QUEENSLANDER Darren Kane completed an impressive weekend of racing at the Borderline Speedway with the Australian Super Sedans title on Sunday night.
Kane had to hold off a tough field in the final 40-lap feature race on Sunday, with South Australia’s Ryan Alexander in second, followed by reigning Australian champion Matt Pascoe.
More than 40 cars lined up for the national title, with Pascoe keen to improve on his recent visit to the Borderline Speedway, where mechanical issues cut his SA title hopes short.
Kane claimed the state honours that night and was in the box seat to add another title, this time at national level.
However, after night one Pascoe was at the head of the field, with the fast Ryan Alexander close behind.
From there it was Tasmania’s Steve Latham, Victorian Mick Nicola Jnr., Tyson Moon and Kane, before the Limestone Coast hope – Penola’s Dave Gartner – showed his hand.
Gartner displayed plenty of pace on his home track, but a race incident in Sunday’s heats may have affected his feature-race efforts.
Gartner again made heavy contact with the wall in the “big dance” and his Australian title chase was over.
After the opening night of racing just 20 points separated the top 10, with all set for a big Sunday night.
The cream of drivers put on an entertaining display, with Kane, Alexander and Pascoe kept on their toes throughout the two nights.
Gartner had shown plenty of pace early, with a fast time in practice on the Friday night, then went on to record a heat win, a second place and a fifth to put him in seventh overall for the first night of racing.
Pascoe managed three podium finishes – a first and two seconds – to put him top of the list, while Alexander managed a first, second and third to sit second overall.
Kane sat down in sixth – equal on points with Gartner – after first, second and fifth placings from his heats.
It meant there was plenty to do for all competitors on Sunday night in the final four heats before the feature races kicked off.
Kane claimed a win in his heat to set up his run forward, Alexander finished second, Pascoe fourth and Gartner was unlucky to hit the wall after dicing at the pointy end of the field.
Drivers then faced a do-or-die B Main feature race over 20 laps, before the final grid was set for the A Main.
Alexander started on pole for the big race, ahead of Kane, Pascoe and Mick Nicola Jnr.
Gartner was forced to start out of 12th place, with a huge effort needed to reach the pointy end of the field.
However, he pushed hard for the first part of the race, moving up to eighth place before hitting the wall hard and retiring.
A mechanical issue appears to have caused the incident.
While the opening laps saw a bit of carnage, the feature ran for some 30 laps virtually unimpeded, with Kane able to hold off the hard-running pack behind him.
For Borderline Speedway president Cary Jennings it was a huge weekend of racing, which included round five of the Street Stock MJS series.
“It was a big weekend for all of our volunteer staff,” he said.
“Our volunteers all know what they are doing and we rely on each other to do their bit.
“It was a big team effort,” Cary Jennings said.
“We are very proud of all of our volunteers.”
That was capped off by solid crowds on both nights, with the racing itself living up to expectations.
“The A Main for the Super Sedans had a few stoppages for about 10 laps, but nearly went non-stop after that,” Jennings said.
“It was edge-of-the-seat racing too.
“They were swapping and changing and then started to weave through traffic.
“The speed of the cars was phenomenal and they were running three and four wide into the corners.”
Jennings said it was a similar scenario for the Street Stocks, which certainly held up their end of the bargain.
“The street stocks were running five wide at one stage,” he said.
“The top four cars got away in the end, but the Mount Gambier drivers finished well.
“When you look through the heats they all got a win.
“The Heinrich cousins from Renmark took the cream in the end, but overall the two nights of racing was fantastic.”
The Borderline Speedway will now turn its focus to the upcoming South Australian Wingless Sprint title on March 20-21.
