FNQ Titles At Cairns

from Bob Hamill

The weather was perfect, the track was in great shape and major trophies were up for grabs at the My Style Homes F.N.Q. Sprint Titles held in Cairns on 27th August.

The musical anthem for the day was clearly “We’re the Boys from the Bush” and they were back in town as the mob from Mt Isa turned up once again in their Four Wheel Drives with guns and karts ready for action. It was obvious the  Cairns city slickers had a tough task on race day defending their titles from the invaders from Mt Isa and Townsville but that’s what Title meets are all about.

Above: Townsville's Luke Jones leads Cairns' Tessa Underwood in Junior National Heavy
pic - Bob Hamill

Eleven classes made up the program with Sportsman Heavy being the biggest field with thirteen starters for the final. This event on the tight Cairns track was always going to provide spills and thrills and that’s the way it turned out. In the first two heats DNF’s were more common than politicians kissing babies on election day. However justice was done in many ways as Cairns Club veteran Michael Peake won the two heats, Prefinal and Final to take out the trophy. As this was Michael’s first race meeting of the year and the fact that he was one of the main workers preparing the track for the event it must have been a sweet moment for the Club stalwart. In a look to the future though young Matthew Coulson finished second in the final this being a great result after overcoming a DNF in the first heat. The old theory that it’s only the final that counts was clearly evident with Nathan McNab getting up in the Final to take third after two DNF’s in the heats. Mt Isa’s Jeff Rubach a C grader did well finishing sixth and in front of several experienced drivers.

In Junior National Light Joshua Smith from Townsville was the kart to catch clocking some very fast lap times but young Mathew Foyle did well finishing second with Jimmy Croul a credible third. Nicholas Hamill and Billy Foyle did well finishing fourth and fifth as both drivers were well overweight for the class. Young drivers Blake Jerrett, Jaidyn Farmer and Mathew King will be much improved as a result of the close racing.

Above: Lydon Dodge leading Christian Clarke, Senior National Light
pic - Daniel Roser

Tag 100 certainly produced a surprise but popular result with Cairns Club Treasurer, Mark Stover (now to be renamed Steve Bradbury of Olympic ice skating fame) taking out the title. Craig Beehag was the bad luck story of the day after dropping a chain while leading in the Final. Mark’s luck was still in as new leader Mark Ezzy also soon retired with mechanical problems. Mark then found himself on thin ice (excuse the pun) as Cameron King began reeling him in but with only a few laps to go Cameron spun out on the hairpin to hand the race to Mark. Who said consistency and stamina count for nothing? Mt Isa’s Graham O’Brien finished third.

A solid field of ten Cadet drivers lined up for their Final with Townsville’s Reilly Bloye continuing his good form in taking out the title from an unlucky Jack King and Raith Sheerans third. Brodie Davis finished fourth and these boys produced some close and exciting racing on the day.

Above: A good field of Cadets on the grid for the Final
pic - Bob Hamill

Townsville Club claimed another title in the Rookies with Declan Bloye winning every race on the day from a consistent Zac Ewing. Jarva Sheerans and Mathew Want finished close behind and Nathan Granata, Maddison Raffe and provisional driver Flynn Dunkerton at the tail.

Joshua Smith was the fastest in the early heats of the Junior National Heavy but it was Nick Hamill who led for much of the final before Smith made a pass on the hairpin that gave him the lead and a Bad Sportsmanship  flag from the officials. Smith maintained his lead from Nick Hamill with Billy Foyle finishing a close third in the thirty lap Final.

Above: Blake Harris leading lap 1 of Clubman Heavy
pic - Daniel Roser

Senior National Heavy was a small field but produced some of the best racing of the day. Cairns local Christian Clark used all his knowledge of his home track to beat Townsville’s Joey Haines with another Cairns driver Nicholas Beehag finishing third.

Presentation of trophies took place at the end of racing under beautiful conditions and a cold beer was enjoyed by many. With the Mt Isa Club hoping soon to establish a bitumen track, contact between the clubs is sure to continue. The boys from the bush of Townsville and Mt Isa helped make the My Style Homes F.N.Q. Titles the best meeting of the year.

Above: Lexi Underwood, Clubman Light
pic - Daniel Roser

Junior National Light:

1. Joshua Smith
2. Matthew Foyle
3. Jimmy Croul
4. Nicholas Hamill
5. William Foyle
6. Blake Jerrett
7. Jaidyn Farmer
8. Matthew King

Sportsman Over 40’s:

1. Michael Peake
2. Julian laws
3. Craig Beehg
4. Andrew lane
5. David Coulson
6. John Petersen

Sportsman Super heavy:

1. Nicholas Beehag
2. Andrew Wright
3. Ian Crowther
4. Adam Kuzmanovic
5. Ryan Mackenzie

Above: P Plate driver Andrew Wright did well finishing 2nd in Sportsman Super Heavy
pic - Bob Hamill

Senior National Light:

1. Lydon Dodge
2. Christain Clark
3. Joey Haines
4. Michaela Stover
5. Lucas Stover

Rookies:

1. Declan Bloye
2. Zac Ewing
3. Jarva Sheerans
4. Matthew Want
5. Nathan Granata
6. Maddison Raffe
7. Flynn Dunkerton

Tag 100:

1. Mark Stover
2. Cameron King
3. Graham O’Brien
4. Guy Mears
5. Mark Ezzy
6. Craig Beehag
7. Martin Hind

Junior Clubman:

1. Joshua Smith
2. John Underwood
3. William Foyle
4. Callum Barr

Cadets:

1. Reily Bloye
2. Jack King
3. Raith Sheerans
4. Brodie davis
5. Jordan Dew
6. Reece Hind
7. Sam King
8. Will Wright
9. Travis Andres

Above: Drivers from Mt Isa and Townsville helped to make good fields for the Titles
pic - Bob Hamill

Senior National Heavy:

1. Christian Clark
2. Joey Haines
3. Nicholas Beehag
4. Hayden Boylett
5. Glen Wilkins

Junior National Heavy:

1. Joshua Smith
2. Nicholas Hamill
3. William Foyle
4. Luke Jones
5. Tessa Underwood
6. John Underwood
7. Brendon Granata
8. Jorden Collins

Sportsman Heavy:

1. Michael Peake
2. Matthew Coulson
3. Nathan McNab
4. Thomas Janusz
5. Blake Harris
6. Jeff Rubach
7. Julian Laws
8. Nicholas Beehag
9. Glen Wilkins
10. Paul Malouf
11. Samual McAllister
12. John Petersen
13. Joel Akers

pic - Bob Hamill

Above: John Underwood, 2nd in Junior Clubman
pic - Daniel Roser

Above: Nick Hamill, Junior National Heavy runnerup
pic - Daniel Roser

pic - Bob Hamill

Above: Blake Harris leading Michael Peak, Julian Laws and Matt Coulson, CH
pic - Daniel Roser

pic - Bob Hamill

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