From JAK Media, Image courtesy of Baron Media
Starting from the outside of the front row, Todd Wanless led every lap of Saturday night’s twenty-five lap Feature event at Titan Garages Brisbane International Speedway to take the honours in Round 5 of the Qld Speedway Spares Series. The victory was Wanless’ first of the 2009/10 season.
It was almost a 1-2 finish for the ABC Auto Gear Racing team, with Dash winner Richard Morgan splitting Wanless and his team mate Pete Thorley in the final results. Morgan and Thorley, who started from position eight on the grid, waged a lengthy battle through much of the race for the runner-up spot with Morgan holding sway to record his best result of the season so far. Fourth across the line was Peter Lack ahead of Fast Time man David Muir in fifth.
Steven White, who sat third in Series points heading into Round 5, was out on lap one after finding the wall in turn three which allowed Dan Murray into the race as the first reserve after finishing fifth in the B-Main. Murray took full advantage of the situation and was one of the biggest movers of the race, racing from sixteenth to sixth at the flag.
V8 Supercar driver turned Sprintcar racer Paul Morris finished seventh in the #67 Supercheap Auto Eagle, ahead of Allan Woods and Bryan Mann. American Cap Henry, in reportedly his last drive before heading home to the United States, finished tenth in the Feature to claim the DMI Award courtesy of Qld Speedway Spares and DMI USA.
Darren Jensen, the winner of five Series Feature races last season, looked impressive early with two dominating drives to win his qualifying Heat races and finished third in the Dash, but his quest for his first win of the 2009/10 season came undone when he spun the #36 Titan Garages Maxim on lap three of the Feature. Jensen eventually finished twelfth, missing the opportunity to make up some valuable ground on the leaders in the Series Championship.
The next event at Titan Garages Brisbane International Speedway is the Sprintcar International on December 26 featuring Americans Brent and Bud Kaeding from California and Pennsylvania young gun Cody Darrah. Round 6 of the Qld Speedway Spares Series is scheduled for January 23 2010.
QSSS 5 Quick Results / Contingency Awards:
Qualifying (Top five): David Muir (11.578), Peter Lack (11.739), Bryan Mann (11.858), Allan Woods (12.066), Todd Wanless (12.111)
Capalaba Wreckers Heat Race Winners: Darren Jensen (2), Todd Wanless, Adrian O’Connell, Darrell Hodges, Ronnie Barber.
Eagle Chassis Dash: Richard Morgan, Todd Wanless, Darren Jensen, Allan Woods, Peter Lack, David Muir.
Del West B-Main (Top five, four to transfer): Bryan Mann, Adrian O’Connell, Darrell Hodges, Mathew Butler, Dan Murray
Qld Speedway Spares A-Main: Todd Wanless, Richard Morgan, Pete Thorley, Peter Lack, David Muir, Dan Murray, Paul Morris, Allan Woods, Bryan Mann, Cap Henry, Darrell Hodges, Darren Jensen, Matthew Butler, Adrian O’Connell, Ronnie Barber, Kevin Titman, Steven White (DNF)