Australian Sprintcar Championship

The 2022 Australian Sprintcar Championship was held at Archerfield Speedway on Saturday 30^th April & Sunday 1^st May.

This was our first Australian Title, held at my home track of Archerfield. We were quietly confident going into the race meet, as I feel I have been driving well at Archerfield (especially 2 shows ago when I got my first win there).

There was a total of 48 cars entered, which was 2 flights, and we drew the very first car in the second flight. We went out for qualifying and got to do hot laps which was great. When it was my turn to qualify I had 2 laps to lay my best time down – I ended up doing a 12.309 on my second lap. With that time I ended up 5^th overall which I was happy about.

Heat 1 I started from 4^th as the field was a 6 invert. I managed to get up to 2^nd place in the first 3 laps but then lost 2 spots and dropped back to my start position of 4^th. It then took me a few laps before I managed to get around the outside of 3^rd place and come home in 3^rd, moving forward 1 spot which is good as it’s all about points on night one.

Heat 2 the track was a bit trickier and I started out of 5^th which is the inside row. I ran a good race even though it was tricky and you had to be spot on to hit the grip section in the track. I missed it more times than I found it but ended up finishing in 5^th – not ideal but still ok as I didn’t lose any spots and that’s the main thing.

With qualifying and heat races done I was sitting tied in 14^th spot. This meant I was in the “B” main, missing the direct transfer into the “A” main by 1 spot, so I was starting off pole in the “B” main. 2^nd place was the better spot to start as the track was around the top. I got passed on the first corner and was in 2nd place after that and that’s where I finished the “B” Main.

There was no point in pushing it as the top 4 go through anyway, so I had made the transfer. As it turned out I shouldn’t have been in the “B” main (as I did a faster time than the guy I was tied with in qualifying, so therefore he should have been in the “B” main instead).  That doesn’t matter as we still made it in regardless.

I started 3^rd last in the feature – I just sat in as wanted to finish with a straight car to get ready for Day 2. I did just that, drove very conservatively and in the last 10 laps passed a few cars to finish 12^th in the “A” main feature on night 1.

All in all, it was a great night – I drove well and got good points in readiness for the main on Sunday. (After Saturday I was sitting 12^th overall in points out of 48 cars which I was really happy about).

The team went home that night and had a good sleep-in before we got up, serviced the car and then headed back to the track for the main day. We headed out for engine start where I warmed the engine up and everything seemed perfect! It was then our turn for hot laps, so we went back out. I didn’t even get 1 full lap in before we broke a push rod in the engine – blowing our engine up and putting a hole in the side of the block. Through no fault of anyone’s at all, it’s just one of those things sometimes, it’s just a real shame it had to be the Australian Title Race!!!!

That was the end of our Australian Title campaign for this year. From sitting 12^th overall after day 1, to then blow our engine up really sucked … that’s racing and what doesn’t break you only makes you stronger, or so they say!! Anyway, we will get it fixed up and get back out there as soon as we can.

Saturday Results Below:

Hot Laps time: N/A

Time Trials: 12.309 (5^th overall in our flight)

Heat 1: started 4^th finished 2^nd

Heat 2: started 5^th finished 5^th

Dash: N/A

B-Main: started 1^st finished 2^nd

A-Main/Feature: started 16^th finished 12^th

Sunday Results Below:

N/A

Thanks to all my sponsors, family and crew for all their support and help getting me out on the race track each week.

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Sprint Shack

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