North Queensland Double Down Sprintcar Series
Brisbane-based Woods Motorsport proudly presents this years Double Down Sprintcar Series, with two huge weekends of racing in stunning North Queensland.
The series kicks off at Mareeba Speedway, near Cairns, on Saturday the 7th of September 2019 for round one of the series, before heading to Cairns Speedway for a spectacular two-night show on Friday the 12th and Saturday the 13th September 2019.
Mareeba Speedway, located about an hour from Cairns, complete with recent upgrades to track lighting, will host Sprintcars for the first time in several decades and provides an ideal location to launch the 2019 Double Down Sprintcar Series, before the teams head over to Cairns International Speedway for a sensational two-night finale, culminating in a 35-lap feature event on the Saturday night.
The format for both events will consist of qualifying heats, dashes and main events, with $5000 on the line for the winner of each Saturday night A-Main. There will be in excess of $36,000 in prize money over the course of the series, and some thrilling Sprintcar racing sure to entertain the fans.
Sprintcar nominations are still rolling in, with nominations already received from all over Queensland and the Northern Territory, plus there are at least half a dozen more still to be confirmed over the coming couple of weeks. Drivers are asked to contact Allan Woods directly if they are interested in competing.
North Queensland has a great range of activities and adventures if you are planning on escaping the winter blues of more southerly locations, taking an extended break and taking in some Sprintcar racing action.
Follow the facebook page, Queensland Double Down Sprintcar Series, for more information or text Allan Woods on 0412 731 608.
https://www.facebook.com/SprintcarsQld/photos/a.711532568887438/3127154390658565/?type=3
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Queensland Motorsport-Speedway
Kicking Up The Dirt – East Coast Logistics Series – Round 5
Kicking Up The Dirt – East Coast Logistics Series – Round 5
Joanne White
Former Australian Champion David Murcott took the win in the 2015-2016 season finale at
AusDeck Patios Archerfield Speedway last night, with Andrew Scheuerle and Luke Oldfield
joining him on the last podium of the season. Lachlan McHugh and Ben Atkinson rounded out
the top five in very slick track conditions and a tough field behind them. Lachlan McHugh
entered the final round of the East Cost Logistics Crispy Memorial Sprintcar Series just twelve
points ahead of Andrew Scheuerle, and while Scheuerle had a brilliant night to significantly close
the gap to McHugh on the points ladder, McHugh did just enough to secure the series
championship. The Sprintcar Rookie, who turned eighteen on Friday, managed to win the East
Cost Logistics Crispy Memorial Sprintcar Series by just two points, with Andrew Scheuerle
officially second in the series.
Qualifying got underway with twenty-seven cars taking to the track to race the clock with
Andrew Scheuerle topping the leader board with an 11.798 second lap. Luke Oldfield was
second quickest around the tight Archerfield Speedway circuit, his 11.805 second lap just seven
thousandths of a second slower than Scheuerle. David Murcott was third quickest with Lachlan
McHugh and Bryan Mann rounding out the fastest five. The top twenty-three cars were
separated by less than nine tenths of a second, but the qualifying runs were not without incident.
Dave Fanning had a fire on board the Q89 racer at the end his qualifying run that saw his night
come to a premature end, while Ben Hilder, who managed to qualifying is position sixteen, took a
wild ride through turn three when he clipped the wall and launched the immaculately presented
Motorguard Motorsport Q95 racer into the air. It was a hard landing and while Ben was able to
walk away from the wreck, with the help of trackside crash crew and medical personnel, he was
later taken to hospital for tests and observations. Reports from the Hilder family this morning
confirm that Ben has suffered some injuries to his back and spent the night in hospital, but in
time is hopeful of a full recovery. Sprintcars Queensland wish Ben all the very best for a speedy
and complete return to health.
Heat one started with Rob Hamilton from pole position and Steven White, in only his second
drive for the season, out of position two. Hamilton got a great start from the front row and led
the field into turn one, but White boldly fought back on the high side as they rounded turn one.
Hamilton had the better run through turn two to finally secure the race lead, while White left the
bottom open for Brent Aprile to slip through. Brent Kratzmann was quick to follow Aprile, and
while White fought back on the top, Kratzmann had secured the advantage by the time the
reached turn three. Andrew Scheuerle slipped underneath White while further back on the field
Anthony Vanderreyden got a little too acquainted with the wall in turn three, before spinning to
a stop in turn one and bringing the race under caution. Brent Aprile had managed to steal the
lead from Hamilton before the stoppage and led the restart with nine laps left to run. Kratzmann
had a big look on the inside of Hamilton when the race resumed, but couldn’t quite get the job
done, soon finding himself under enormous pressure from Andrew Scheuerle. Scheuerle put all
kinds of pressure on Kratzmann, working the highline as the pair raced side-by- side down the
back straight and putting on a great show for the large crowd on the hill. Kratzmann however
fought back hard and refused to surrender the position, and began challenging Hamilton for
second. Unfortunately for Kratzmann he couldn’t quite find his way through, but gave Scheuerle
the opportunity to race around the outside. Steven White tried the race underneath Kratzmann
through turn four, the pair banging wheels as they exited the turn, only for Kratzmann to once
again pull ahead and start to chase down Scheuerle. Scheuerle soon closed in on Hamilton and
started searching for a way around the Q11 racer, with Kratzmann edging closer with every
passing lap. With the white flag in the air Kratzmann made his move, perfectly timing the run to
steal third and leave Scheuerle little time to fight back. Brent Aprile took the win, about a third
of a lap ahead of his nearest rival, with Rob Hamilton doing a truly remarkable job to cross the
line in second. Brent Kratzmann finished third and led Andrew Scheuerle, Steven White, Jayden
Peacock, Kristy Bonsey and Callum Walker across the line. Anthony Vanderreyden did not finish
the event.
Dave Fanning was scheduled to start heat two from pole position, with Ben Atkinson elevated to
the front row in his absence. Atkinson now started alongside Richard Morgan, with Bryan Mann
and Mark Pholi close behind. Atkinson got a great start and while Morgan tried to go with him
on the high side it was Atkinson who led the field out of the first corner. Luke Oldfield had a
brilliant run on the high side after starting from position six, racing spectacularly around Bryan
Mann and Mark Pholi in the first two corners before challenging Morgan for second when the
race was just half a lap old. The battle between Oldfield and Morgan was just starting to heat up
when Morgan retired from the race with mechanical issues on board the striking Q54 racer.
Mann chased Pholi, but Pholi soon pulled away as he worked on closing the gap to Oldfield, while
at the tail of the field James Grady and Brett Minett had a great race between themselves. Race
leader Atkinson started blowing a lot a smoke, his car speed dropping off enough to allow
Oldfield to not only close the gap but to challenge for the lead with just a couple of laps left to
run. Oldfield searched high and low for a way past but Ben Atkinson hung on to take the win.
Luke Oldfield finished second ahead of Mark Pholi, Bryan Mann, Scott Doyle, James Grady and
Brett Minett. Richard Morgan did not finish the event.
Dave Whell and Peter Milnes shared the front row for the start of heat three, with Brad Ayers
and Kevin Titman from the second row. Whell got a great start and quickly shot into the race
lead, but Kevin Titman was quick to dive straight between Ayers and Milnes as they raced three
wide down the main straight. Milnes and Titman entered turn one ahead of Ayers, with Milnes
on the high side and a fraction ahead of Titman. David Murcott and Lachlan McHugh, who hard
started alongside each other on the third row of the starting grid, were making impressive
progress through the field, with Murcott leading the way and McHugh right on his tail tank. The
pair raced around Ayers through turns one and two, before trying to run underneath Titman as
they navigated turns three and four. Titman however was determined and fought back hard on
the inside of Murcott, managing to get his nose a faction back in front before Murcott powered
around the outside to secure the advantage. With Titman focused on his battle with Murcott, he
left the bottom wide open for McHugh, who needed no invitation to stick his nose underneath
Titman as they raced side-by- side down the back straight. McHugh was in front in turn three,
but Titman got tremendous drive on the high side of turn four, regaining his position and setting
out after Murcott. Meanwhile Murcott was searching for a way past Milnes, working the high
line beautifully until a small mistake in turn two allowed both Titman and McHugh to slip
through. Murcott quickly set about making up lost ground, while Titman almost spun the Q59
coming out of turn four a few laps later and surrendered several positions. McHugh closed in on
Milnes and began looking for an inside passing opportunity, careful to give both himself and his
opposition ample racing room, but got a little too out of shape in turn four and looped the NQ23
racer with a little over a lap to go. Dave Whell did a remarkable job out in front to take the win
with Peter Milnes withstanding all kinds of pressure to cross the line in second. David Murcott
finished third and led Brad Ayers, Kevin Titman, Lachlan McHugh, Darren Silcock and Dale
Shilleto across the line.
Heat four started with Jayden Peacock and Peter Milnes from the front row with Peacock getting
a great start and leading the field into turn one. Milnes immediately fought back hard on the
high side, while Brent Kratzmann, who started from position three, was looking for a way
through on the low line. Milnes managed to get ahead of Peacock but got too sideways coming
out of turn two, spinning down track towards the infield, directly in front of both Peacock and
Kratzmann. While Milnes mounted the inside curb and completed a 360-degree spin before
rejoining the race at the rear of the field, the battle for the lead was really heating up. Peacock
had the lead with Kratzmann pushing hard on the inside as they raced down the back straight
and into turn three, with Kratzmann sliding underneath Peacock to momentarily snare the race
lead. Peacock, now with Lachlan McHugh on his tail, fought back hard to regain his lead, only for
Kratzmann to power around the outside in turns one and two to take control of the race.
Peacock was left to defend his position in second, though Luke Oldfield and Lachlan McHugh
were busy negotiating over third and fourth. McHugh, on the high side, and Oldfield, on the
bottom, raced side-by- side down the main straight and into turn one, before skillfully running
either side of Peacock as he spun the Q77 racer mid-track. Lachlan McHugh led the restart, with
Brent Kratzmann, who had been penalized one position for passing on the infield when he
initially stole the lead, in second and Luke Oldfield in third with eight laps left to run. McHugh
got a brilliant start, quickly opening a comfortable margin over his rivals while Kratzmann and
Oldfield put on a spectacular show as they argued over second. Kratzmann was smooth and
consistent and while Oldfield was relentless in his efforts to find a way past, Kratzmann was able
to pull away slightly and create a small margin over his rival, while further back in the field
Kristy Bonsey was having a great run and was soon having a big look up the inside of Peter
Milnes as she tried to steal his position. Back at the front of the field and McHugh was nearly half
a lap ahead of Kratzmann and Oldfield, with Oldfield seeming to find something extra in the Q36
racer and quickly closed the gap to Kratzmann before running around the outside to steal second
with a lap and a half left to run. Kratzmann immediately stepped up his game and was all over
the back of Oldfield searching high and low for a way through but couldn’t quite make it happen
before the fall of the chequered flag. Lachlan McHugh took the win ahead of Luke Oldfield, Brent
Kratzmann, Darren Silcock, Peter Milnes, Kristy Bonsey and Jayden Peacock. Mark Pholi did not
finish the event, a mechanical issue on board the Q14 racer brought his race, and his night, to a
very premature end.
Heat five started with Scott Doyle from pole position with Dave Whell alongside. The pair raced
wheel-to- wheel down the main straight with Doyle settling into the race lead by the time they
reached turn one. Ben Atkinson took to the high line and quickly raced around Whell, while
Andrew Scheuerle was quick to see how quick the high line could be and swiftly followed
Atkinson on the top. Scheuerle raced around Brad Ayers and was working on making his way in
front of Whell, all the while Whell was trying to regain his position from Atkinson. Ayers had a
brilliant run on the bottom through turn four, slipping underneath Scheuerle and leading him
into turn one, while Whell raced up the inside of Atkinson only for Atkinson to quickly fight back
on the high line. Scheuerle had once again committed to the high line and found a way back past
Ayers, and though Ayers did not surrender without a fight, Bryan Mann soon joined the battle
and Ayers was forced on the defensive as he tried valiantly to keep Mann behind him. The pair
exchanged positions a couple of times, while Scheuerle finally found a way past Whell.
Meanwhile Atkinson stole the lead from Doyle running the outside in turn two, before spinning
to a stop in turn four and bringing the race under caution. Doyle led the restart from Whell,
Scheuerle, Mann and Ayers with seven thrilling laps left to run. Doyle got a great start and
quickly opened a small lead, though with Scheuerle on a mission to get to the front it was short-
lived. Scheuerle took to the high line to race around Whell in turn two and by the time he and
Doyle hit turn three Scheuerle was committed to the high line and challenging for the lead. The
pair raced side-by- side through turns three and four, and half way down the main straight,
before Scheuerle emerged in front and took control of the race, desperate to earn his position in
the up-coming Dash event. Bryan Mann seemingly effortlessly switched between the high line
and the low as he searched for the right opportunity to get past Dave Whell, eventually racing
around the outside as they headed down the back straight. Mann set his sights on Doyle and just
half a lap after getting around Whell, Mann managed to race around Doyle and move into second.
Brad Ayers had a brilliant run on the bottom, successfully challenging Whell for position, slipping
through on the inside of turn four, but there was no stopping Andrew Scheuerle out in front as
he went on to take the win. Bryan Mann crossed the line in second ahead of Scott Doyle, Brad
Ayers, Ben Atkinson, Dave Whell, Brett Minett and James Grady.
The sixth heat of the night, and final heat of the season, started with Rob Hamilton and Steven
White again sharing the front row. Hamilton got a brilliant start and quickly settled into the race
lead with White in second and starting to search for a way into the lead. Hamilton and White
immediately began pulling a way from the rest of the field, while Kevin Titman raced up the
inside of Callum Walker, whilst simultaneously trying to keep David Murcott behind him. Titman
then raced up the inside of White to steal second just as the race was brought under caution for
Callum Walker who had come to a stop in the middle of turn four after contact with Brent Aprile.
Hamilton led the restart from White and Titman with nine laps left to run, with Hamilton really
nailing the start and quickly opening a small lead over White and Titman. White soon managed
to open a small margin over Titman, while Titman tried to defend his position from both Brent
Aprile and David Murcott. In the end both Aprile and Murcott found their way through, and each
began working on slowly closing the gap to White in second but were unable to get close enough
to make a move before the fall of the chequered flag. Rob Hamilton went on to take the win,
earning his position in the Dash event, with Steven White across the line in second ahead of
Brent Aprile and David Murcott. Kevin Titman finished fifth and led Callum Walker, Anthony
Vanderreyden and Dale Shilleto across the line.
Andrew Scheuerle, Luke Oldfield, David Murcott, Lachlan McHugh, Brent Aprile, Ben Atkinson,
Rob Hamilton and Dave Whell rolled onto the track to contest the Dash event. Scheuerle, as
highest point scorer for the night, drew a random marble to determine the inversion for the start
of the Dash event. While Scheuerle has previously had a knack for drawing one and starting the
field in qualifying order, last night he drew eight to invert the entire eight car field, leaving Dave
Whell and Rob Hamilton from the front row for the six-lap affair. Whell got the best start,
quickly securing the lead with Hamilton settling into second and Aprile and Atkinson arguing
over third. As Aprile and Atkinson exchanged positions several times, Murcott searched high
and low for a way past, eventually getting past Aprile when he made a small error in turn two
that cost him several positions. Meanwhile at the front of the field Hamilton set up for a bold
challenge for the race lead and took to the highline searching for a way around Whell and into
the race lead. Looking exceptionally comfortable in the Q11 racer, Hamilton was committed to
the high line and raced around the outside of Whell as they came out of turn four and powered
down the main straight, stealing the lead and taking control of the race. Hamilton began to pull
away from the field, building a margin of several car lengths in just half a lap, with Whell,
Atkinson and Murcott trying to keep up. Unfortunately Hamilton got a little too sideways in turn
four and looped the Q11 racer, completing two complete 360-degree spins mid-track before
straightening the car and rejoining the race. Officials had however already brought the race
under caution and Hamilton took to the restart from the rear of the field. Whell led the restart
from Atkinson and Murcott, and while Murcott put all kinds of pressure on the back of Atkinson
as he challenged for second, Murcott was soon forced on the defensive as young Lachlan McHugh
began looking for his way through. Murcott raced under Whell in turn two, with McHugh going
around the outside half a lap later and Luke Oldfield following soon after. Ben Atkinson took the
win, earning pole position for the start of the 30-lap A-Main event, with David Murcott officially
second and set to share the front row for the start of the feature. Lachlan McHugh finished third
and led Luke Oldfield, Andrew Scheuerle, Brent Aprile, Rob Hamilton and David Whell across the
line.
Nine cars lined up for the start of the B-Main event, to be contested over twelve laps, with only
the top four finishers to transfer to the back of the A-Main field. Peter Milnes and Scott Doyle led
the field to the green, with the pair racing side-by- side into the first corner. Milnes had the lead
but Doyle wasn’t giving up without a fight and committed to the high line as he challenged for the
lead. It took a couple of laps but eventually Doyle was able to make the high side work for him
and he was able to race around the outside of Milnes in turn two to take control of the race.
Jayden Peacock was having a great run, carefully maneuvering his way into a transfer position,
while Brett Minett, in only his second race meeting in a Sprintcar, was sitting very comfortably in
third. The race was however brought under caution for the stopped car of Darren Silcock in turn
four. Doyle led the restart but Milnes dived underneath the Q43 racer in the first corner of the
restart to steal the lead back, just as Peacock raced underneath Minett and Dale Shilleto began
climbing his way through the field. Shilleto was having a brilliant run through the field, working
the high line and having a great battle with Peacock, but things turned sour when he ran a little
too high in turn three, slammed the wall, and tore the front right wheel from the car. Shilleto
was obviously unable to restart the event with just two laps left to run. Milnes led the restart
from Doyle, Peacock and Minett but it was battle between Minett and Anthony Vanderreyden,
over the final transfer position that had everyone captivated. Vanderreyden held nothing back
but Minett was determined and remained focused, hitting his marks and withstanding the
pressure of his more experience rival. Peter Milnes went on to take the win with Jayden Peacock
in second and Scott Doyle in third. Brett Minett crossed the line in fourth, securing the final
transfer to the A-Main, and his first A-main start, with Anthony Vanderreyden, Darren Silcock,
Kristy Bonsey and James Grady rounding out the finishers. Dale Shilleto did not finish the event.
Ben Atkinson and David Murcott led the field of eighteen starters around to take the green at the
start of the 30-lap A-Main event, with Lachlan McHugh and Luke Oldfield close behind. Murcott
quickly secured the lead while Oldfield made short work of displacing Atkinson from second to
secure the position for himself. Kevin Titman was working the high line trying to find a way
closer to the front, while Lachlan McHugh set his sights on another podium finish. Jayden
Peacock and Brett Minett both began to climb their way through the field, while Brent
Kratzmann worked the low line as he edged his way closer to the front. The race was soon
brought under caution when Rob Hamilton spun to a stop low on the track coming out of turn
four.
David Murcott led the restart from Lachlan McHugh and Luke Oldfield with Brent Aprile and
Andrew Scheuerle close behind. Steven White, who had lost ground during the first third of the
race, started to climb his way slowly back through the field, while Brent Kratzmann and Kevin
Titman battled for a couple of laps before Kratzmann managed to pull ahead and put a couple of
cars between them as he moved closer to the front. Jayden Peacock had a very impressive run,
making great progress as he quietly navigated his way past several cars to be the lead car in
battle with Brad Ayers, David Whell and Bryan Mann, all while keeping an eye on trying to close
the gap to Kratzmann ahead of them. Kratzmann was closing in on Atkinson and Aprile, while
Ayers and Whell found a way back past Peacock, and White started putting pressure on the back
of Titman. White soon found his way underneath Titman as they came out of turn two, and
managed to get past Peacock in the same spot on the following lap before setting his sights on
Doyle, who in turn was closing in fast on Dave Whell. White had a big look underneath Doyle but
could not quite get the job done, with Doyle then swiftly racing past Whell and leaving Whell and
White to argue over the minor places. David Murcott went on to take the win with Andrew
Scheuerle a strong second ahead of Luke Oldfield in third. Lachlan McHugh crossed the line
fourth and led Ben Atkinson, Brent Aprile, Brent Kratzmann, Brad Ayers and Bryan Mann across
the line. Scott Doyle rounded out the top ten with Dave Whell, Steven White, Jayden Peacock,
Brett Minett, Kevin Titman and Peter Milnes also completing the race. Rob Hamilton and Callum
Walker did not finish the event.
Lachlan McHugh took the overall series win in the east Coast Logistics Crispy Memorial Sprintcar
Series, securing the championship by just two points with Andrew Scheuerle, who has won
almost everything else season, in second. And that ladies and gentleman, wraps up the 2015-
2016 race season for all of us at Sprintcars Queensland. It has been a truly spectacular race
season with plenty of highs (and lows), and one that will long be remembered. Our end of
season presentation dinner is in a couple of weeks and the teams will have just a few short
months to prepare for a bumper 2016-2017 season, with the new season kicking off in mid
September 2016. Enjoy your winter break and see you trackside in September!