IT was a drama-filled night of racing Friday at the Borderline Speedway, with round two the World Series Sprintcars providing an exciting spectacle.
Of the Limestone Coast competitors Steven Lines stood tall, claiming a fifth place finish in the A Main event after starting 14th on the grid.
For his efforts Lines claimed the hard charger award in a race that saw plenty of carnage.
Lines was patient and used the high line to his advantage and sometimes came a little too close to the wall for comfort out of turn two.
However, he simply worked his way forward after each restart and in the end was rewarded with the top-five finish.
Glen Sutherland found himself in the B Main event after a spin earlier in the heats set him back somewhat.
He began out of ninth place and could only work his way up to six, therefore not gaining a spot in the big show.
The Speedweek part of the WSS began on Wednesday night at Murray Bridge Speedway.
Lines arrived in Mount Gambier with a bag of points after claiming the honours on the opening night.
He showed plenty of pace throughout the night, with a third place off the A Main grid after the shootout, before claiming the race win.
That gave him the lead in the Speedweek series as the Borderline Speedway approached.
He had defeated Kerry Madsen at Murray Bridge after a flag-to-flag race.
But at the Borderline Madsen hit back, claiming the win ahead of David Murcott and Grant Anderson.
James McFadden finished just ahead of Lines.
Sutherland struggled from the outset, finishing fifth in heat one, while Lines managed a second place in heat three behind American Cory Eliason.
But not to be outdone, Sutherland returned serve in heat six, claiming the win with an inspired drive, while Lines was forced to settle for fifth place in the final heat of the night.
From there Madsen claimed the gold shootout to qualify on the front row of the grid in the A Main, while Lines had to settle for his 14th place.
The first stoppage occurred on lap two, with just a few more completed after the restart before the high-profile Jamie Veal came together with Rusty Hickman and the two were out of the race.
With close to half distance completed another restart closed the field up and before long a controversial stoppage accursed when Madsen gave Eliason little racing room out of turn four, with the American tagging the wall hard and his night was over.
In the end Madsen went on to win, claiming the series lead from Lines.
But that would change again after round three at Warrnambool.
Madsen was in trouble after a roll over in the heats put him on the back foot.
As a result he missed the A Main, with Lines in the box seat to reclaim the lead in the series.
However, Lines’s team was forced to change an engine before the shootouts, but managed a fourth place in the main event and subsequently skipped out to a 76-point lead overall.
On to Sunday and the V55 of Scott Motorsports finally joined the series, after flight delays in the USA caused a late entry for Brooke Tatnell.
But he was immediately on the pace, finishing in sixth place behind Lines in heat three and in seventh in heat eight.
Lines came from the bronze shootout to eventually claim third on the grid in the A Main, while Tatnell started down in eighth and Sutherland in 11th.
When the chequered flag fell Tatnell had worked his way up to fifth, Lines had dropped down to sixth and Sutherland slipped to the back of the field.
Madsen grabbed some valuable points off Lines after his fourth-place finish, as did McFadden with his victory, but the Mount Gambier driver still holds a handy 60-point lead with four rounds completed.
One more round remains for Speedweek – tonight at Warrnambool – with Lines in the box seat to claim the first big honours of the WSS season.
