Brrrrrrr it was cold tonight! Temps outside the shed were hovering just around zero as I left, and it wasn’t much better inside!

48 cars marked another big night’s racing with wins going to Jordan Turner (Novice A), Chloe Beresford (Novice B), Sam Wells (10th Buggy), Steve Madziara (8th Buggy), Scott Guyatt (Short Course A), James Atkinson (Short Course B) and Rocket Houghton (Touring Car).

Hit the link for full results, or read on for the story….Novice Offroad

A strong 12 car field faced the starter, with two first-time drivers and another handful of second or third-time visitors. Welcome to Terry and Calvin!  Out front it was Jordan Turner, Ben Jordan and Jade Chandler going at it throughout qualifying, with Jade eventually securing pole position for the A final from Turner and Jordan with Alannah Hodgets making an impression in qualifying fourth at her first Launceston R/C club event.  Mark Jones, Calvin James, Matthew Chandler and Bec Phillips rounded out the A final field.

The four car B final was cut to just two cars barely a minute into the 10 minute race as first Gene Newell and then Michael Taylor fell to mechanical issues.  That left Chloe Beresford unchallenged to drive to a big win over first-time racer Terry James.

1. Chloe Beresford: 19 10:22
2. Terry James: 13 10:15
3. Michael Taylor: 2 1:13
4. Gene Newell: 1 0:41

The A final proved to be a tight battle between the three quick guys from the qualifying session. For the most part it was junior tyro Jordan Turner in front and he gradually eked out a race-winning lead while Jade Chandler and Ben Jordan went at it behind him. Just as it seemed they would finish in that order a late-race disaster for Chandler elevated Ben to second spot, Jade holding on for third.  Alannah Hodgetts, Matthew Chandler and Bec Phillips also finished close together – less than a lap splitting them at the end, with Calvin James and Mark Jones split by just half-a-second after 10 hard fought minutes!

1. Jordan Turner: 23 10:04
2. Ben Jordan: 22 10:00
3. Jade Chandler: 22 10:11
4. Alannah Hodgetts: 20 10:03
5. Matthew Chandler: 20 10:09
6. Bec Phillips: 20 10:35
7. Calvin James: 19 10:13
8. Mark Jones: 19 10:14

Tenth Buggy

It looked for a while in both qualifiers tonight as if Paddy Hume had the measure of Sam Wells, before Wells struck back late in both races to lock down the TQ spot once again, Hume alongside. Andrew Mackenzie and Josh Fogarty (driving his new Kyosho RB5) took the second row of the grid. Highlight of qualifying was Greenie’s beautiful HPI Trophy Truck. It wasn’t the quickest thing out there, but it looked fantastic! Nice also to welcome Rob Wragg back for his second race meeting with us.

Come finals time, and it was all Sam Wells out front, the top qualifying consistently quicker than his pursuers and gradually building what would become a 1.5 lap lead by race end. Hume pursued, enjoying his night back at the wheel of his 4wd Team Associated B44 and gapped the battling Alex John and Andrew Mackenzie. John closed in on Hume over the last few minutes before Paddy kicked again.

1. Sam Wells: 29 10:02
2. Paddy Hume: 28 10:11
3. Alex John: 27 10:03
4. Andrew Mackenzie: 26 10:09
5. Damien Bettz: 25 10:20
6. Jason Turner: 24 10:24
7. Andrew Green: 23 10:22
8. Rob Wragg: 19 10:32
9. Josh Fogarty: 4 2:07

8th Big Bangers

Rocket Houghton has not enjoyed the recent run of wins by Steve Madziara and came out firing tonight, determined to reverse the trend. He was quickest in qualifying and would start the ten minute A main up front, with Madziara alongside him.  Ben Wilson was safely through qualifying in third, with first time racer Marcel Kilbride wheeling the big Traxxas E-Maxx to fourth (super effort!) on the starting grid.

Rocket led away, Madziara locked on his rear bumper and it looked like being one for the ages before it all went pear shaped for Houghton on lap 6, getting caught up in traffic to give up the lead. Another error a few laps later gifted Madziara a good break, and from there it was steady driving from Steve to make sure of the win. The gap between the two ebbed and flowed a little, but Madziara was rock-solid when it counted. Rocket will have to come back and fight for that elusive win in the 8th Big Bangers another day.  Ben Wilson and Johnny Silczak fought out a tight duel over the final podium spot, with Wilson drawing away in the mid-race to secure the spot.

1. Steve Madziara: 30 10:07
2. Rocket Houghton: 30 10:15
3. Ben Wilson: 26 10:05
4. Johnny Silczak: 25 10:19
5. Marcel Kilbride: 24 10:29
6. Troy Taylor: 21 10:12

Short Course Truck

As ever our biggest class, with 15 trucks starting the night. Scott Guyatt overcame some self-inflicted messy starts to snare TQ alongside the resurgent Andrew Green in his best performance for a while. Andrew Mackenzie woudl share row two with NWRCCC’s Matt Hodgetts in his welcome return, and with Alex John, Jason Turner, Adam Beresford and Chris Madziara getting the coveted A final starting spots.

James Atkinson was disappointed to miss the A final but made up for it with a great drive in the B, leading throughout on the way to a big win.  Sam Leeder likewise was strong throughout, gapping the battle between Derek Beresford and Richard Green that raged all race long – eventually resolving in Green’s favour on the final lap.

1. James Atkinson 25 10:19
2. Sam Leeder 23 10:02
3. Richard Green 23 10:15
4. Derek Beresford 23 10:27
5. Phil Ferguson 19 10:21
6. Ian Scott 7 3:50

Matt Hodgetts and Andrew Green got the best of the start, with Greenie leading early before Hodgetts moved to the front and started to open a gap on the field. Scott Guyatt was working back into it as well after a slow start – finally getting on terms with Hodgetts at the five minute mark before easing away over the back half of the race.  Greenie kept the two leaders in sight all the way, himself pushed to the line by Alex John.

1. Scott Guyatt 29 10:07
2. Matt Hodgetts 28 10:08
3. Andrew Green 28 10:18
4. Alex John 27 10:06
5. Andrew Mackenzie 27 10:25
6. Adam Beresford 25 10:04
7. Jason Turner 24 10:09]
8. Chris Madziara (DNS)

Touring Car/Mini

Rocket led the field after qualifying, taking a big win in round one before a DNF in the second. Peter Hutton was second quickest with Graham Viney in the mini edging out Ian Scott and James Atkinson.

Come the A final, and it was two seperate races. Out front Rocket and Peter went at it, both throwing down their fastest times of the night, Rocket eventually breaking Peter’s resistance to open up his lead in the second half of the race and go on to the win.  The other race featured Viney, Scott and Atkinson – all three striking mechanical trouble and spending time in the pits. Atkinson won the battle of pit lane and drove purposefully to his second podium of the night, Ian Scott battling a self-ejecting battery pack to fourth, Viney out with electrical gremlins.

1. Rocket Houghton 56 10:02
2. Peter Hutton 50 10:01
3. James Atkinson 35 10:04
4. Ian Scott 32 8:12
5. Graham Viney 24 6:32

Thanks to all thsoe who hung in there with us to the end on a cold night. And once again my apologies for being a little disorganised throughout the night.  Some good racing was our reward.

Season points will be updated over the next few days. Reminder that season awards are only for club members.

Membership for the new financial year is now due. We’ll have membership forms at the next race meeting on July 28th. Membership fees will remain unchanged at $50 for adults, $30 for juniors and $80 for families.