News - Modified Production Number 8
Maryborough - 10 April 2010 - Final Round Qld Series
40 cars nominated to compete in Maryborough for the final round of the Qld Exide Batteries series and the final round of the Fraser Coast series. We are currently sitting in 25th on the Fraser Coast series ladder after missing a round, and are currently in 7th on the Qld Series table. A top 10 finish would be great - a top 5 finish would be fantastic. We are only one point behind Greg Worling in 6th and Todd Doyle in 5th isn't nominated to compete so if we were to have a good run tonight, there is the chance of a top 5 finish.
Unfortunately having a good run was too much to hope for. Rodney had a bit of a disastrous run.
Heat one Rodney was running in 3rd when he pulled onto the infield in a cloud of smoke. All the smoke looked fatal for the engine, luckily it was only a blown tappet cover gasket, but Rodney and the car were completely covered in oil. A DNF in the first heat was a bad start to qualifying for the A-main.
Heat 2 and Rodney was having a good run forward from the rear into 5th when contact from another car bent the shocky. He was still able to finish in 6th but had a lot of work to do when he returned to the pits.
Heat 3 was a great run and Rodney was really happy with the car. He finished in 3rd after going around the outside of Pagel and challenging Nathan Macdonald for 2nd. Steven Zahl ran a great race to take the heat win.
Rodney qualified out of 8 for the B-main. It would be tough to qualify from here with the top 4 going through to the A. Just as he was ready to line up on the dummy grid his crew noticed the tyre was leaking air, so there was a mad rush to change the tyre to get Rodney out onto the track. Thanks to the Macdonalds for their help in leaving their cars and getting the tyre changed while Rodney was in the car ready to race. The first start of the B Rodney got a great jump getting up into 3rd by the 2nd corner but some back markers spun bringing on the yellow light and a complete re-start. The 2nd start saw everyone more ready and Rodney couldn't get as good a jump settling into 5th, but going into turn 3 he went high to go around the cars in front and came into contact with a lapped car sitting high up on the track, almost stopped. #8 rode of the front bonnet of the lapped car with Scott Thomsen also getting caught up in the carnage. Rodney was out with a flat rear tyre and a lot of damage to panels and bar-work.
Rodney came and sat on the hill and watched the A-main, but decided after getting his leg taken out from under him with a big lump of clay that came over the fence that spectating is more dangerous than racing! The A-main was a spectacular race to watch with Aidan Raymont taking the win from Steve Price and Nathan Macdonald in a close 3rd. The pace was hectic for the entire 30 laps. Shane Macdonald came from 16th to 4th in an epic battle driving around the outside of almost the entire field.
We'd like to once again thank our sponsors The Open Range, NB Refrigeration, S & S Genrich Painting Contractors for all their support this season. Thanks also to Corey & Nic Stein for their help working on the car and Rob Jensen, a speedway new-comer who came along for the moral support and to check out the pit action up close. A big thanks also to my Mum, Leonie Burke, for looking after the boys so that I could jump in passenger with Josh Harm for the Street Sedan heats. It was a fun night to sit in with a good driver and get a guided tour of the Maryborough track. We will be back on the track on 24/25th April for the Qld Title at Gympie.
Cathy