Kicking Up The Dirt – Sprintcar Track Championship – Round 3

Kicking Up The Dirt – Sprintcar Track Championship – Round 3

Joanne White

Luke Oldfield won an action packed Round Three of the Sprintcar Track Championship at AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway last night, with Brent Kratzmann having a truly mesmerising drive to secure second after initially starting from position eight.  With just six laps completed in the main event Kratzmann had not only survived the chaos of the multiple restarts, he had caught, and passed, Mitchell Gee, before seriously challenging Oldfield for control of the race.  Kratzmann had the always immaculate presented Q2 simply flying but an inopportune stoppage six laps in, just as Kratzmann was having a massive look underneath Oldfield in turns three and four, brought the race under caution.  Oldfield switched to the low line when the race resumed and despite a strong challenge from Kratzmann, eventually went on to secure the win quite comfortably.  Mitchell Gee put in yet another solid and consistent performance to once again fill the final podium position for the night, while Ben Hilder and Callum Walker completed the top five after each driver came from the rear of the field.  Twenty four sprintcars turned up at Archerfield last night ready to put on a show, and while the opening laps of the A-Main saw more than half the field exit the race prematurely, the entire night was a sight to behold. 

The format for the night was a little different to that which we normally run.  There was no qualifying, and heat starting grids were determined in a draw and invert fashion, making each and every heat, and every single position, extremely valuable to the drivers and teams.  It is a format that has been criticised in the past and is no longer used to the degree it once was, but it is a way to mix up the competition a little and puts the emphasis on performing well in the heats as opposed to relying on a good qualifying run.

Heat one started with Brent Kratzmann from pole position with James Grady alongside and the formidable duo of Mitchell Gee and Luke Oldfield out of the second row.  Kratzmann got a brilliant start when the green flag flew, with Gee quick to follow on the bottom.  Oldfield, caught behind the slower Grady, switched to the low line as they raced towards the first corner, clipping Paul Rooks, who had started from position five, on the way down track.  Rooks, who slowed a little after the contact, was then hit from behind by Kristy Bonsey, sending Rooks spinning onto the infield in turn one.  Unfortunately for Rooks he came to a stop well onto the infield and race officials left the green lights on.  Kratzmann quickly settled into the race lead, trying to open any kind of margin over Gee and Oldfield, while further back in the field Kristy Bonsey looked for a way past James Grady, until a small mistake by Bonsey in turn two allowed Jayden Peacock to slip through and begin his battle with Grady.  Peacock edged closer to Grady with each lap before searching high and low for a way past the Q40 car, the pair putting on a brilliant show as they fought over the minor places.  As each lap passed Kratzmann extended his lead ever so slightly, his team having the car set up beautifully for him, and left Gee and Oldfield to battle over second.  Oldfield was relentless as he chased the tail of Gee, while the pair actually closed the gap to Kratzmann quite significantly when the race leader got caught behind a lapped car.  Once clear of the lapped car Brent Kratzmann quickly pulled ahead once more before going on to take the win ahead of Mitchell Gee and Luke Oldfield.  James Grady finished fourth ahead of Jayden Peacock.  Kristy Bonsey pulled out of the race after just seven laps, joining both Clem Hoffmans and Paul Rooks on the infield, with all three failing to finish the event.

Scott Doyle and Nelson Reddacliff started alongside each other on the front row for the start of heat two, with Kevin Titman and Peter Lack making for a daunting second row.  Doyle got a great start when the lights went green, while Lack took to the high line to race spectacularly around the outside of Reddacliff as they rounded the first corner.  Lack secured second and set out after Doyle in the race lead, while Reddacliff settled into third.  Kevin Titman and Callum Walker were both keen to get closer to the front and before long both were on the tail of Reddacliff, while Lack applied all kinds of pressure to Doyle.  Sean Iacono had a great run on the bottom, racing under Walker when Walker clipped the wall on the exit of turn two, while Titman switched to the low side looking for a way past Reddacliff.  When Reddacliff drifted too high in turn two Titman was quick to take advantage but just half a lap later Titman, who has had a seemingly endless run of bad luck in the past couple of weeks, made heavy contact with the wall in turns three and four before tipping the Q59 racer on its side.  Titman walked away from the wreck but unfortunately his night of competition had once again come to a very premature end.  Doyle led the restart from Lack, Reddacliff and Iacono with just four laps left to run.  Doyle and Lack immediately opened a sizable margin over the rest of the field, with Lack completely relentless as he searched for a way past Doyle.  Doyle, to his credit, really held his own and ran a solid and consistent race, successfully holding off his more experienced rival and taking the win.  Peter Lack finished a strong second, a quarter of a lap ahead of Nelson Reddacliff in third.  Sean Iacono crossed the line in fourth and led Callum Walker, Andrew Marks and Mitch Gowland across the line.  Kevin Titman did not finish the race. 

Heat three started with Brett Minett and Dan Murray from the front row, with Murray getting a brilliant start on the high side and quickly securing the race lead.  Steve Greer, who started from position four, was quick to follow Murray on the high side to secure second, while Andrew Scheuerle had a look underneath Minett as they entered turn one.  Lachlan McHugh, already on the high side, ran seemingly effortlessly around the outside of both Scheuerle and Minett before setting his sights on Greer.  Scheuerle switched to the high line coming out of turn two to make his way around Minett and set about trying to close the gap to Greer and McHugh, leaving Minett to try and defend his position from a hard charging and very much in-form Ben Hilder.  Minett and Hilder had a moment in turn two a few laps into the race, with both cars running wide in the corner, opening the door for Rob Hamilton who did not hesitate to slip straight past both cars as he worked on the low side of the track.  Hilder came out in front of Minett, with the pair both looking to find a way back past Hamilton, only for the race to be brought under caution when Chris Harrison, in the NT84 racer, spun in turn two as he was about to go a lap down to Murray.  Murray led the restart from Greer, McHugh and Scheuerle with five laps left to run with Murray getting a beautiful start and immediately opening small but comfortable lead over his rivals.  Greer had both McHugh and Scheuerle all over his tail tank searching for a way through, but soon managed to edge ahead just a couple of car lengths and give himself a fraction of breathing room.  Dan Murray went on to take the win ahead of Steve Greer, Lachlan McHugh, Andrew Scheuerle, Rob Hamilton, Ben Hilder, Brett Minett and Chris Harrison.

When Andrew Marks, who was scheduled to start heat four from pole position, elected to start rear of the field, Peter Lack was elevated to the front row, with Jayden Peacock alongside.  Lack got a brilliant start on the bottom and quickly took control of the race, while Nelson Reddacliff had a brief look on the inside of Peacock before Peacock powered ahead to secure second.  Paul Rooks and Mitchell Gee took to the high line and within half a lap had raced around the outside of Reddacliff, leaving Reddacliff to try and defend his position from Brent Kratzmann.  Kratzmann committed to the high line and raced around the outside of Reddacliff in turn four, while Gee searched high and low for a way past Rooks, eventually getting the job done and setting out after Peacock.  The race was brought under caution when Mitch Gowland had a spin in turn one, backing the Q32 racer into the turn one fence and ending his race.  Lack led the restart from Peacock and Gee with eight laps left to run, with Lack getting an absolutely magnificent start and opening a sizable lead before hitting turn one.  Gee had a look underneath Peacock before switching to the high line, while Kratzmann searched high and low for a way past Rooks.  Kratzmann had a massive look on the inside of the #64 racer of Rooks as they rounded turns three and four, and then again in turns one and two, only for Rooks to fight back strongly each time and maintain his position.  Not content to settle for fifth Kratzmann had another look on the inside of Rooks as they raced down the main straight a lap later and this time was able to secure the advantage and, gradually, began to pull away as he chased after Gee.  At the rear of the field Andrew Marks closed in on Nelson Reddacliff but couldn’t quite get close enough to challenge for position, but there was simply no stopping Peter Lack out in front, with Lack going on to take the win ahead of Jayden Peacock and Mitchell Gee.  Brent Kratzmann finished a strong fourth and led Paul Rooks, Nelson Reddacliff and Andrew Marks across the line.  Mitch Gowland did not finish the event.

Kristy Bonsey was elevated to the front row for the start of the fifth heat when Clem Hoffmans pulled out of the event.  Rob Hamilton shared the front row as they approached the start and while Bonsey got the initial jump and led the way to the first corner, Hamilton was impressive on the top side and raced around Bonsey in turn one to steal the lead.  Ben Hilder was in fine form and quickly followed Hamilton to secure second by the end of turn two, while Luke Oldfield and Andrew Scheuerle tried to find a way past Bonsey.  Oldfield chased Bonsey for a few laps before taking to the high side in turn three and running spectacularly around the outside of the Q42 racer, leaving Bonsey to defend her position from Scheuerle.  Scheuerle was persistent and patient as he searched for the way past, spending several laps watching and waiting for the right opportunity to strike, eventually making his move around the outside in turn two.  The race was almost instantly brought under caution as Brett Minett had a moment in turn two, only Minett managed to keep the car moving.  With three laps left to run it was Hamilton who led the field to the green, with Oldfield and Hilder now right on his tail.  Hamilton did a great job out in front while Oldfield found a way underneath Hilder as they came out of turn two, only for Hilder to try and slide straight back past Oldfield half a lap later.  Oldfield closed in on Hamilton and had one last look underneath the Q11 racer as they raced side-by-side past the chequered flag but it was Rob Hamilton who secured the win.  Luke Oldfield crossed the line in second ahead of Ben Hilder, Andrew Scheuerle, Kristy Bonsey, James Grady and Brett Minett. 

The sixth and final heat of the night started with Chris Harrison and Callum Walker from the front row, with the pair racing wheel-to-wheel into the opening corner.  Walker, on the high line, was able to secure the lead coming out of turn two, with Harrison settling briefly into second.  Harrison got a little too sideways on the bottom of turn two, leaving plenty of room for Lachlan McHugh and Scott Doyle to race around the outside.  Sean Iacono tried to go with them, but Harrison recovered well and fought hard to keep Iacono behind him.  The pair actually came together coming out of turn four, with Iacono clipping the wall coming out of turn four.  Just a couple of laps later and the race was brought under caution for Harrison who had spun in turn four.  Walker led the restart from McHugh and Doyle, while Iacono suffered a very flat right rear that saw him pull out of the race as the lights went green.  Walker quickly built a very healthy lead, but just a few laps later the race was again brought under caution for Harrison who had come to a stop against the wall in turn one.  Walker again led the field to the green and got a truly breath-taking start, immediately opening a sizable margin over second placed McHugh, while Dan Murray searched for a way past Steve Greer at the rear of the field.  Callum Walker went on to take the win and led Lachlan McHugh, Scott Doyle Steve Greer and Dan Murray across the line.  Chris Harrison and Sean Iacono both failed to finish the event.

Instead of a dash event we ran a series of three shootouts with the top eight qualifiers.  First up was the Bronze shootout, with qualifiers three to eight taking to the track for a couple of qualifying laps.  Callum Walker was quickest of the lot, stopping the clock at 12.079 seconds, while Luke Oldfield was second quickest with a 12.320 second lap.  Mitchell Gee and Dan Murray also secured transfers to the silver shootout, while Lachlan McHugh and Brent Kratzmann were eliminated from the shootout events and would start the A-main from positions seven and eight respectively. 

Peter Lack and Scott Doyle joined Callum Walker, Luke Oldfield, Mitchell Gee and Dan Murray on track for the Silver Shootout, with the fastest four drivers to transfer to the Gold shootout.  Peter Lack was the quickest this time around, stopping the clock at 12.144 seconds, just 0.011 seconds quicker than Callum Walker.  Mitchell Gee and Luke Oldfield rounded out the fastest four, leaving both Dan Murray and Scott Doyle eliminated from the shootout events and set to share the third row for the start of the A-Main race.

For the Gold Shootout the four remaining cars lined up, fastest to the back, for five-lap race to determine the starting positions for the upcoming A-Main race.  Luke Oldfield and Mitchell Gee shared the front row for the start but it was Oldfield who got the jump on the start and secured the race lead.  Gee fought hard and was all over the back of Oldfield, while Lack and Walker argued between themselves over the minor positions.  Walker slid beautifully underneath Lack in turns one and two, only for Lack to slide straight past just half a lap later.  Walker was not done and by the time they hit turn one again he was sliding back under Lack in an effort to regain third.  It was truly mesmerising to watch as Lack and Walker exchanged slide jobs, with Lack then taking to the high line to try and race around Walker before switching back to the low side.  It was thrilling, clean racing and thoroughly entertaining to watch, but neither had anything for Oldfield and Gee out the front.  Luke Oldfield went on to take the win and briefly considered accepting the Kratzmann Challenge to invert the top fourteen, but in the end declined the Kratzmann Challenge and elected to start from pole position.  Mitchell Gee finished second in the Gold Shootout to earn his spot alongside Oldfield for the start of the A-Main, with Callum Walker and Peter Lack set to fill the second row for the start.

The B-Main rolled out onto the track and with Kevin Titman, Clem Hoffmans, Andrew Marks and Chris Harrison all out of the competition with various issues, there were just six cars to take part in an eight lap race, with the top four finishers to transfer to the back of the A-Main field.  James Grady and Sean Iacono started alongside each other on the front row, with Brett Minett and Kristy Bonsey right behind as they led the field to the green.  Grady got his nose in front when the green flag flew, but Iacono had more momentum on the high side and quickly made his way into the race lead.  Grady settled into second while the battle behind between Bonsey, Minett and Paul Rooks began to heat up.  Bonsey had settled into third but a small mistake in turn two was all the invitation Minett needed to look for a way through on the bottom, while Rooks searched the high side for a way around.  Bonsey managed to hold on to third for another lap while Rooks secured the advantage over Minett before racing around the outside of Bonsey in turn two.  Unfortunately for Rooks the race was immediately brought under caution for Mitch Gowland who had spun to a stop on the bottom of turn one.  Iacono led the restart from Grady, Bonsey, Rooks and Minett with seven laps left to run.  Rooks was all over the back of Bonsey, searching for a way through, the pair battling for the rest of the race with Bonsey doing a magnificent job and running a smooth and consistent race. Sean Iacono took the win ahead of James Grady and Kristy Bonsey, with Paul Rooks securing the final transfer to the A-Main.  Brett Minett and Mitch Gowland rounded out the finishers of the B-Main race.

When the field of eighteen cars rolled out for the A-Main event, little did anyone know what was about to unfold.  Luke Oldfield and Mitchell Gee shared the front row of the 30-lap affair, with Callum Walker and Peter Lack close behind.  Luke Oldfield got the jump when the green flag flew and quickly settled into the race lead, with Gee in second and Lack taking to the high line in spectacular fashion as he tried to race around the outside of Gee.  Unfortunately contact between Lack and Gee ended with Lack hurtling down track towards the concrete barrier on the edge of the infield as they raced down the back straight.  Lack made heavy contact with the barrier and came to a sudden stop on the back straight and brought the race under caution.  Lack was unscathed in the incident but his race was prematurely over, with Ben Hilder also suffering mechanical issues and putting the Q95 car on the infield. 

A full restart followed with Oldfield and Gee again sharing the front row and Oldfield again getting the better start and taking control of the race.  Gee settled into second while Callum Walker made his way into third, Lachlan McHugh made his way in front of Brent Kratzmann and Andrew Scheuerle searched for a way under Steve Greer.  Unfortunately though several back markers came together in turn one, leaving James Grady up-side-down and both Kristy Bonsey and Nelson Reddacliff with wing damage.  Bonsey was unable to restart the event, and while Grady was able to restart his car, officials deemed his main wing, the left side board hanging by just a few rivets, just too dangerous to continue and he was relegated to the infield.  Reddacliff also pulled out of the event.

Attempted start three once again saw Oldfield and Gee lead the field to the green, and while Gee had a better start than the previous two attempts at getting the race underway, Oldfield still managed to secure the advantage once more and began settling into the race lead.  Brent Kratzmann began trying to climb his way forward, racing around the outside of Dan Murray, only for the race to again be pulled up, this time for Lachlan McHugh, who had been trying to follow Kratzmann on the high line.  A small error was enough to see McHugh collide with the wall coming out of turn one and brought the race to yet another stop, still without a single lap being completed. 

The fourth attempt at a start again saw Luke Oldfield and Mitchell Gee share the front row, with Oldfield again able to secure the race lead.  Callum Walker raced under Scott Doyle to secure third while Brent Kratzmann was on the move and once he was in front of Dan Murray, Kratzmann switched to the low side and raced under Doyle as they rounded turn one.  Walker was next in line for Kratzmann, with Kratzmann sticking to the bottom and racing up the inside of Walker in turn two.  Walker fought hard and the pair raced side-by-side out of turn two and down the back straight with Kratzmann securing the advantage in turn four just as Walker looped the Q33 racer on the high line and brought the race under caution once more.

Still without a single lap competed Luke Oldfield and Mitchell Gee led the field to the green for the fifth time, with Oldfield still dominating the start and once again securing the race lead.  Gee settled into second ahead of Scott Doyle and Dan Murray, but Brent Kratzmann took to the high line this time and raced around the outside of Murray in turn one before getting around Doyle in the second corner.  Kratzmann was flying and had Gee in his sights while deeper in the field Andrew Scheuerle battled with Steve Greer and Ben Hilder, who had had the opportunity to fix the Q95 racer during all the stoppages and restarted at the rear of the field, was making impressive progress towards the front of the field.  Kratzmann had several big looks underneath Gee and they fought over second, but wheel-standing the Q2 down the main straight cost him ground.  Dan Murray and Scott Doyle had a brilliant battle unfolding for the minor places, while Callum Walker had a beautiful drive from the rear of the field, quickly making up lost ground as he raced straight between Steve Greer and Rob Hamilton as the trio went three-wide through turn two.  Sean Iacono and Paul Rooks were quickly on the tail of Greer and Hamilton, with Iacono racing under Hamilton in turn four.  Unfortunately Iacono got a fraction sideways in turn four, and as Rooks tried to slip through on the inside contact between the pair ended with Iacono rolling spectacularly end-to-end out of turn four and half way down the main straight.  Iacono walked away from the wreck but his race was over and he joined the growing contingent on the infield.  Rob Hamilton also pulled out of the race, leaving just eleven cars on the track after only two laps.

Luke Oldfield led the restart from Mitchell Gee and Brent Kratzmann and once the race resumed, so did the battle between Gee and Kratzmann for second and third, and the battle between Doyle and Murray for fourth and fifth.  Callum Walker raced beautifully underneath Andrew Scheuerle in turn three, with Kratzmann executing a perfectly timed slide job on Gee a lap later, stealing second and setting out after Oldfield.  Kratzmann closed in on Oldfield in just a handful of laps and was starting to look like a real threat to the race leader when an incident in turn two brought the race to another stop.  This time it was Doyle and Murray who had come together and become stranded on the track, ending what was shaping up to be a thrilling battle between the pair.  Unfortunately neither was able to restart the event.

With twenty-four laps still to run and now as many cars on the infield as were left on the track, Luke Oldfield led the restart from Brent Kratzmann and Mitchell Gee, with Ben Hilder up to a very impressive fourth after initially going rear of the field.  Callum Walker quickly raced under Jayden Peacock and set his sights on Hilder, while Andrew Scheuerle focused on trying to find a way past Peacock.  Walker caught Hilder and slipped almost effortlessly underneath the Q95 racer, but Hilder was quick to fire back with a slide-job of his own on the very next corner.  Paul Rooks was searching for a way past Steve Greer when race leader Oldfield approached lapped traffic and began weaving his way through, racing under Rooks and then Greer in quick succession.  Rooks managed to get underneath Greer when Greer ran too wide in turn two, while Kratzmann, trying to hunt down Oldfield, began trying to find his way through the lapped traffic, all the while Mitchell Gee closed in.  Kratzmann and Gee both eventually made their way through the back markers but it was hard to ignore the battle between Walker and Hilder, which only intensified when they too hit lapped traffic.  With nine laps left run Oldfield had lapped Greer, Scheuerle and Peacock and had fifth placed Walker in his sights.  Greer, Peacock and Scheuerle had a great battle going for the minor places, while Gee had caught Kratzmann in the traffic and was beginning to challenge him for second and really put the pressure on in the final half dozen laps.  Luke Oldfield took the win with Brent Kratzmann a very impressive second, his first podium this season, and Mitchell Gee putting in another solid performance to secure third.  Ben Hilder crossed the line in fourth ahead of Callum Walker, both drivers having a truly exceptional run from the rear of the field to not only survive the chaos but put on a scintillating show for the fans as they raced their way through the field.  Jayden Peacock, Andrew Scheuerle and Steve Greer rounded out the finishers while Paul Rooks, Dan Murray, Scott Doyle, Rob Hamilton, Sean Iacono, Peter Lack, Lachlan McHugh, Nelson Reddacliff, James Grady and Kristy Bonsey all failed to finish the event.

After five consecutive weekends of racing to start of 2016-2017 season, Sprintcars Queensland will take next weekend off before returning to AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 29 October 2016 for Round Four of the Sprintcar Track Championship.  We have such a broad depth of talent here in South East Queensland at the moment that any one of at least a dozen drivers could take the win if a little luck is on their side.  You can be sure it will be a thrilling night of Sprintcar racing action so come on out and watch these stars put on a spectacular show!  After that we return to Hi-Tec Oils Speedway in Toowoomba on Saturday 05 November 2016 for USC Round Three and Ultimate Pink Night where all girls and ladies receive free general admission and the venue raises money for breast cancer research, and then back at AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 12 November 2016 for Round Five of the Sprintcar Track Championship.  There is plenty of racing coming up so come on out and cheer on your favourite driver!  See you trackside!

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