MURCOTT WINS THE BATTLE BUT FARR WINS THE WAR AT TOOWOOMBA
Horrell Motorsport’s Dave Murcott has survived a last corner lunge from Robbie Farr to win the Clay Per View Triple Challenge Grand Final at Toowoomba’s Hi-Tec Oils Speedway.
However, Farr’s runner-up result was enough to secure the overall three-night series victory, after claiming the round one win at Toowoomba on Good Friday and claiming two heat wins at Archerfield before the meeting was abandoned to rain.
Farr began the final night by claiming Ian Boettcher Race Parts Quicktime, marginally quicker than Andrew Scheuerle and popular surprise packet, Andrew Wright, while Murcott was flying under the radar qualifying 7th.
Scheuerle, Lack, Bellbowen, Mann, Mark Pholi and Dean Thomas all recorded heats wins, however the B-dash made a huge impact on grid positions for the A-Main, with Mitch Gee and Peter Lack losing 4 and 8 spots on the grid respectively.
Taking a small break from preparations for the 50 lap A-Main, the top three qualifiers, Farr, Scheuerle and Kevin Titman assembled on the concrete pad for a right-rear change challenge for the chance to win $250 from Ian Boettcher Race Parts.
Despite an even start, Farr’s team of Nick Speed and Neil Kelly claimed the win, much to the delight of the crowd who enjoyed the break before the B Main, where Pholi, Thomas, Tranter and Dale Shilleto making the transfer to the feature race.
With the stage set for the main event, Farr qualified on pole alongside sparring partner, Andrew Scheuerle, and instantly, the multilane racetrack was super-fast yet still allowed great passing opportunities, until Dale Shiletto rode the wall through turn 3 in lap 12, bringing on an early open-red, and exposing the varying degrees of tyre wear though the field.
Jake Tranter, Dean Thomas and Peter Lack would also retire early, before Mark Pholi came to grief also in turn 3 to bring on the caution lights with 22 laps remaining.
The battle for second between Murcott and Scheuerle ended mildly with a light side by side collision in the front straight between the pair left Scheuerle out of the contest, and setting the stage for Murcott to have one last tilt at Farr who was within striking distance on the restart.
Finally with just 14 laps remaining Murcott discharged Farr of his front running duties with only one more restart to guard his spot.
With just four laps remaining, Farr fell back one last time, to wind up for a last ditch effort to lunge at Murcott on the last turn, to just fall short to the Mainline Dynalog Dynamometers #83 and give the Victorian his second win of the season.
The Wingless 40 lap feature was won by Jason Bates over Mark Blyton and Adam Butler, and ironically, the three night series was claimed by the same trio in the reverse order in a phenomenal battle that saw five different drivers lead the race.
The attention now turns to next Saturday’s USC QLD Grand Final on April 2, that will welcome the freshly crowned World Series Sprintcars champion Jamie Veal, and former two-time WSS and Australian champion, James McFadden.
