IT was a flag-to-flag run for the SRA sprintcars last weekend’s A Main feature race at the Borderline Speedway’s opening round of the season, with James McFadden clearing out for an impressive and popular win.
McFadden had to overcome a fast Marcus Dumesny off pole, along with a full field eager to knock off the in-form driver.
McFadden started out of second place alongside Dumesny, with young gun Corey McCullagh in third and Jock Goodyer filling the second row.
Dumesny had set a fast pace throughout the night and led from the start, but McFadden soon showed his hand and claimed the lead with around 20 laps to run.
From there he began to dominate and picked his way through lapped traffic as the race continued unimpeded.
While drivers jostled for the minor placings, McFadden simply drove to victory.
Mount Gambier’s Steven Lines worked hard mid-field after starting out of seventh place.
He used the high line well, but was unable to make inroads into the hot pace ahead and had to settle for sixth place.
He was eventually passed by McFadden, as were all drivers up to fifth place.
McCullagh held on for a hard-earned second place, ahead of Dumesny and Goodyer.
The night started well for the season opener, with a decent crowd enjoying the pleasant conditions.
Little rain had fallen leading up to the night, but staff still needed to work hard on the racing surface to ensure it was at its best.
After some support categories were run, the sprint cars hit the clay and the pace was on.
Lines claimed the opening heat, after starting out of second place, while McCullagh led from start to finish in the second.
McFadden took the win in the third heat from pole, while Glen Sutherland came home in fourth place, dropping two positions from the start and Bobby Daly claimed the fourth heat.
The reverse grids saw some interesting results, with Lines forced to start out of ninth in heat six and could only move up to seventh, while Dumesny showed his pace and moved from sixth to claim the heat win.
Likewise Sutherland found himself in ninth place for his next heat and showed plenty of early pace, but contact through turns one and two saw him on his roof and out of contention.
That forced him to come through the B Main, where he failed to advance to the big show by just one position.
The final heat of the night saw McFadden set the scene for what was to come, with a barnstorming drive from the back of the grid for the win.
However, in the pole shootouts Dumesny set the pace to start off the front in the A Main feature.
Jake Tranter started off pole in the C Main and led from start to finish to book a spot in the B Main.
Tranter escaped the carnage, as regular stops threatened to derail the race.
Despite the disruptions the majority of the field finished, but Scott Enderl was down in ninth place and missed a transfer to the penultimate feature.
The B Main saw a similar scenario, with one driver ending his night upside down against the catch fence.
Sutherland started out of fifth place, but dropped down the field and missed the A Main, while Tranter failed to finish and his night was done.
But it all settled down for the A Main feature, with an entertaining stoush early, followed by some impressive driving in the non-stop run.
