SPRINTCARS’ FINAL TOOWOOMBA SEASON APPEARANCE
By David Budden
Sprintcars tackle the high banks of Toowoomba’s Hi-Tec-Oils Speedway the last time this summer, Saturday night April 18, for the Grand final of the Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship.
At the top of the championship standings sits Brodie Davis on a comfortable 666 points. Mick Sauer is in second on 650, Nicholas Whell 636 points and a consistent Charlie Bowen on 630 points to round out the top four, with Cody O’Connell in striking distance on 622 points.
Glenno Inglis from the Sprint Shack has again put up the Lucky Dog Dash, paying $1,500 to win. It’s a standalone 8-lap race for drivers who haven’t featured on the podium at each of the USC Rounds. Although Brodie Davis currently leads the series through consistency and by not missing any rounds this season, Davis hasn’t yet featured on a USC podium this season and therefore qualifies, along with the other eight drivers who will line up with a four-car invert, based on qualifying times from Saturday night.
This weekend goes back to the two-heat format, and the points are close; only 16 points separate Brodie Davis from Mick Sauer. If you include Aaron Kelly and Jy Corbett. Dylan Menz, Harry Stewart, and the O’Connell Brothers, it will make for some exciting racing. And then there’s the locals, Tarhlea Apelt, Charlie Bowen, Anthony Lambert and Nathan Black, who can only add to the long list of talent arriving in Toowoomba this weekend.
DANNY DAVIDSON HONOURED
Harry Stewart won the Speedcar 50-lapper in Sydney last weekend and will again be on double duties for Round 7 of the Heritage Series.
At each round, the Toowoomba venue pays tribute to a person who has contributed to our sport, whether it be as a driver, official, owner or sponsor. The Heritage Series is to celebrate 90 years since Speedcar racing began in Queensland. On Saturday, we pay tribute to Danny Davidson, the final round of the series is the Jim Holden 50 lapper, May 9th, in Toowoomba.
Danny started his career in Compact Speedcars, winning the Queensland Title in 1966 and the Australian Speedcar Championship one year later. He then moved to Speedcars in 1968 with much success in a Holden-powered car. Initially, after a couple of nights in the Ron Wanless Offy, he was hooked. In May of that year, he took out the first of his 22 feature race wins at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds against the classy Offy brigade at the Ekka. He also finished third in the 100 lapper. Danny became the Queensland Champion in 1972,1981, and 82, his last Queensland title win was in 1991. He won two NSW Speedcar Championships 1981 and 83. Other career highlights include being the winner of the Australian Speedcar GP at Sydney Showground in 1974 and the Speedcar Derby at the same venue in the same year, being the first interstate driver to win two consecutive feature races at the Sydney Showground.
Harry Stewart will be looking for his fourth consecutive Speedcar main event win. The O’Connell Brothers are always competitive. Casey flew to Perth last Saturday night and finished second in the feature, and both have a busy night planned doing double duties this weekend. If you include Darren Vine and Dylan Menz also in the Sprintcar, the racing is sure to be exceptional.
Saturday night also features the Clay-Per-View Prelude to the Australian Championship for Late Models. A classy field of twenty Late models will arrive in Toowoomba this weekend. Featuring Daniel Cassidy from Sydney, he is the current Queensland Champion and certainly knows his way around Toowoomba Speedway.
Tasmanian Callum Harper is also one to watch, and with the Australian title firmly on his mind on May 2 and 3, he will certainly be on the pace come Saturday night.
Brad Smth and Ellis Dickerson are also making the long hall from the Apple Island.
Jamie Oldfield is heading across the Nullarbor to Queensland from Western Australia. Todd and Brock Atkins return to Toowoomba’s high banks this time with both brothers making their debut in Late Models.
Jordan Cunningham is in good form, having two feature wins this season back to back at Kingaroy and then Toowoomba.
With the Australian title coming up and the Queensland title to be held in Gladstone a week later, these events will encourage bigger numbers and better racing as we get closer to both events. Joel Berkley is also set to make his Queensland Late Model debut, competing against an exciting field that’s got drivers coming from Western Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales for the final hit-out and most important test and tune before next month’s national title. Berkley has proven he is one of the more versatile drivers in Australia. Give him four wheels and a steering wheel, and you find him on the podium most nights. The current Australian Champion and two-time winner of the Super Sedan national title finished third in the Modified Sedan Australian Championship recently and he will certainly be one to watch on Saturday night. Lightning Sprints have also been included in the action-packed program.
The Sprint Shack Lucky Dog Dash Qualifiers are Brodie Davis, Charlie Bowen, Cody O’Connell, Brent Kratzmann, Adam Butler, Cooper Norman, Aaron Kelly, Brodie Tulloch 1st Reserve: Mitch Gowland, 2nd Reserve: Ewan Oliver. USC podiums this season: Round 1. Lockie McHugh, Nic Whell, Jy Corbet. Round 2. Lockie McHugh, Nic Whell, Mick Sauer. Round 3. Rained out. Round 4. Ryan Newton, Luke Oldfield, Harry Stewart. Round 5. Lockie McHugh, Ryan Newton, Dylan Menz. Round 6. Harry Stewart, Randy Morgan, Ryan Newton.
Photo: Danny Davidson
Top 10 Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship Points Standings:
1. Q16 Brodie Davis 666
2. Q69 Mick Sauer 650
3. Q21 Nicholas Whell 636
4. Q83 Charlie Bowen 630
5. Q49 Cody O’Connell 622
6. Q2 Brent Kratzmann 604
7. Q10 Adam Butler 598
8. NS49 Cooper Norman 594
9. Q7 Aaron Kelly 586
10. NQ7 Lachlan McHugh 582
A practice night on Friday, April 17, has also been scheduled.
Date: Monday April 13, 2026
