From ABC Auto Gear
ABC Auto Gear Racing team driver Pete Thorley secured the 2009/10 Qld Speedway Spares Series Championship with an emphatic victory in the Final Round of the Series at Titan Garages Brisbane International Speedway (BIS) on Saturday night June 5, the Championship marking Thorley’s first in 410ci Sprintcar competition since his Qld State Title success in 2008.
Leading by twenty-nine points heading into the final BIS Sprintcar event of the season, Thorley set the scene for a successful night at the race track by setting the third fastest time of the hot lap sessions in the #51 Tyrepower/Action metal Recyclers Eagle with a respectable 11.839s lap of the 1/4 mile raceway, just 0.1 of a second slower than Fast Time man and team mate Todd Wanless.
Pete backed up his time with a fourth and a second placing in his two Heat races to qualify for the Dash, finishing sixth for an outside third row start in the Feature. In fact, under the points structure utilised in the Series, Pete had accumulated enough points by that point of the night to put himself in an unbeatable position in the Championship and only needed to start the night’s A-Main to secure the Title.
“It’s a great feeling to finally win this Championship.” Pete explained at the podium presentations after the race. “We’ve been close the last few years but never quite got over the line for one reason or another so this year we just looked at what we needed to do every week and just focussed on that all season. To win the Championship by winning the final race of the season here at Archerfield is a great way to do it, just a shame Todd got caught up there towards the end as we were looking like we might run 1-2 again tonight.”
“I really couldn’t ask for more, we’ve been given a great opportunity with the ABC team and I’m just glad we’ve been able to repay that faith and win the Championship for them. Steve, Buzzy, Greg and the boys do an awesome job each week in giving Todd and I cars that are capable of winning races and they work just as hard as anyone out here, they’re a great bunch of guys and they certainly make our job a lot easier. The Car Owners Championship that goes with this is a great bonus for the team, really proud of the guys and all they do for us.”
“As you know, Tyrepower came on board with us this season and to win the Championship with them in the first year is pretty special as well. They’re a great company and Rob Smith (Qld General Manager) comes out to the races to support us at the track as much as he can, I know he’ll be very happy with our success this season and Tyrepower have played a big part in that.”
“Thanks also to John and Kathy Kelly from BIS, Bill Mann and the guys at Qld Speedway Spares and all the associate and contingency sponsors for their support of Qld Sprintcar racing again this season, without it we wouldn’t get to race the way we do. Thanks also to the Club officials and volunteers for their work at and away from the track each week and of course, thanks to all the fans for coming along to the races, we love putting a show on for you and appreciate your support.”
Pete will be officially crowned the 2009/10 Qld Speedway Spares Champion at the Sprintcars Qld Presentation Dinner next month, where he will also receive the Car Owners Championship trophy and pool money cheque on behalf of the ABC Auto Gear Racing team.
In other racing on the night, Todd Wanless jumped into the team’s #51 Action Metal Recyclers Wingless Sprint in the absence of regular driver Thomas Carlile and immediately made an impact by racing from the back of the field to run second in his first Heat race. Todd again lined up at the back of the pack for the Wingless Sprints Feature, taking the lead mid-race and going on to win the twenty lapper by a comfortable margin on his debut in the class.
Just the one race remains on the team’s schedule for the season, with Pete, Todd and the team heading across the border to Lismore in the Northern Rivers region of NSW for the running of the Sprintcar Gold Cup this coming Sunday afternoon June 13. The team will then re-group through the Winter break and return to Titan Garages Brisbane International Speedway on September 18 for the opening night of the 2010/11 racing season.
ABC Auto Gear Racing – Results: Qld Speedway Spares Series Final
Q2 Todd Wanless: Fast time, Heats 4th/3rd, Dash 3rd, A-Main 12th
Q51 Pete Thorley: Third quick time, Heats 4th/2nd, Dash 6th, A-Main 1st
Team Partners And Supporters:
ABC Auto Gear Racing thank the following companies for their continued and valued support of their racing program:
ABC Auto Gear
Tyrepower
Action Metal Recyclers
Action Tyre Recyclers
Self Service Auto Parts
Grove Truck Sales
Rocklea Truck Parts
Aljon Manufacturing
Benic Enterprises
Lucas Oil Products
MHF Equipment Finance
MAN
KRE Race Engines
Pro Yamaha
Colorcorp
Jak Industries
Amazing Signs
PWR Performance Products
Wanless Enviro Services
Brisbane Truck Centre
Western Star Trucks
Wanless Truck Parts
B&B Caravans
Baron Media