MOUNT Gambier was host to the Australian Open Sprintcar Championships last week, which kicked off Thursday night and ran through to an adrenaline-pumped final on Saturday night.
With 80 cars entered for the event, 40 cars took to the track both Thursday and Friday night.
Drivers were on the pace from the outset, with time trials on Thursday seeing some of the big names in the sport set the early pace.
Darren Mollenoyux, Robbie Farr, James McFadden and Luke Dillon all topped their time trials, with the heats proving just as entertaining.
Starting out of eighth place in his first heat, McFadden showed he had plenty of pace for the weekend, working his way up to third, while Farr mirrored that performance in his first heat.
The pair then went on to start from pole in their second heats, with both greeting the chequered flag first.
Dillon moved up just one position in his first heat, but again went from flag to flag to claim his second.
Mollenoyux was fastest in his second heat and by the time the B Main preliminary had arrived there were a few fast runners at the front looking for one of the final four places in the main race of the night.
Ryan Jones, Ian Madsen, Adam King and Jesse Attard advanced through, but with Farr, McFadden, Mollenoyux and Dillon filling the first four places on the grid, a podium finish was always going to a be a tall order.
In the end just 14 of the 18 starters finished, with McFadden topping the list, ahead of Farr, Matt Egel and Dillon.
McFadden and Egel would finish the weekend with impressive runs in the championship decider on Saturday night.
From there Friday night threw up some of the favourites for the home crowd, with Steven Lines, Glen Sutherland and Brooke Tatnell all on the pace, while Jamie Veal and reigning champion Kerry Madsen topped the list.
Once again the time trials showed some serious pace for the local drivers as Lines and Sutherland topped their groups, with Sutherland beating Madsen to the chequered flag.
Fresh off a win at the Grand Annual Classic, Warrnambool’s Corey McCullagh was showing plenty of pace, as was Grant Anderson, recently returned from a stint in the USA.
The heats were equally as enthralling, with names such as Max Dumesny and Gary Brazier popping up at the pointy end, while Sutherland battled with McCullagh and Madsen just had the better of Lines.
Tatnell won a heat ahead of Veal, leaving the B Main preliminary to run.
Anderson crossed the line first to advance to the A Main, ahead of Sam Walsh, Keke Falland and Steven Caruso.
Falland garnered plenty of support for the “blue oval” fans, but again, the top of the list proved tough, with Veal, McCullagh, Madsen and Tatnell filing the first four places.
Sutherland had to be content with a seventh place start, while Lines was further back in 11th.
By the time the chequered flag fell Veal, Madsen and Tatnell filled the top three, with Lines rounding out the top five.
Sutherland slipped back to 11th, with just 12 of the 18 finishing.
The two nights set up an intriguing battle for the main night of action, which did not disappoint.
