STEWART CLEANS UP IN TOOWOOMBA

By Barry Lane 

 Third-generation racer Harry Stewart  was unbeaten at the Hi-Tec Oils Toowoomba Speedway on Saturday November 2, . He set Quick Time, won his heat and then the GSA Advanced Machining Ultimate Speedcar Championship Round 1 feature, his second feature win in a row.

During timed hot laps, Stewart’s time of 14.047 was just ahead of Casey O’Connell (14.111), Dylan Menz (14.245), Scott Farmer (14.283) and Darren Vine (14.321) who is Stewart’s uncle.

Stewart’s time meant he started from P6 in the opening 10 lap heat, but he didn’t stay there long. He drove around the outside of the field in the first turn and was level with point man Tom Clauss when they reached the next corner and was ahead when they completed the lap. Rusty Whittaker also moved ahead of Clauss late in the race to finish second.

Michael Kendall  did similarly in the next heat from P4 to win from Scott Farmer who pipped his team-mate Daisy Smith right at the end.

 Stewart and Kendall made up the front row of the 20-lap A Main. The initial start was quite untidy and bad turned to worse in turn 1 when a coming together of some cars saw Kendall, Tim Devine and Seth Atkinson eliminated while Daisy Smith was able to refire.

The restart only made a lap when the yellow light appeared again. Farmer had hit the inside wall in turn 3/4 and slowed suddenly to get off the track and was hit from behind. It was third time lucky, and the race went non-stop from the third start.

Stewart sped to the front and was unchallenged but back behind him there was plenty of action. Casey O’Connell  was second during the opening laps with Dylan Menz  next and then Whittaker, Paulger and Clauss. Whittaker kept going forward and took third from Menz on lap 5. Menz was the only driver trying the high line, but the low line was proving to be faster and he quickly lost a couple of spots and dropped back to sixth.

During lap 10 Whittaker moved past O’Connell to take second and Lacy Paulger  took fourth. However, O’Connell kept hounding Whittaker as they raced low on the track and close to the inside wall.

O’Connell’s persistence paid off when he raced inside Whittaker as they took the white flag and held on to finish second behind Stewart with Whittaker third then Paulger and Menz with thirteen cars finishing.

QUICK RESULTS – 2 NOV

Sprintcars

1. Lockie McHugh

2. Brock Hallett

3. Ryan Newton

 360-LS Sprintcars

1. Ryley Smith

2. Jacob Jolley

3. Kye Jensen

Speedcars

1. Harry Stewart

2. Casey O’Connell

3. Rusty Whittaker

Modified Sedans

1. Aidan Raymont

2. Brodie Boss

3. Max Clarke