A way of denying Lachlan McHugh yet another Sprintcar feature race victory has been found, but unfortunately it was Mother Nature, rather than any of the 40+ opponents he has faced on the track so far this season, who was responsible, with inclement weather forcing the cancellation of round six of the East Coast Logistics Track Championship on Wednesday night. However, competitors will have another opportunity to end the Gold Coast-based youngster’s winning run when they convene at Archerfield Speedway on Friday night (January 1) to ring in the New Year with round seven of the ECL Championship.

Also on the program will be the biggest Dirt Modified event of the season in the Paul Britten 44, a memorial event recognising the man whose administrative prowess and passion for the category saw it grow exponentially in competitor numbers and professional presentation. Also on another packed card featuring more than 100 competitors will be RSA Sedans, Open Sedans, Formula 500 Juniors and Fireworks.

In addition to the spoils of victory, success in the Sprintcar feature race on Friday night will be the perfect preparation for the commencement of the Super Seven Series, which gets underway in Toowoomba on Saturday and hits Archerfield on Sunday evening for round two. With the cancellation of Wednesday’s action, teams have had additional time to plan and prepare their strategy to subjugate McHugh and the gang of four who have completely dominated the results since the start of the season. However, to question why so few drivers have been able to make any impact on the results thus far is to discredit the efforts of McHugh, Luke Oldfield, Callum Walker and Cody Maroske who, between them, have snared 19 of the 21 podium placings from the seven feature races conducted at Archerfield so far this season. Sure, McHugh has been in a class of his own in winning every feature race he has finished, but the fact that Oldfield, Walker and Maroske have consistently been the only drivers to offer up any resistance suggests that, should anybody else be able to find their way to victory lane, it will surely be a member of this trio.

There are a bunch of drivers in the field for the Friday fixture who have scored feature race wins in recent seasons but, for reasons unknown, haven’t really fired a shot so far in their 2020/2021 campaign. The likes of Allan Woods, Brent Kratzmann, Kevin Titman and Mitchell Gee are certainly not strangers to victory lane, yet Titman is the only driver from this quartet to have finished on the podium so far this season. Like Titman, defending track champion Aaron Kelly has slipped into the top three on one occasion, while young Tasmanian Jock Goodyer has been a welcome addition to the series in recent weeks and has wasted little time in serving notice that he might just be the one to challenge the awesome foursome that has thus far monopolised the results.

With so many of the Dirt Modified field having done so little racing this season, there has been no opportunity for anybody to dominate the results, however there is no doubt that current and four-time national champion Kevin Britten is, quite rightly, the firm favourite for the race the that commemorates his fathers contribution to the sport. Regardless of what transpires in qualifying, Britten will no doubt elect to start from the back of the grid for the 44-lap feature race and then set forth on a charge that, if previous years are any guide, will see him somewhere near the front of the field when the chequer falls. Furthermore, he will expect any other driver who secures an invitation to start from the back by virtue of having secured a start in the Dash, to embrace the opportunity and join him in delivering yet another memorable installment of this showcase race.

In addition to Britten, there will be five other national championship winners in the field for the Paul Britten 44, with Mark Robinson, Andrew Pezzutti, Scott Cannon and David Clark all amongst the entries. This group alone is enough to ensure that a sensational race will ensue, but add in the likes of Chris Corbett, Geoff Phillips, Sam Bruggy, Terry Leerentveld, Darren Tindal, Todd Hobson, Sam Bruggy and another dozen wheel-hiking Dirt Modified duelists and the scene is set for an epic encounter.

A field of 21 Open Sedans will be split into A and B divisions, with Ben Robertson no doubt delighted that his biggest rival so far this season in Justin Randall is not amongst the entries. Robertson heads the field of Super Sedans/Late Models in the A division ranks, while Ben Harris looms as the man to beat in the B division.

In RSA Outlaw Sedans, Wayne Kirkman will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the embarrassing end to his last feature race start when he spun from the lead in the final corner, handing the win to Dave Sansby, who is also amongst the starters again this week.

Expect Aaron Buchanan, Matthew Hannigan and Ricky Price to be amongst the pacesetters in the Limited Sedan ranks, while wins in Junior Sedans will no doubt be shared around, as was certainly the case at their last appearance earlier in the season.

A growing field of Formula 500 Juniors will complete the program, which gets underway with early racing from 5.00pm. The main program, which will also feature fireworks, will get underway from 6.00pm. Gates open at 1.00pm for competitors and online ticket holders only, with general admission ticket sales and entry from 3.00pm. Grandstand and bleacher seating is for reserved ticketholders only and tickets for these areas must be purchased online.

East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Track Championship round six nominations: Aaron Kelly, Adam Butler, Allan Woods, Andrew Baumber, Andrew Corbet, Andrew Wright, Brad Ayers, Brendon Claridge, Brent Kratzmann, Brock Dean, Callum Walker, Cody Maroske, Darren Jensen, Dave Jobe, Dylan Menz, Erin Vanderreyden, Jason King, Jock Goodyer, Kevin Britten, Kevin Titman, Kristy Bonsey, Lachlan Caunt, Lachlan McHugh, Libby Ellis, Luke Oldfield, Mick Rowell, Mitch Gowland, Mitchell Gee, Ryan McNamara, Sam Bylsma, Sean Rose, Taylor Prosser, Terry Kelly, Tim Farrell, Todd Moule, Zack Howell

Dirt Modified Paul Britten 44 nominations: Andrew Firth, Andrew Pezzutti, Zak Blanch, Chris Corbett, Colin O’Toole, Craig O’Toole, Darren Tindal, David Clark, Geoff Phillips, James Deahm, Josh Rose, Kevin Britten, Luke Dunn, Mark Connelly, Mark Griffith, Mark Robinson, Marley Weller, Phil McNamara, Phil Roberts, Sam Bruggy, Scott Cannon, Scott Quirk, Terry Leerentveld, Todd Hobson, Zac McDonald

Open Sedan nominations: Aaron Wells, Ben Harris, Ben Robertson, Brad Hill, Brad Peterson, Colin Morris, Corey Wells, Dave Mortimer, David Clarkson, Elgan Dalton, Gary Kivella, Greg Akers, Haiden Grantz, Jamie Love, John Woolf, Keith Craft, Kyle Roland, Mark Anderson, Robin Bains, Ron Hornbuckle, Travis Maher

RSA Outlaw Sedan nominations: Audie Sparks, Brad White, Daniel Taylor, Dave Sansby, Jamie Olsen, Michael Taylor, Petter Van Lissum, Wayne Kirkman

RSA Limited Sedan nominations: Aaron Buchanan, Aaron Stone, Chris Van Der Ryken, Glen Lesslie, Matthew Hannigan, Michael Laver, Ricky Price, Robert Tamini, Shannon, Knights

RSA Junior Sedans: Brody Putsey, Cody Strain, Connor Reeves, Daisy Smith, Harley Graham, Hayden Fleming, Jack Betts, Jack Walker, Jackson Gold, Jeremy Wade, Josh Weir, Lachlan Goldie, Luke Putsey, Ryley Smith, Sam Mooney, Tyler Burnham

Formula 500 Juniors: Amanda Chaffey, Brody Duncan, Ewan Oliver, Kacy Lee Black, Kinser Claridge, Noah Ball, Taylor Morgan, Tim Devine

For further information and event updates, please stay tuned to Facebook or the track website at www.brisbanespeedway.com.au