Fantastic Fight in the Night
Images: MPix
The Fight in The Night, Round 4 of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series at Queensland Raceway has concluded and was a high-octane event from start to finish, with many stars, unbelievable cars and so much to see and do around the venue.
There were many on track highlights including Fight in the Night, the three-hour long production car enduro under lights, as well as the TA2 Muscle Car Series Tag Team Enduro.
The calibre of driver in the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series by Maritimo was the highest it has ever been with many Bathurst 1000 winners, Supercars champions and current Supercars drivers competing for glory.
Drivers included seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Craig Lowndes, reigning ‘Great Race’ victors Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood, former winner Paul Morris and current driver James Golding.
There were six races across the weekend, four solo driver races and two enduros.
Alice Buckley and Tim Slade accumulated the most points over the course of the weekend to win the Tag Enduro crown. Buckley won her solo race on Saturday and together with two-time Supercars race winner Tim Slade scored victory in the first two-driver race.
Kostecki and Morris teamed up together in the #67 Mustang, the pairing not only won the weekend’s final race but also finished second overall.
Third place for the weekend went the way of Supercars podium finisher James Golding and his young up and coming teammate Lachlan Evennett, both drivers scored a win apiece.
Other notable performances included former TA2 front-runner Nathan Herne, he returned to the series where he made a name for himself and scored an impressive victory against many of the established stars.
Series leader Jarrod Hughes teamed up with fellow smiling assassin Lowndes, together they scored a podium and finished fifth overall for the event, this saw Hughes extend his points advantage.
The Hi-Tec Oils APC Enduro Championship’s signature event, The Fight in The Night attracted 26 entries to compete across the weekend.
It was a highly attritional three-hour race with strategy and reliability two of the key factors for a strong result.
Mustang drivers Hadrian Morrall and Tyler Mecklam went back-to-back, winning the enduro for the second-straight year.
They beat home the BMW M4 of Maika Ter Horst and Rob Gooley by 20s, with Lindsay Kearns and Brad Carr a lap down in third. Kearns and Carr also won the sprint races.
New winners were crowned in Innovation Race Cars as championship rivals Geoff Taunton and Geoff Emery came to blows on Sunday.
Taunton and Emery won a race each on Saturday, but on Sunday they collided not once but twice.
On both occasions the #702 TemperTherm sponsored IRC car picked up the pieces. Daniel Jilesen won the Sunday sprint and then teaming up with James Parker won the enduro also.
The Eastern Sleepers Aussie Tin Tops saw Ford Falson driver Brent Edwards extended his championship leading margin after bagging two race wins. On Sunday he was unable to touch Stephen Chilby who score the two race wins to conclude the event.
Formula Vee was as tight as ever with three of the four races determined by less than 0.1s. Multiple-time champion Michael Kinsella won the final three affairs, while Alex Macdonald was victorious in the opener.
Trent Rub may have won three of the four Queensland Touring Car Championship races, but a retirement in Race 2 handed the round win to BMW driver Shane Stuart.
A significant anniversary was acknowledged by the final support category, the Queensland Superkart Club celebrated the 50th anniversary of the club. Gareth Crisp was victorious and took home the massive trophy as a result.
Due to the drawcard drivers and the huge variety of racing categories the crowds flocked to Queensland Raceway for the event.
While many fans watched from on top of the pit building or on the hill at Turns 1 and 2, a lot took the park and view option, parking up the car and watching all the action from the comfort of their own motor vehicle.
It was a very fan friendly event with a lot to see and do in the paddock, there was a kid’s area which included a huge soccer dartboard and so much more.
As always access to the paddock was free allowing fans to not only get up close to the cars, but also the drivers. During the lunch break on Saturday there was also a signing session with all of the TA2 drivers in attendance.
The Hi-Tec Oils Super Series helped raise money for its official charity KIF1A, a rare and severe neurodegenerative disorder, people who make donations will be in the running to win heaps of motorsport/motoring related prizes. To find out more click here or donate here.
Some lucky fans also got to experience a hot lap alongside Hughes or Buckley in a brand-new Corvette.
If you couldn’t make it in person, the event as always was streamed live on the official Super Series YouTube channel.
Photos
View the Fight In The Night Gallery