfield was up to second and closing in on Farr as the approached lapped traffic, while Gee and Bell-Bowen put on a truly mesmerising show as they argued over the minor places.  Farr hit a massive rut in turn four and almost inverted the Q7 racer, giving Oldfield all the invitation he needed to race through on the inside and steal the lead just moments after racing around the lapped car of Dave Whell.  The lapped traffic was thick but a yellow light stoppage with sixteen laps left to run would give the leaders some clear track for a couple of laps. 

Luke Oldfield led the restart from Robbie Farr, Mitchell Gee, Toby Bell-Bowen, Andrew Scheuerle and Brent Kratzmann.  Farr and Gee make contact but it was Farr who managed to maintain his advantage, while Bell-Bowen had a big look on the bottom but could not quite get the job done.  Mark Pholi was having a great race until he came off the fence coming out of turn four and ended up stranded low on the track facing the wrong direction and bringing the race under another caution.  Oldfield again led the restart from Farr, Gee, Bell-Bowen and Scheuerle with fourteen laps left to race.  Jamie Veal was on a mission and committed to the high side around Andrew Scheuerle but the race was soon brought to a stop when Bell-Bowen upended the immaculately presented N7 racer in turn three.  Bell-Bowen walked away from the wreck but was unfortunately out of the race.

Luke Oldfield led the restart from Robbie Farr, Mitchell Gee and Jamie Veal and while Gee chased Farr putting immense pressure on his vastly more experience rival, Veal was on the high line and really stepping up the pace.  Before long the leaders were in lapped traffic, with Oldfield having built a sizable lead.  Track conditions were extremely rough and Oldfield nearly flipped more than once after hitting the ruts wrong and washing off significant speed.  Fortunately for Oldfield he was able to hang to the race lead, but the race was soon brought to another stop, this time for Mitchell Gee who had gently upturned the Q36 racer.  Determined to finish the race once officials tipped Gee back on all four wheels, Gee restarted at the rear of the field despite the damage to his top wing.

Luke Oldfield led the restart from Robbie Farr and Jamie Veal.  Andrew Scheuerle was searching for a way forward on the high side, while Veal put the challenge to Farr.  As the leaders were approaching lapped traffic Brandon Rawlings got a little too sideways and was collected by Brent Kratzmann, leaving Kratzmann stranded in the middle of turn four, right in front of race leader Oldfield. 

Luke Oldfield was very lucky to avoid contact and would again lead the restart from Robbie Farr, Jamie Veal, Andrew Scheuerle, Jake Tranter and Kevin Titman.  Titman ran the low line looking for a way through a tough field, while Veal searched the high line for a way around Farr.  Veal gave it everything but Farr fought back hard to maintain second, still there was no stopping Luke Oldfield as he raced past the chequered flag to take the win and the $10,000 winners cheque.  Robbie Farr crossed the line in second with Jamie Veal a spectacular third to round out the podium.  The ever-consistent Andrew Scheuerle crossed the line in fourth ahead of Jake Tranter, Allan Woods, Kevin Titman, Danny Reidy, Michael Saller, Mitchell Gee, Callum Walker, Chad Ely, Dave Whell, Brandon Rawlings and Mark Pholi.  Brent Kratzmann, Toby Bell-Bowen, Peter Lack, Sammy Walsh and Andrew Wright all failed to finish the event.

Sprintcars Queensland will return to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway next Saturday night, 01 October 2016, for the second night of competition in the Brisbane Track Championship.  The 2016-2017 season may be only two nights old, and with two feature winners to date in Robbie Farr and Luke Oldfield, this season is already shaping up to be one for the history books.  Will we add another name to the list of feature winners for the season?  Come on out to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway next Saturday night see all the thrilling racing action for yourself! See you trackside!

Share this article