In a career-best performance, Lachlan Onley has
taken out a thrilling opening round of the 2011/2012 Carline
Mufflers National Super Sedan Series at Gympie’s Mothar Mountain
Speedway last night. In front of a huge Thursday night crowd,
Onley edged out Darren Kane in a superb scrap, the outcome of
which was impossible to predict even as they swept through the
final corner on the final lap.
Aboard his new Dencol Transport Sweet-Mustang,
Onley was unflappable despite several restarts in the opening
stages of the event and the unrelenting pressure from the
defending series champion in Kane, who drew alongside on several
occasions but just could not make the pass stick. Although the
record books show that Onley led every lap of the event, such
statistics do not accurately reflect the sheer intensity of the
battle for the lead.
South Australia’s Dave Gartner (Castrol
Dominator-Mustang) finished in third spot ahead of Australian
champion Steve Jordan and the Tasmanian duo of Jarrod Harper and
Brad Smith. After much local media attention through the week
and a huge reception during pre-race driver introductions,
hometown favourite Mark Pagel emerged as the best of the
non-contracted drivers and the Shock Doctor Lucky Sevens winner,
with Michael Nicola, Wayne Randall and Sam Hughes rounding out
the top ten.
Elf Racing Methanol Rookie of the Year contenders
Steve Latham and David Nicholls experienced mixed fortunes on a
track completely unlike anything at home in Tasmania, with
Latham ultimately finishing 11th overall ahead of Bill Miller,
with Graeme Elliott completing the finishers. Joining Nicholls
on the infield as the laps wound down were Shane Best, Barry
Craft, Des Korn, Jack Childs, Des Korn, Victorian champion Lucas
Roberts, Western Australia’s Rob Bawdon and 2010/2011 series
runner-up Trent Wilson.
As is so often the case, the Gympie circuit
produced a terrific spectacle and the racing throughout the
night was of the highest quality. Several heat races produced
blanket finishes and there were no major incidents, with only
Dave Mackenzie and Les Pascoe failing to make the feature.
Pascoe hurt his engine in hot laps, while damage sustained in
his second heat ended Mackenzie’s night. Whilst Onley and Kane
snared two heat wins apiece in the preliminaries, it was the
former who picked up the cash bonus as the Monroe Pole Winner
for the 35-lap feature. Other heat winners were Harper, Jordan,
Smith, Gartner and Wilson (Cobra-Cote Dominator-Charger).
Round two of the championship will be decided at
Toowoomba’s Charlton Raceway on Saturday night (December 31),
with round three at Tyrepower Sydney Speedway on Wednesday,
January 4.
Contingency Awards
Shock Doctor Lucky Sevens:Mark
Pagel
Supercharge Hard Charger:Sam
Hughes
Monroe Pole Winner:Lachlan
Onley
Oval Express Best Presented Car and Crew:
David Nicholls
2011/2012 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan
Series progressive pointscore: Lachlan Onley 695,
Darren Kane 639, Dave Gartner 588, Steve Jordan 537, Jarrod
Harper 503, Brad Smith 463, Mark Pagel 432, Michael Nicola 400,
Wayne Randall 380, Steve Latham 361, Bill Miller 360, Sam Hughes
358, Rob Bawdon 355, Trent Wilson 347, Graeme Elliott 339, Shane
Best 338, Barry Craft 322, David Nicholls 321, Jack Childs 318,
Des Korn 310, Lucas Roberts 309, David Mackenzie 288, Les Pascoe
205
The 2011/2012 Carline Mufflers National Super
Sedan Series is proudly supported by:
Carline Mufflers
Speedway Australia
Speedway Sedans Australia
Lukey Performance Products
Supercharge Batteries
Monroe Shock Absorbers
JD Couriers
Ian Boettcher Race Parts
American Tire and Racing Services
Hoosier Tyres
AFCO Shock Doctor
Oval Express Magazine
Elf Racing Australia
Bob Jane T-Mart Modbury
Motel Le Grande (Albany)
Comfort Inn and Suites Robertson Gardens
Photo: Round 1 winner Lachlan Onley
