Andy Ticehurst

Ultimate Sedl Earthmoving Grand Finals for Sprintcars, Speedcars and Super Sedans

It was standing room only on a thrilling night at Toowoomba Speedway for the Ultimate Sedl Earthmoving Grand Finals for Sprintcars, Speedcars and Super Sedans and they didn't disappoint. The racing was fast and exciting on a well prepared track it allowed for plenty of passing opportunities from fence to the low line.
 
In yet another first at Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway saw 60 cars on the track at the same time all doing a four wide salute to the capacity crowd. Firstly Speedcars followed by Sprintcars then the Super Sedans and what a spectacle it made accompanied with a fireworks display. Something that had never been seen before at an Australian Speedway venue.
 
Twenty Sprintcars made it into the Grand Final in the Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship with Nicholas Whell having a career highlight with a brilliant run in the Stars Dash to get the win ahead of Lachlan McHugh and Cody Maroske. He and McHugh shared the front row for the start, McHugh got the jump and secured the race lead and while Whell settled into second. Cody Maroske sat in third while both Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann started going forward quickly running the high line.
 
McHugh still in front as Maroske drives into second with Nicholas Whell, Michael Stewart and Brent Kratzmann close behind with Luke Oldfield sitting just outside the top five. Oldfield slipped past Stewart and turned his attention to Whell, while this was happening Whell slid underneath Maroske in a perfectly timed move from the high line and back into second. Kratzmann got past Stewart while Oldfield slid underneath Maroske at pretty much the same time bringing the crowd to their feet only to tag the wall and hand it back to Maroske.
 
The battle between Oldfield and Maroske continued, with Oldfield again switching to the top through lapped traffic. Oldfield began to pull away, while Whell closed in on McHugh. Enter Brent Kratzmann he wasn't giving up and proceeded to put Oldfield back one spot and Whell before the lap was completed. Whell fought back and regained, but Kratzmann was determined and came back in one big slider to again pass Whell going into turn one. Kratzmann and Whell continued to trade places back and forth, absolutely thrilling the crowd as Oldfield closed in behind. Oldfield made his way underneath Whell then Kratzmann in quick succession to claim second and leave Nick and Brent to argue over third.
 
With ten laps left to run McHugh was still in front from Luke Oldfield and Brent Kratzmann, with Nicholas Whell holding down a comfortable fourth. Oldfield had a few big looks underneath McHugh while waiting for the right time to pounce and then Kratzmann relegated McHugh to third briefly as McHugh got back past Kratzmann a lap later.
 
McHugh took to the highline and began challenging Oldfield for the lead with three laps to run. McHugh took the lead briefly with Oldfield fighting back just as Jayden Peacock flipped right in front of them. Oldfield made contact with Peacock's car ending his night and left us all to wonder what could have been.
 
 
With three laps remaining Brent Kratzmann, having been second on the last completed lap, inherited the race lead with Lachlan McHugh second ahead of Nicholas Whell. With the white flag out McHugh remained committed to the top searching for a way past both top and bottom having a big look on a number of occasions racing around Kratzmann and taking the lead with just half a lap remaining. Only for the race to be brought to a stop when Jessie Attard flipped over in turn four. The race was declared, and with Brent Kratzmann, as the leader of the last completed lap. Lachlan McHugh claimed second ahead of an impressive Nicholas Whell in the drive of his career to date.
 
Harry Stewart put in an excellent drive holding back a number of challenges in the final of the GSA Advanced Machining Ultimate Speedcar Championship at the Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway. Stewart started on the front row alongside Kaidon Brown for the 30 lap Series final from the green light the action was intense with Michael Kendall and Troy Ware fighting for position. While behind them Nathan Smee, Casey O’Connell and Boyd Chaffey were charging forward in a big hurry. With a few laps left to run the race changed dramatically when Scott Farmer clipped the wall in the main straight, the result cutting the right rear tyre bringing on the yellow lights.
 
From the restart Stewart now had Brown right behind him while Troy Ware, Rusty Whittaker and Boyd Chaffey were still within striking distance. By this time Stewart was using the bottom half of the track making a nice rhythm for himself while Brown was ‘on the fence and winding up anticipating his run to the finish getting closer each lap to a point where the two levelled up. With two laps to go Brown bumped the wall in turn two slowing his progress.
 
After a deep breath from Brown and race fans alike wondering how that was going to end, this was all Stewart needed to cross the finish line for the Grand Final win. Brown kept the second while Boyd Chaffey came in for a well deserved third.
Zac Pascoe won the Ultimate Super Sedan Championship Grand Final but it was JJ Hamilton who became the overall Championship winner while the Pascoe family all stood on the podium at the end of the 30 lap feature father Matty in second, and Zac's brother Brad came from midfield to finish 3rd.
 
The next event at Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway will be the Cush Clothing Late Model Queensland Title on Wednesday night April 24th and the Hanceys Turf Australian Late Model Title April 26th and 27th. Don't miss this one. It's our last event for the summer and it's sure to be a cracker of a week. What better way to finish than the Australian Late Model Title. For more up dates in the coming weeks go to Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway Facebook page.
 
Release written by Toowoomba Speedway.
 
QUICK RESULTS
Ultimate Championship Grand Final
Sprintcars
Q2 Brent Kratzmann
A1 Lachlan McHugh
Q21 Nicholas Whell
 
Championship overall winner Lockie McHugh
 
Ultimate Super Sedan Championship Grand Final
6 Zac Pascoe
N1 Mat Pascoe
Q1 Brad Pascoe
 
Championship Overall winner JJ Hamilton
 
Ultimate Speedcar Championship Grand Final
7 Harry Stewart
92 Kaidon Brown
43 Boyd Chaffey
 
Championship Overall winner Troy Ware
Andy Ticehurst

Tom Sargent Test Day with DJR / Shell V-Power Racing Team

Tom Sargent had the opportunity to test with  DJR / Shell V-Power Racing Team in a current spec mustang at Queensland Raceway.  Here's what he had to say after his first run.

TV interview click here

Andy Ticehurst

Bathurst 6 Hour 2022

Car 1. Nick Percat has turned up the wick in his last stint to finish 3rd in the 2022 Bathurst 6 Hour. He and Shane Smollen & Rob Rubis had a great day and a fantastic result in the BMW M4.
 
They did however receive a 5 second post race penalty for an incident in pitlane but that didn’t affect there finishing position as they were way clear of the next car.
 
Car 58.  Drew Russell crossed the line in 5th in the BMW M3 earning the family team a magical result.
 
It wasn’t without their own issues. An intercooler issue mid race lost them time and then running out of fuel in pitlane again lost them time.
 
Aaren & Drew did some very solid stints mid race to place them in a great position in the run to the flag.
 
This is what the 6 Hour is all about! Family’s racing together and having a ball in the process.
 
Car 99 The Ellery Family BMW M3 finished 6th.
 
Dalton steered the car crossed the line in the final stint with he, his his dad and brother getting a great result. They fought had all day and didn’t give up.
 
Car 23 recovered from the lap 1 issue to finish in position 27
 
The boy were up against it after the fuel pump failed and took some 45 minutes to replace.
 
They didn’t give up with Will, Tim & Beric pumping out solid laps to claw there way back up the field.
Andy Ticehurst

ELLERY FAMILY RETURNS FOR SECOND B6HR CAMPAIGN

Steve Ellery doesn’t need a track map around Mount Panorama as he’s been going to Bathurst for a long time in a variety of cars.

Last year he decided to partner his kids in the BMW M3 and he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

“I was a little under prepared going into last year’s event due to me committing so late.  It didn’t really hamper me as I just love Bathurst and the adrenaline also helped” Steve said.

The event’s uniqueness gives families the opportunity to team up in one of the eight classes with the Ellery’s choosing the outright class X in a BMW M3.

“Our M3 will again be maintained and serviced by the team at Bruce Lynton Service on the Gold Coast as part of a four-car operation” said Ellery Sr.

“My two boys are enjoying their racing and Dalton has expanded to a TA2 program as well.  As a father its very rewarding seeing them compete and having fun with the family trackside.  I’ve had 17 odd starts at Bathurst and now it’s all about them” Stated Ellery.

The event at easter will be streamed ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.

TV interview click here