NEWTON AND STEWART STAR AT TOOWOOMBA SPEEDWAY

Feature photo courtesy: Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway. Scott and Debbie Shepherd pictured with Blair Shepherd Tribute Night Speedcar winner Harry Stewart (centre), feature race third place getter Bailey Leeson (left) and runner-up Scott Farmer.

 By David Budden

Ryan Newton has won round four of the Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship, while Harry Stewart took out the inaugural Blair Shepherd Tribute.

Newton started on the front row alongside Aaron Kelly in the Sprintcar feature.  

Kelly got the better of the start but Newton raced underneath him as they completed the first lap only for Kelly to return the favour as he rounded turn two to regain control of the race.  Newton then raced back underneath just moments later to move into the race lead, but the best racing was coming from the back as Harry Stewart made his way forward. 

Stewart set a sizzling pace advancing from position 18 after coming from 8th in the B main.  

Deep in traffic Stewart and Callum Walker continued to battle as they both searched for a way past Charlie Bowen, at one stage four wide through turn four as they battled on the high side.  While this was happening Brodie Davis raced underneath Jayden Peacock, while Luke Oldfield made his way underneath Cody O’Connell, the pair coming together briefly as they argued over third.  O’Connell fought back but couldn’t get the job done.

At that point there was plenty going on and no one really knew where to look. Stewart was all over the back of Davis and searching high and low. Stewart moved to the high line as he tried to race around both Davis and O’Connell, he dropped to the bottom and slid underneath Davis.  Davis fought back a lap later, while out in front Newton was trying to make his way through heavy lapped traffic as Oldfield began to close in as one of the top contenders.  

Stewart and Davis spent the next few laps swapping positions and with four laps to run Stewart made his move passing Davis and into third.  Only for him to fire a shot back. The racing between the two was intense. Stewart again raced past on the bottom and as Davis tried to follow through.   

Davis drove underneath Stewart in a bold move with two laps to run, O’Connell having one last shot to finish on the podium raced underneath them both.   Stewart and Davis got the better and raced back underneath O’Connell as they raced wide open, those 410 motors begging for mercy down the back straight.   With Stewart slightly in front as Davis was setting up for a slider on the bottom. 

Stewart and Davis greeted the white flag side by side before Stewart raced around the top as they headed down the back straight in third for the final time.  There was no stopping Ryan Newton out in front as he took the win in a brilliant drive through traffic ahead of a hard charging Luke Oldfield who fought with an ill handling car after sustaining front wing damage after contact with O’Connell, the pair coming together as they fought over third during the exciting  race which at various points had the crowd on their feet wanting more of the action which didn’t disappoint. 

Harry Stewart secured a hard-fought third, an impressive effort coming from the middle of the B-Main and having won the reverse grid feature for the Speedcars prior to the Sprintcar feature 15 minutes earlier.  The talented twenty-one year old drove through two classy fields for two podium finishes.  

Harry Stewart has won the Inaugural Blair Shepherd tribute night.  Shepherd, one of the all time greats of Australian Speedcar racing would have been ecstatic with the outcome as the fastest cars came from the back just as he did during his stellar career.  Blair’s son and daughter, Scott and Debbie, were there to present the trophies in the shape of a BMX style number plate symbolizing his commitment to BMX racing over many years.   

Stewart charged through the field in reverse grid format in a race that we knew was going to produce plenty of action and it didn’t disappoint with cars running three wide at various points in the race. 

By mid race Toowoomba’s Bailey Lesson had advanced to third.  Further back Stewart, brilliant in traffic, had weaved his way through traffic and was taking advantage of every opportunity on his charge to the front making his way into second with 1 lap to go where he made his move to the lead taking the popular win ahead of Scott Farmer and Bailey Leeson.   

The Super Rooster Classic for V8 Dirt Modifieds was won by Seiton Young from Kevin Britten and Luke Dunn while Dion Wilson stood on the middle step of the podium for compact Speedcars from Josh Gale and Andrew Parks.  

Speedway action returns to Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway on December 6th featuring the Super Sedan Queensland Series 360LS Sprintcars. The Wingless King of the Ring 50 lapper plus Modified Sedans, AMCA Cars and Street Stocks. A practice has also been scheduled for Friday night December 5th. 

QUICK RESULTS 22 November

Sprintcars

1. Ryan Newton

2. Luke Oldfield

3. Harry Stewart

V8 Dirt Modifieds

1. Seiton Young

2. Kevin Britten

3. Luke Dunn

Speedcars

1. Harry Stewart

2. Scott Farmer

3. Bailey Leeson

Compacts

1. Dion Wilson

2. Josh Gale

3. Andrew Parkes