Local driver Chris Pagel has claimed the SSA Modified Sedan Queensland Title at his home track, Gympie Speedway in an emotional and hotly contested race.
The two Raymont brothers Mark and Aidan would start on the front row for the forty-lap feature together, but the first attempt at a start wouldn’t last long as Shane Macdonald, who started on the second row, found himself facing oncoming traffic coming out of turn two.
Attempt two saw Aidan and Mark side by side for the whole opening lap, Aidan just getting the nod over the line with Jarrod Peacock racing into third across the lin.
Lap two saw cars bunch up coming out of turn four with plenty of contact, allowing Mick Shelford to move into third place.
Leader Aidan Raymont would find himself on the back of lapped cars with just four laps complete, racing away to a huge lead on Mark Raymont while the battle for third was raging between a pile of seven cars, Shane Macdonald able to get back into third on lap six.
With twelve complete Shelford slowed to a stop, seeing the yellow lights come out and bunch the field up for a restart. It took a couple of attempts to get back underway, but when it did, Aidan was again able to race away from Mark while Josh Harm came from nowhere to move into third place ahead of Macdonald and Chris Pagel.
Just prior to the halfway point Harm went high and retired, seeing Macdonald elevated back into third ahead of Pagel and Peacock.
Shortly after Mark Raymont also began to slow, the order at a fifteen laps remaining restart being Aidan Raymont, Shane Macdonald and Pagel, followed by Peacock and Nathan Macdonald.
Raymont went up on two wheels going into turn three on the restart, the front left out of the car and his race over, seeing Macdonald leading away Pagel on the next restart.
Shane used the highline and was followed by brother Nathan to take the top two positions on the restart, with Pagel applying the blowtorch as he looked to get back by.
This would remain the order for the next ten or so laps, Pagel still applying the pressure to Nathan but unable to make the move.
Shane appeared to have problems coming out of turn two with four to go, clobbering the wall, with Nathan getting stuck just behind and Pagel pounced on the opportunity, diving under both to take the lead with three laps to go.
Peacock was now third followed by Tim Weir, but up front Pagel was racing away like a scalded cat, never giving Macdonald a chance to get back by and going on to claim an emotional win.
Nathan Macdonald would come home second while Tim Weir got by Peacock on the last lap to take third.
Feature, 40 laps: 1. G9 Chris Pagel, 2. CR32 Nathan Macdonald, 3. G17 Tim Weir, 4. G84 Jarrod Peacock, 5. SC7 Robbie White, 6. CR27 Shane Macdonald, 7. C27 Allen Schultz (38), 8. SB6 Brad Stein (38). DNF: G27 Mark Raymont (27), CR28 Aidan Raymont (24), SB89 TJ Horne (24), M18 Bryce Bayfield (23), CR17 Nathan Lowe (22), RK105 Tyson Jennings (17), SB55 Josh Harm (16), M21 Brendon Bayfield (16), G4 Glenn Pagel (14), SB21 Michael Shelford (12), SC21 Christopher Blackburn (10), W74 Allan Mortimer (6), Steve Blackburn (4). DNS: B47 Steven Quirk. Total Time: No Time. Winning Margin: 0.942. Fastest Lap: 17.707 CR28 Aidan Raymont.
Pics Courtesy CH Images