TOOWOOMBA DONDEX ULTIMATE PINK NIGHT ATTRACTS BIG CROWD

Feature photo: Speedcars: 1. Harry Stewart N89; 2. Scott Farmer Q22; 3. Casey O’Connell Q23. All photography by: Matthew Paul Photography

By David Budden:

The total amount of dollars raised for the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation and BreastScreen Queensland Toowoomba Service following Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway’s Dondex Ultimate Pink Night, Saturday February 21, will be known later in the week.

The generous support from so many wonderful people general public, drivers and teams donating and supporting the cause should tally up to a significant amount of money with over 3000 spectators in attendance. Your generosity has not gone unnoticed.   Thank You 

Harry Stewart won the 90th anniversary of Speedcar racing in Queensland feature race after coming from position four.  Stewart briefly went to the front on lap 4 only to see Casey O’Connell snatch it back. They traded places at both ends of the track numerous times putting on a show for the crowd before Stewart secured the lead at half race distance.  With 5 laps remaining Scott Farmer found the opportunity he needed on a restart. He drove under Casey O’Connell with 3 laps left and gave chase to Stewart but didn’t get close enough to mount a challenge simply running out of laps in what was a race that had a little bit of everything as only Speedcars can produce, keeping the huge crowd entertained.  

Sprintcars:1. Lockie McHugh NQ7; 2. Ryan Newton Q66; 3. Dylan Menz Q46

Lockie McHugh took the win in round 5 of the Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship ahead of a spectacular Ryan Newton, with Dylan Menz determined to round out the podium.  Menz showed he is more than capable amongst two of Australia’s best drivers. Out of 45 nominations, it came down to the top twenty fastest cars with  McHugh and Newton who earned their right to start on the front row.   McHugh secured the lead ahead of Newton, but what unfolded behind them brought on the yellow lights after a number of cars were involved in a crash in turn one.  

A full restart followed with McHugh and Newton again leading the way. Behind them Harry Stewart who later succumb to a broken wheel center which left him parked up against the wall spoiling what could have been, he  and Dylan Menz made their way past Mick Sauer by this time Newton had settled into second ahead of Brodie Davis.  Menz saw an opportunity and drove his way underneath Davis as they rounded turn four. 

Luke Oldfield went to the high line and started making impressive ground and  advances quickly, while Dobson, Mick Sauer and Casey O’Connell had a huge battle in midfield.  Dobson sat in fourth but with O’Connell and Oldfield closing in fast it was time to lift his game as Tarhlea Apelt was also making progress after winning her heat earlier in the night.  Newton closed in on McHugh as they began to navigate lapped traffic, with Newton making his move with around nine laps to run. Newton was determined and raced underneath McHugh, McHugh who wanted no part of that quickly returned the gesture. Newton had another big look straight back underneath McHugh and again slid underneath.

The lead changed numerous times lap after lap.  McHugh again settled into the lead now knowing Newton was serious, lifted and started to pull away.  Newton stayed close but not close enough to make another pass.  McHugh went on to take the win ahead of Ryan Newton and Dylan Menz.

Modlites: 1. Callum Beerling Q3; 2. Casey Collins Q521; 3. Terry Leerentveld A1

For Pink nights round 3 of the Everyday Finance Solutions Ultimate Series for ModLites some of the best drivers and teams assembled for the 20 lap sprint to the checkered flag.  As they headed into turn one three wide, Harry Lumsden swept right around the top as the four wide battle for the lead raged on as current Queensland Champion Mitch Pammenter went charging through the middle.

When the race started to settle into a rhythm Casey Collins was leading at the halfway point from Klinton Hancey and Terry Leerentveld who was being pushed along by Lachlan Gardiner who was searching for a way past both high and low.  While this was happening Callum Beerling slipped through the gap and went forward quickly. Collins now started to work his way through traffic as Beerling moved into third and it wasn’t over just yet, levelling up with Collins as they raced down the back straight.  Beerling moving to the top and winding up momentum and into the race lead as Leerentveld slips back to fourth as the laps continue to wind down.  Callum Beerling would race on to win the series round Casey Collins would finish second  with Terry Leerentveld fighting back to finish third on a challenging track that still delivered two and three lines of racing. 

In the Dondex Modlite Challenge Mitch Pammenter, Terry Leerentveld  and Callum Beerling went up against three Sprintcar young guns Lachie McHugh, Ryan Newton and Luke Oldfield in the modlites match race. Mitch Pammenter becoming the  2026 Pink Night match race Champion. 

The Super Rooster Champion of Champions feature race was entertaining from the green light as the lead cars set a cracking pace. 

Zac MacDonald the first to get away and into turn one as he moves to the top as Kurt Wilson drops to the bottom and into the race lead from Seiton Young with Brayd Stephenson next in line from Andrew Pezzuti and Sam Bruggy in the top 5 mix.  Shortly after Bruggy clipped the back straight wall and flipped over taking Ray Klarich with him, Phil Roberts quickly flicked the car sideways to avoid contact after the opening laps. From the restart Kurt Wilson led the field away from Zac MacDonald and Seiton Young and Andrew Pezzuti started to open up the throttle moving into fourth.  As MacDonald and Young were having their own battle over second and third MacDonald tagged the concrete wall as he set out after Wilson who was enjoying a comfortable lead.  At this point in the race he makes his way through traffic with ease as Young starts to slowly close the gap with 5 laps to go.  Young made his move dropping to the bottom and couldn’t make it work that time around but that didn’t stop him trying with the white flag flying he saw an opportunity he had been waiting for and drove by to win on the last lap. Kurt Wilson would finish second after leading for the majority of the race Zac MacDonald third in what was a very entertaining feature race as they head toward the Sweetacres Sparkle Park Australian V8 Dirt Modified Australian Title at Hi-Tec-Oils Speedway on May 2nd and 3rd alongside the Late Model Australian Championship.

V8 Dirt Modifieds:1. Seiton Young N42; 2. Kurt Wilson N16; 3. Zac MacDonald Q51

Toowoomba Speedway returns on Saturday 07 March for the 360-LS Sprintcars Queensland Title plus Round 6 of the Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship.

QUICK RESULTS | Pink Night

Sprintcars

1. Lockie McHugh NQ7

2. Ryan Newton Q66

3. Dylan Menz Q46

V8 Dirt Modifieds

1. Seiton Young N42

2. Kurt Wilson N16

3. Zac MacDonald Q51

Speedcars

1. Harry Stewart N89

2. Scott Farmer Q22

3. Casey O’Connell Q23

Modlites

1. Callum Beerling Q3

2. Casey Collins Q521

3. Terry Leerentveld A1