Jan 21, 2012

South Australia’s Dave Gartner became the first driver to score multiple feature race wins in the 2011/2012 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series when he scored a narrow result in round six at Cranes Combined Carrick Speedway last night.

Having qualified on pole position for the 35-lap feature race, Gartner saw off an initial challenge from Sam Hughes and then withstood the late-race advances of Steve Jordan to secure victory.

After a terrible start from the outside front row that saw him shuffled back as far as fifth in the opening laps, Jordan rallied and remained focussed throughout to claw his way back into the runner-up spot.  Brad Smith was the best of the locals in the first ever NSSS foray into Tasmania, finishing a fine third ahead of Hughes and defending series champ Darren Kane, who advanced from position 12 to finish the night strongly after a subdued performance in qualifying.

Jarrod Harper was next, having started alongside Kane on row six, with Lachlan Onley collecting the Shock Doctor Lucky Sevens in advance of Supercharge Hard Charger Dave Nichols, who charged from 16th after transferring from the B Main. Bill Millier and Trent Wilson rounded out the top ten ahead of Steve Latham, Michael Nicola, Grant Hopkins, Leon Nichols and Lucas Roberts, whose nightmare run of misfortunes continued. Michael Doblo, Callum Harper, Wayne Randall and David Mackenzie completed the finishers, with only Tania Smith, Shane Best and Des Korn failing to go the distance in a race that saw just one interruption on lap 4.

The heat racing produced plenty of action, the most spectacular moment of which came in heat six when a spin from Adam Beechey resulted in a multi-car collision that left Graeme Elliott prone upside down in turn three.  A couple of laps earlier in the same race, Lachlan Onley seemed certain to roll his Dencol Transport Sweet-Mustang after a wicked ride though turn two before somehow rebounding to earth and continuing unfazed to ultimately win the heat.

Other heat winners were Gartner, Jordan, Smith, Hughes, Wilson, Nicola, Jarrod Harper and Shane Best.  Doblo took out the B Main ahead of Nichols and Hopkins, who finished as the best of the non-contracted drivers. 

As the Monroe Pole Winner, Gartner wisely chose to start from position one, forcing Jordan to contend with an outside line devoid of grip.  Hughes found himself in the same predicament at the lap four restart and, for the second time in as many starts, suffered at the hands of the two-wide restarts in use this season. However, the track conditions and lapped traffic conspired to keep the leaders bunched and, having finished inside the top four at every round, Jordan has now moved to the top of the championship standings.

The series now moves to Latrobe’s Bendigo Bank Arena tonight (Saturday, January 21) for round seven.

Contingency Winners

Monroe Pole Winner: Dave Gartner

Shock Doctor Lucky Sevens: Lachlan Onley

Supercharge Hard Charger: David Nichols

Oval Express Best Presented Car: Dave Gartner

American Racer Encouragement Award: Steve Latham

2011/2012 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series progressive pointscore (after 6 of 11 rounds): Steve Jordan  3063, Darren Kane 2953, Dave Gartner 2868, Brad Smith 2697, Lachlan Onley 2548, Wayne Randall 2479, Jarrod Harper 2422, Sam Hughes 2413, David Nichols 2137, Michael Nicola 2137 

The Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series is proudly supported by:

• Carline Mufflers
• Speedway Australia
• Speedway Sedans Australia
• Lukey Performance Products
• Supercharge Batteries
• Monroe Shock Absorbers
• JD Couriers
• Ian Boettcher Race Parts
• American Tire and Racing Services
• Hoosier Tyres
• AFCO Shock Doctor
• Oval Express Magazine
• Bob Jane T-Mart Modbury
• Comfort Inn and Suites Robertson Gardens
• Elf Racing Fuels
• Motel Le Grande (Albany)

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