It’s a big weekend coming up – with action on track at Logan (Interclub Round 2 for EP & GP Touring), Gold Coast (1/8 and 1/5) and the vintage boys gathering for the 25th anniversary spectacular at Ryde in Sydney.We’ll try and bring some stories from each place, but in the meantime, how about some tips for the interclub.
We’re bringing live updates over the weekend. Last update Sun 4.32pm…
540 Touring: I’m going to pick Matthew Belton (Sun Coast) to spring a suprise upset win in 540 or Chris Hyde (who incidentally is my early pick for 540 Qld Champs this year!). Could be Johnny Hyde to who for some reason is running 540 again.
Stock Touring: Pretty hard to go past Keith Mackrill, though Karl Yeung has been getting closer, and closer and closer. Could this be the day when the apprentice defeats the master? Or could the “Shev” show up with the new TC5 and demolish the lot of them? Or Johnny Hyde on home turf? Or the Mi3 twins Vardy and Heavy D?
19T Touring: The usual battle between mod and stock guys. This weekend it will be Mackrill v Perkins – oh and Martin Nichols. And Karl Yeung. Tough to pick but I’m going with John Perkins
Mod Touring: Most interesting class of the lot this weekend. Some of the normal fast guys might be missing in preparation for the Winter Cup in Sydney next weekend, and it will leave the field wide open. I think it will be John Perkins (a very welcome return), Michael Sherman (mega talent, but not sure about recent practice?), Drew Crawley (Sun Coast – overdue for a big win), Martin Nichols (always fast, and this time on home territory) or my pick, newcomer to modified, Andrew Shapland (and not just because he’s running the Mi3!).
Gas Tourer: John Taynton. End of story.
Pro Tourer: Jason Dorn. Ditto.
Interclub: Should be Logan on home soil. They were good enough to win away at Bayside in March and it’s hard to see them being beaten here. My tip is Sunshine Coast to finish second and setup a fascinating series – with Round 3 at home at Landsborough for the SCRCCC boys and girls.
Note: I reserve the right to change my tips if and when the final entry list is posted here.
Note also, we’ll have interclub points calculated and posted as soon as we get the results files from Logan. Check back early next week…
Day 1 Updates:
10.45am: 19T round one of qualifying is done. Keith Mackrill leads (Suncoast – Kyosho) from Martin Nichol (Logan – X-Ray), Karl Yeung (Brendale – Tamiya maybe?), Tim Weier (Brendale – Tamiya) and Chris Shevelling (Suncoast – AE TC5).
11.35: Round two, no change in 19t. 540 is Johhny Hyde, Tristan hyde, Chris Hyde, Nick Orr. Gas Tourer is Tony Nettleton, Hesham Kada, Heath Douglas
7.45pm: Final results: 19T keith Mackrill, Karl Yeung, Martin Nichols. Gas Tourer: Peter Giblin, Tony Nettleton, Hesham Kada. 540: Johhny Hyde, Tristan Hyde, Cris Hyde. For some reason Johny declined the first place trophy, so the others were bumped up and Matthew Belton given third.
Day 2 Updates:
2.35pm: Stock qualifying Keith, Karl Yeung, Aaron Fryer. Race one same order. Mod Qualifying: Michael Sherman, Drew Crawley, Martin Nichol, Andrew Shapland, John Perkins. A Final race one: Drew, John, Chris. More when we have it.
3.45pm: Stock A Leg 2: Mackrill, Fryer, ??, Yeung. So Keith wraps it up, and Yeung/Fryer battling for second and third. Mod A Leg 2: Shapland, Sherman, Perkins, Nichol, Crawley – so all on the line for the last final with any of Shapland, Sherman, Crawley and Perkins able to win it with a win and depending on results. Should be hot! Shaplan is running the new Mi3, Sherman the Corally Phi.
4.35pm: If there was ever any doubt that Andrew Shapland would make a strong transition to modified racing (and I don’t think there was) it was dispelled as Andrew took the third leg and overall win this afternoon from Drew Crawley.  It was (I think) the first “big race” win for the Schumacher Mi3 in Australia – well done Andrew!  The battle between these young guns could be pretty spectacular later in the year as the focus now moves to the Sunshine Coast (Drew’s home turf) for Interclub Round 3 and the Queensland Championships.  IN stock Mackrill took the win from Aaron Fryer and Tim Weier (to be confirmed).  More details later and full results plus series points as soon as we see them from Logan.