James McFadden won the WSS debut at Maryborough Speedway (44 Photography) (Video Highlights from SpeedShiftTV.com)
James McFadden led every lap of a rare flag-to-flag main event at Fraser Shores Maryborough Speedway last night to record his fiftieth podium finish in QSS World Series history.
It was the first time the venue had hosted a World Series round, and the club was rewarded with a massive crowd despite the unconventional Tuesday night billing and the easy access for fans to witness the tour at other nearby venues.
It was a return to a happy hunting ground for McFadden who claimed his first Queensland Sprintcar Title in Maryborough as a fresh-faced teenager in 2009, and he began the last night by qualifying directly behind Revolution Racegear Quicktime winner Luke Oldfield.
Brooke Tatnell and Lockie McHugh stepped up their qualifying campaigns by timing 3rd and 4th while Kerry Madsen slightly missed the mark placing 7th.
Oldfield produced the drive of the event, driving from 8th to win the first heat amid some messy starts that claimed Lockie McHugh in the first turn.
The second heat didn’t deliver as much passing, however Wide Bay raised Brock Hallett made the most of the front row start to win convincingly, before repeating the feat in heat three, after Luke Oldfield rode the wall in turn one and destroyed his car to force an early retirement from the event.
Glen Sutherland was impressive in heat four claiming the win and locking into the Top Eight, however Lockie McHugh once again was victim of unfortunate placement that would damage the J&S Drilling #W60 and return him to the infield.
Tasmanian Jock Goodyer made the most of the Shootout advancing from the Bronze through the Silver and into the Gold to be promoted from a fourth row start to the second row for the Main Event grid, while Brock Hallett trumped Goodyer to advance from the Silver Shootout to steal a front row spot from Kerry Madsen, who would now start from the inside of the second row. McFadden meanwhile sealed pole position by writing a new track record of 11.051 seconds.
It was that same speed and confidence that would be McFadden’s biggest asset for the 35 lap Main Event, gapping the field instantly while Hallett desperately tried to stay in touch while under constant threat from Madsen.
It would take seventeen laps before Madsen could take over the runner up spot from Hallett who would then surrender 3rd to Jock Goodyer some six laps later, and in the final ten circulations, the podium would remain unchanged despite Madsen almost coming within striking distance of McFadden on two occasions. Hallett would settle for 4th ahead of Brooke Tatnell and Pennsylvanian Lucas Wolfe.
“It was really tough to lap cars there,” McFadden said in victory lane. “The last four or five laps were terrible for me, but it’s fun when you win them. We haven’t been the top car the last few nights. We’ve been third or fourth, but this makes it all worth it.”
Gympie’s Andrew Corbet earned the American Racer Hard Charger advancing from 14th to 10th.
McFadden has extended his overall championship points lead 72 marks over Madsen while Brock Hallett still maintains the third spot on 1754. Jock Goodyer is on 1717 points to lead the Rookie of the Year battle over Lucas Wolfe on 1688 in fifth and Brooke Tatnell just five points behind in overall standings in sixth.
The tour returns to Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway this Friday and Saturday for the 24th running of the Titan Garages Australian Sprintcar Open.
QSS CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 10
1 James McFadden 2099
2 Kerry Madsen 2027
3 Brock Hallett 1754
4 Jock Goodyer 1717
5 Lucas Wolfe 1688
6 Brooke Tatnell 1663
7 Lockie McHugh 1575
8 Rusty Hickman 1500
9 Dave Murcott 1435
10 Cory Eliason 1237