THE “TWOs” AT HI-TEC OILS TOOWOOMBA SPEEDWAY

Feature photo: Sprintcar main event winner (night two), Lockie McHugh (centre) picture with runner-up Brock Hallett (left) and third-placed Matt Dumesny.

By David Budden:

It was a weekend of twos – tow different nights, two different race tracks with character and two different winners at Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway.

On Friday night (September 18) in qualifying, Michael Stewart set a quickest time after he stopped the clock at 10.763 seconds, while Jy Corbet was second fastest at 10.850 from Daniel Sayre (10.855) and Dylan Menz (10.878.) On a fast and character building track, there was less than half a second between the quickest seventeen cars, while just 0.940 separated the top 30 cars in a field of 34 indicating just how close the night was going to be.

Brody Appleby got a dominant win in the B-Main ahead of Aaron Kelly and Marcus Dumesny, while Tarhlea Apelt turned in a determined drive to finish fourth. Cody Maroske crossed the line fifth for the final transfer spot into the main event. Dylan Menz won the Dash convincingly, Karl Hoffmans finished second ahead of Daniel Sayre and Jy Corbet.

Night one of the Sedl Earthmoving Thunder on the Downs at Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway belonged to Dylan Menz who was on his A game from the start, winning his heat and the dash as a sign of things to come as he finished night on the top step of the podium. Brock Hallett came from position six and was brilliant in traffic as he crossed the finish line second ahead of Lachlan McHugh, who came from position thirteenth to finish third. He put on a show that had the crowd on their feet and earned McHugh the hard charger award.

When qualifying got under way on Night Two, Lachlan McHugh set quickest time with a remarkable 11.114 sprint to the chequered flag on his second lap. Brock Hallett was second quickest, stopping the clock at 11.256 and Jock Goodyer at 11.368.

Aaron Kelly took a brilliant win in the B main ahead of Brody Appleby and Dylan Menz, who came from fourteenth to lock himself into a transfer spot. McHugh dominated the Dash, taking the win ahead of Brock Hallett and Jock Goodyer.

McHugh and Hallett started on the front row of the A Main with early leader Hallett in control for most of the 35 lap race. Hallett looked good on the bottom, moving around through lapped traffic while McHugh ran high through turns three and four lap after lap searching for a way past.

The pace was intense as the two were in a race of their own with five laps to go, the opportunity that McHugh was waiting for happened midway between turns one and two. Hallett drifted a little wider then he had done on previous laps and that was enough for McHugh to drive past into the lead, the result would make 36 A Main wins in Toowoomba and a total of 101 in his 410 Sprintcar career so far. Matt Dumesny finished third to round out the podium after an impressive battle with Jock Goodyer as the laps wound down. Brock Hallett and GW Racing have the mark of consistency so far this summer with five nights of racing completed and five times on the podium.

Joel Berkley and Toowoomba’s Jordan Cunningham earned their right to start on the front row of round one of the Rudds Towing Dirt Late Model Allstar Series.

Berkley got the better start as the race settled into a rhythm with Berkley out in front

from Cunningham and Jai Stephenson.

Late Model feature race top three (night two). From left to right it’s third-placed Jordan Cunningham, winner Joel Berkley (centre) and runner-up Jai Stephenson.

After missing a heat race earlier in the night Tasmanian Ellis Dickenson found some pace and had moved into position four after a race long battle with Nathan Battersby and Carter Armstrong, on occasions racing three wide before moving to the high side and squeezing past. At the front Cunningham was under pressure from Jai Stephenson. At half race distance Stephenson briefly found himself in second as Dickenson tried to sneak up the inside as Battersby moved to the high line searching for a way through. Bryce Lack made his way back to fifth after a spin earlier in the race. At the chequered flag Berkley, who set quickest time earlier in the night with a 13.803 second lap, never put a foot wrong as he took a dominant win from Jordan Cunningham and Jai Stephenson. Thunder on the Downs concludes this coming weekend with nights three and four that will also double as the QSS Ultimate Sprintcar Championship.

Lightning Sprints, Legend Cars, plus round one of the Bullys Off Road 4WD Street Stock Dirt Masters Series will be the support program.

On Saturday night September 26 V8 Dirt Modifieds make their first Toowoomba appearance for the season and will contest the annual Super Rooster Classic. Legend Cars return for night two. If you like Modified Sedan Racing this coming Saturday night, September 26, is the night for you as round one of the Toowoomba Steering and Suspension Smackdown Series rolls into town.

Further updates on what is happening this week will be posted on the  Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway Facebook page.

Sedl Earthmoving Thunder on the Downs Night 1 Quick Results

Sprintcars

1. Dylan Menz Q46

2. Brock Hallett Q5

3. Lockie McHugh NQ7

4. Jock Goodyer A1

5. Jy Corbet NQ10

RSC Machinery Club Championship and PHVR Track Championship for  Wingless

1. Brody Thomsen Q18

2. Kristy Bonsey Q42

3. Jayden O’Toole Q52

Formula 500s

1. Amanda Chaffey SQ24

2. Cohen Archer NQ56

3. Bryce McGregor SQ48

Junior Formula 500s

1. Liam Campbell Q22

2. Zack Hilder Q66

3. Cooper Dawson Q81

Sedl Earthmoving Thunder on the Downs Night 2 Quick Results Sprintcars 

1. Lockie McHugh NQ7

2. Brock Hallett Q5

3. Matt Dumesny N57

4. Jock Goodyer A1

5. Daniel Sayre N16

Rudd’s Towing Dirt Late Model Allstar Series

1. Joel Berkley Q9

2. Jordan Cunningham Q99

3. Jai Stephenson N45

Compact Speedcars

1. Aston Rodriguez A1

2. Josh Gale Q8

3. Thomas Williams Q41

Everyday Finance Solutions Ultimate Modlite Series.

1. Dean Silcock Q17

2. Jayden Hancock N1

3. Terry Leerentveld A1