Alexander Clinches Qld Super Sedan Championship Final
09/05/17…Webadmin…courtesy Super Sedan Association Media Release
In a fitting finale for Australia’s premier Super Sedan series, South Australia’s Ryan Alexander outgunned a quality field to win the Think Money Championship Series Grand Final at Ausdeck Patios Archerfield Speedway on Saturday night (May 6). In a hugely entertaining race, Alexander had to work hard despite starting the 40-lap event from pole position. Steve Jordan was the early leader before Alexander slipped ahead, only to find himself relegated again when Wayne Brims surged to the front. However, a swoop in lapped traffic took Alexander back to the lead and he remained in control though a series of restarts to secure his first feature race victory in Queensland and a win for the newly formed Hussey Racing Team in their first race meeting. 
Brims remained second at the fall of the chequer, with Matt Pascoe producing one of his customary highline charges to climb into third spot. Wayne Randall finished in fourth spot ahead of Ian Brims, with Jordan backsliding to sixth by races end. Sam Roza was next best in advance of David O’Keefe and Jack Childs, with Sean Black rounding out the top ten.
Twenty drivers fronted for the series closer, which was presented by Brisbane Truck Centre and Ian Boettcher Race Parts and, despite such a strong field from three states, Australian champ Darren Kane proved unstoppable in the preliminaries, effortlessly eclipsing his opposition in each outing during his first appearance on home soil since snaring his third national crown.
The rout started in the opening heat when Kane romped home ahead of Mark Pagel, Wayne Brims, Ian Brims and Black.
Pascoe proved too strong heat two, downing Randall, Jordan, Barry Craft and Alexander. Tony Brinkman was running strong on second spot aboard his new mount until an engine problem intervened and brought his night to a premature end.
Kane returned in heat three to deliver another dominant display, this time defeating Randall, Alexander, Pagel and Nicholas O’Keefe. Having failed to proceed beyond the opening lap in his opening heat, Tasmania’s Steve Latham was running strongly before grinding to a fiery halt in turn two on lap five to bring his night to an end.
Jordan led the opening moments of heat four before succumbing to a challenge from Wayne Brims, who went on to take the race. Jordan remained second, with Pascoe advancing from the back of the grid to snare third ahead of Craft and Ian Brims.
Heat five produced the closest finish of the night with Alexander edging Pascoe to score a narrow result. Ian Brims nabbed third, followed by Nicholas O’Keefe and Jordan.
The final preliminary would see Kane triumph once again, albeit with a bit of good fortune on this occasion. It was Craft who looked a likely winner though the first half of the race, only to surrender the top spot when he headed infield on lap six. Randall and Wayne Brims filled the minor placings, with Pagel and Black rounding out the first five.
The Penrite Grid Draw jumbled the starting order for the Brisbane Truck Centre/Ian Boettcher Race Parts feature race, with Kane relegated to the inside of row three as Alexander selected pole position alongside Jordan. The Brims boys would share row two while Randall would start from position six, leaving Pagel and Pascoe from seven eight respectively. At the drop of the green, Jordan won the sprint into turn won and subsequently led the opening two laps before Alexander assumed the prime position. However, Wayne Brims was on the move and surged to the front on lap five, a position he held until lap 22 when Alexander pounced in lapped traffic to regain control of the race. After a slowish start that saw him drop a spot to Randall, Kane had climbed back to fourth when a jammed throttle sent him hard into the turn two wall, putting him out of action. The battle for the minor placings intensified as the race continued with Randall, Jordan, Pascoe and Ian Brims locked in combat on a track that, whilst tricky, enabled two-wide racing, although Pascoe was the only driver to really take advantage of the conditions. With his rivals seemingly content to consolidate their position rather than seek an opportunity for advancement, Pascoe used a very deep cushion to move forward, climbing to third on lap 25 before backsliding as far as sixth, such was the delicate balance between finding the fast groove and the perils of jumping the cushion and losing momentum. Pascoe eventually clawed his way back to third though, removing Randall from the podium with only a couple of laps remaining. Behind Randall came Ian Brims, Jordan, Sam Roza, David O’Keefe, Childs and Black, who was hampered by a lack of power steering and deserved a better result given his willingness to emulate Pascoe’s highline heroics, while Brian Trevithick and Nick Sampson were the only other finishers. Hampered by a lack of brakes, Pagel endured an inglorious end to what has been an otherwise outstanding season, heading infield on lap 20. Nicholas O’Keefe and Mark O’Brien were the only others who failed to go the distance in a race that proved to be a tremendous spectacle. It was an very impressive performance from Alexander is such elite company and the prospect of him returning to these parts again next season is an exciting proposition.
Whilst the final round didn’t prove particularly fruitful for series leader Mark Pagel, the substantial points advantage he had heading into the event might be enough for him to be crowned champion when the championship results are revealed at the Super Sedan Association Presentation Dinner to be held at the Victoria Park Golf Complex on Saturday, June 3.
The 2016/2017 Think Money Super Sedan Championship Series is proudly supported by:
Think Money, Penrite, Ian Boettcher Race Parts, AFCO Shock Doctor, Sweet Chassis, B&J Car Sales, Queensland Speedway Spares, Barnes Drilling, Dominator Race Wear, Speedway Australia, J&J Bullbars, M&N Car Carriers, McCosker Contracting, Speedway Sedans Australia, Tania’s T’s, Topline Trophies, Brisbane Truck Centre, Speedway Australia, Brims Concrete, Ford Wreckers Redcliffe