Press Release Courtesy of Luke Nichols.
Tasmania’s Callum Harper has secured the first Queensland Super Sedan Title of his career last night at Autobarn Carina International Speedway in Bundaberg for the eleventh title of his Super Sedan career.
West Aussie Champ Dave Gartner of South Australia laid down an early marker by going fastest in hot laps, ahead of defending Champion Brad Pascoe, NSW and Victorian Champion Matty Pascoe, Tasmanian veteran David Nichols, and National Champion Darren Kane rounding out the top five.
Gartner translated that early speed to a win in the opening heat race of the night. Gartner led home Victoria’s Mick Nicola Jnr in second, and Nichols in third.
Kane also continued his fast start to the night, leading from start to finish in heat two. Victorian Brock Atkins was next across the line aboard the Moons Earthworks N57, and Josh McLaren rounded out the podium in third.
Harper got his night off to the perfect start, taking home a hard fought victory in heat three. Harper was pushed all the way by Matty Pascoe in second, and Victorian Ash Bergmeier in third.
Birthday boy ‘The Joker’ Steve Jordan was too good in heat four, taking the win from Bundaberg’s own Casey Collins in second, and former National Champion Trent Wilson in third.
Defending Champion Brad Pascoe dominated proceedings in heat five, leading home Rockhampton’s Harry Doyle in second, and Victorian Dylan Barrow in third.
Tasmania’s Steve Latham took out a hotly contested sixth heat race from Atkins again crossing the line second, from Kane in third.
Brisbane’s Mitchell Gee took home a narrow victory in heat seven. Gee crossed the line just shy of half a second clear of Zac Pascoe in second, and Wilson in third.
Victorian turned Queenslander Todd Atkins took victory in heat eight, from fellow Victorian Bergmeier in second, and Rockhampton’s Matt Williams in third.
Harper put on a show in heat nine. Harper put his Bandit Chassis up on the top shelf and made a beautiful move around the outside of Doyle for the win. Doyle crossed the line right behind in second, ahead of Matty Pascoe in third.
Toowoomba’s Sean Black led the way in heat ten. Black led home Bergmeier in second for his third podium finish in three heats, ahead of Brad Pascoe in third.
Barrow dominated in a stacked heat eleven. Barrow crossed the line three and a half seconds clear of Wilson in second, and Zac Pascoe in third.
Zac Brims closed out heat race action with a narrow victory over fellow young gun JJ Hamilton in second, and Latham rounding out the podium in third.
Matt Williams led the way in the B Main, and would be joined in the main event by Hamilton, Nichols, McLaren, Justin Randall and Wayne Dillon.
Harper as the only two time heat winner secured position, with Bergmeier set to start on the outside of the front row.
Kane would start from the inside of row two, with Latham on his outside. Defending Champion Brad Pascoe set sail from position five, with Wilson on his outside.
The front three rows completed the opening lap and a half in perfect side by side formation, putting on a great show for the fans in Bundy.
Bergmeier led at the line at the conclusion of lap one, before Harper edged ahead down the back straight on lap two, and took the lead out of turn four to lead the second circulation.
Bergmeier ran second, from Kane in third, Latham in fourth, and Pascoe in fifth.
As Bergmeier tried to make the top side work, he left the bottom open for Kane to scoot through to second on lap four.
Wilson moved into the top five on lap four before he found the concrete wall down the back straight ending his night and bringing out the first caution of the race with four laps complete.
Harper led at the resumption from Kane, Bergmeier, Latham, and Pascoe in the top five.
Pascoe went to the top side and came under immense pressure from Barrow in sixth. Pascoe made a line for himself, and wouldn’t be denied as he took fourth place with thirty one laps remaining.
Harper out front built a strong lead as the yellows were out again on lap twelve after Black spun following contact with Doyle.
Black was deemed as the primary cause of the stoppage by the officials, which Black didn’t take too kindly to, and opted to park it on the infield.
Harper led at the resumption from Kane, Bergmeier, Pascoe and Latham.
The yellows would come on again with twenty five laps to run after heavy contact between Matt Williams and Wayne Dillon saw both their nights end in disappointment.
Harper continued to lead after the restart as Latham went upstairs. He couldn’t make it stick and Barrow moved into the top five for the first time in the feature race.
The yellows were out again with twenty one laps remaining after Zac Brims spun in turn four.
Harper led away again at the resumption and built a solid lead over Kane as the lap counter edged past the halfway mark of the race.
The infield was becoming a car park with ten cars out of the race just after the halfway mark.
Pascoe continued to try and work the middle and top side of the track as the laps continued to dwindle down.
Harper was starting to come under pressure from Kane in the closing stages, but Harper drove a flawless race and went on to claim the first Queensland Title of his career, just 0.476 seconds clear of Kane in second.
Bergmeier crossed the line third for the third Queensland Title podium finish of his career.
Outgoing Champion Brad Pascoe crossed the line fourth ahead of Barrow in fifth who rounded out the top five in just his fifth Super Sedan start.
Latham was next across the line in sixth, from Doyle in seventh, Gee in eighth, Gartner in ninth, and Nicola Jnr rounding out the top ten.
Harper was ecstatic post race and thanked everyone involved in his team for helping to reach this result.
Official Result of the 2023/2024 SSA Queensland Super Sedan Title:
A Main, 40 Laps: 1. T22 Callum Harper, 2. Q36 Darren Kane, 3. V16 Ash Bergmeier, 4. B18 Brad Pascoe, 5. CR17 Dylan Barrow, 6. TAS8 Steve Latham, 7. RK31 Harry Doyle, 8. Q11 Mitchell Gee, 9. SA18 Dave Gartner, 10. V23 Mick Nicola Jnr, 11. GL21 Casey Collins, 12. Q33 Justin Randall, 13. C96 Josh McLaren, 14. B6 Zac Pascoe, 15. V36 Todd Atkins (24), 16. B15 Matty Pascoe (20), 17. N29 Zac Brims (20), 18. B48 JJ Hamilton (17), 19. N57 Brock Atkins (14), 20. RK3 Matthew Williams (14), 21. TAS48 Wayne Dillon (14), 22. Q26 Sean Black (12), 23. TAS3 David Nichols (10), 24. T44 Trent Wilson (4).
