Points race tightens
(MOUNT GAMBIER, SA. Sunday Jan 2, 2000)- Amidst amazing and confusing scenes on
the final lap of a non-stop 30-lap A-Feature at Mount Gambier's Borderline Speedway,
Brooke Tatnell bounced off the last turn wall to claim victory ahead of Max Dumesny and
Andrew Scheuerle. Tatnell's second consecutive win - his third of 11 rounds in the 17-race
national championship - came at the expense of point leader Donny Schatz who had
comfortably led the race for 22 laps until becoming the victim of lapping a slower car.
Despite hitting the wall to avoid a last corner crash involving several cars, Tatnell
greeted almost simultaneous checkered and yellow flags smashing some 30.26 seconds from
the previous record journey held by American Jack Hewitt.
The opening lap of the feature race witnessed the demise of defending three-time WSS champion Skip Jackson, who became involved in a three-car crash with instigator Phil Gressman and Garry Brazier. While the other two cars restarted, Jackson's JohnBoy chassis was too badly damaged to continue forcing the team to revert tomorrow to the Jackson chassis which Skip won the title two years ago. "There was an accident - and I was there," said Jackson, "we've got no choice other than to screw together the old car for tomorrow night."
From
the complete restart, Schatz assumed control and led Tatnell, Dumesny, Peter Smith, Andrew
Scheuerle and Darren Jensen. The distances between each car fluctuated as they hit lapped
traffic, with Schatz seemingly bound for victory to reverse his recent bout of misfortune.
The entire complexion of the race altered however on nearing the end of lap 23 when David
Anderson went high in Turn Four and slid down across the track directly into the path of
the leader. Schatz tried all forms of avoidance, only to lock together with Anderson and
both cars came to a stop on the infield while the race continued.
"I'm very disappointed, I had the race won," said Schatz. "The incident could have been avoided but I couldn't get out of the way. That lapped car just gassed it up and took us both clear into the infield. I know I've had bad luck and my points lead has been withered away but I know I'm better than these guys, it will eventually turn around my way."
Tatnell inherited the lead and continued well clear of Dumesny until the very final lap,when he came upon a four-car melee that saw him bang the wall in avoidance. "I was really lucky as I locked up trying to miss those cars, and the force of the impact with the fence was enough to refire the motor so I could cross the line! It was unfortunate what happened to Donny, but I could see what was going to happen and checked up to miss both of them. With both Skip and Donny having problems tonight it has closed the points right up."
Dumesny was pleased to finish runner-up saying, "The top of the track was too heavy to run the high line and the two guys ahead of me (Schatz and Tatnell) had my number. I was lucky to avoid all that last lap chaos."
Scheuerle was delighted to score his second career podium to add to his sole victory two years ago, remarking, "This place has always been good to me. Even though I pulled out of the Dash with a leaking fuel fitting, the Lucas Oils Maxim was really nice. Its great for my sponsor, the crew and me."
The last turn confusion enabled Jensen to put his Serco-Wiseco Maxim ahead of Smith, while Brazier took advantage of the confusion to unlap himself from Tatnell and vault past the cars of Nathan MacDonald, Drew Kruck and Phil March who were entangled in the carnage. Rounding out the top 10 was first reserve David Murcott who gained a berth upon Jackson's retirement before a lap had been completed.
Schatz's misfortune has seen his lead dwindle to a mere 230 points, while tomorrow's Round 12 meeting at Murray Bridge's Riverview Speedway marks the return of sixth-placed Trevor Green, who has missed the last four meetings recuperating from a broken hand.
1999/2000 WORLD SERIES SPRINTCARS CHAMPIONSHIP - ROUND 11
Borderline Speedway, Mount Gambier SA - Sunday, Jan 2, 2000
TIME TRIALS : 1. Phil Gressman (USA#2) 11.411s, 2. Donny Schatz (WA#2) 11.445s, 3. Phil March (AUS#1) 11.604s, 4. Darren Jensen (QLD#75) 11.658s, 5. Peter Smith (SA#8) 11.762s, 6. Brooke Tatnell (NSW#8) 11.763s, 7. Nathan MacDonald (QLD#32) 11.800s, 8. Skip Jackson (NSW#71) 11.808s, 9. Garry Brazier (QLD#28) 11.900s, 10. Max Dumesny (VIC#5) 11.903s, 11. Andrew Scheuerle (QLD#95) 11.951s, 12. Drew Kruck (QLD#36) 12.048s, 13. Mark Reuter (SA#95) 12.057s, 14. Peter Murphy (NSW#11) 12.091s, 15. David Anderson (VIC#37) 12.092s, 16. David Murcott (VIC#71) 12.205s, 17. Rob Rankin (VIC#60) 12.22s, 18. Brad Heywood (NSW#46) 12.349s, 19. Mike Van Bremen (VIC#6) 12.470s, 20. Dennis Burford (SA#9) 12.485s, 21. Dave McFadden (NT#77) 12.556s, 22. Joel Knott (NSW#44) 12.594s, 23. Mike Hanlon (NT#75) 12.615s, 24. Brett Squiers (SA#17) 12.618s, 25. Jeff Judd (VIC#11) 12.888s, 26. John Vogels (VIC#70) 12.932s, 27. Chris Evans (SA#77) 12.940s, 28. Peter Telford (SA#40) 12.970s, 29. Darryl Downing (SA#97) 15.693s, 30. Ray Scott (SA#55) No Time
QUALIFYING HEAT RACES (10 laps) :
HEAT 1 : 1. Mark Reuter, 2. Mike Van Bremen, 3. Max Dumesny, 4. Joel Knott, 5. David Murcott, 6. Phil Gressman, 7. Darren Jensen, 8. Nathan MacDonald, 9. Jeff Judd, 10. Peter Telford
Heat 2 : 1. Rob Rankin, 2. Andrew Scheuerle, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Skip Jackson, 5. Peter Smith, 6. Darryl Downing, 7. Mike Hanlon, 8. Dennis Burford, 9. John Vogels, 10. Peter Murphy
Heat 3 : 1. Brett Squiers, 2. Brad Heywood, 3. David Anderson, 4. Garry Brazier, 5. Brooke Tatnell, 6. Drew Kruck, 7. Phil March, 8. Chris Evans
Heat 4 : 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Max Dumesny, 3. John Vogels, 4. Skip Jackson, 5. Darren Jensen, 6. Dennis Burford, 7. David Murcott, 8. Peter Telford, 9. Joel Knott, 10. Peter Murphy
Heat 5 : 1. Brett Squiers, 2. Brooke Tatnell, 3. Nathan MacDonald, 4. Mike Van Bremen, 5. Phil Gressman, 6. Drew Kruck, 7. Mark Reuter, 8. Brad Heywood
Heat 6 : 1. Darryl Downing, 2. David Anderson, 3. Andrew Scheuerle, 4. Garry Brazier, 5. Peter Smith, 6. Chris Evans, 7. Rob Rankin, 8. Phil March, 9. Mike Hanlon
GOODYEAR EAGLE TROPHY DASH (6 laps) : 1. Brooke Tatnell, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Peter Smith, 4. Max Dumesny, 5. Andrew Scheuerle, 6. Phil Gressman
B-FEATURE (15 laps) : 1. Mike Van Bremen, 2. Drew Kruck, 3. David Murcott, 4. Brad Heywood, 5. Mike Hanlon, 6. Dave McFadden, 7. John Vogels, 8. Ray Scott, 9. Chris Smith, 10. Darryl Downing, 11. Peter Murphy, 12. Dennis Burford
A-FEATURE (30 laps) : 1. Brooke Tatnell, 2. Max Dumesny, 3. Andrew Scheuerle, 4. Darren Jensen, 5. Peter Smith, 6. Garry Brazier, 7. Nathan MacDonald, 8. Drew Kruck, 9. Phil March, 10. David Murcott, 11. Brett Squiers, 12. Mike Van Bremen, 13. Donny Schatz, 14. David Anderson, 15. Rob Rankin, 16. Phil Gressman, 17. Skip Jackson
LAP LEADER/S : Schatz (laps 1-22), Tatnell (laps 23-30)
SERIES STANDINGS AFTER 11 (OF 17) ROUNDS
POINT STANDINGS : 1. Donny Schatz (7750), 2. Brooke Tatnell (7520), 3. Skip Jackson (6290), 4. Max Dumesny (5640), 5. Trevor Green (3390), tie Drew Kruck (3390), 7. Darren Jensen (3055), 8. Andrew Scheuerle (2850), 9. Garry Brazier (2390), 10. Nathan MacDonald (2340), etc
A-FEATURE WINNERS : 1. Donny Schatz (6), 2. Brooke Tatnell (3), 3. Skip Jackson (1), tie Max Dumesny (1)
A-FEATURE LAP LEADERS : 1. Donny Schatz (155), 2. Skip Jackson (53), tie Brooke Tatnell (53), 4. Trevor Green (38), 5. Max Dumesny (31)
FAST TIME WINNERS : 1. Donny Schatz (4), 2. Skip Jackson (3), 3. Trevor Green (1), tie Brooke Tatnell (1), tie Garry Brazier (1), tie Phil Gressman (1)
GOODYEAR EAGLE DASH WINNERS : 1. Trevor Green (2), tie Donny Schatz (2), tie Brooke Tatnell (2), 4. Max Dumesny (1), tie Peter Murphy (1), tie Phil March (1), tie Skip Jackson (1), tie Nathan MacDonald (1)
(John Hughes-Sprintcar World)
(Photos by James Baker)