Super Sedan Association Media Release
It’s Grand Final time! The 2016/2017 Think Money Super Sedan Championship Series concludes this weekend with the final round of competition at Ausdeck Patios Archerfield Speedway on Saturday night (May 6). Presented by Ian Boettcher Race Parts and Brisbane Truck Centre, the event will be the culmination of a season-long championship that has included rounds at seven venues in two states. Gympie’s Mark Pagel has the championship wrapped up after a remarkable season of success, but the Super Sedan Association is determined to end the season in style and has gathered a stellar field of drivers for the series finale.
Fresh from their dominant results interstate, Darren Kane and Matt Pascoe are back home and determined to continue their run of success at Archerfield. Having already won the Queensland Championship earlier in the season, Pascoe took out the Western Australian Championship in Kalgoorlie, with Kane finishing second. A week later at Albany saw Kane secure his third Australian Championship win, while Pascoe filled third spot and then, two weekends ago in Sydney, the pair secured another 1-2 finish when Kane led Pascoe home to secure his sixth New South Wales Championship win. Whilst both drivers would love nothing better to finish their season with another victory and should be supremely confident, they are more than aware that the level of competition in the Think Money Championship is tougher than anywhere else in the country and they will need to bring their very best if they expect to prevail in the 40-lap feature event.
An exciting and welcome addition to the field for Saturday night’s series final is South Australian wunderkind Ryan Alexander. A standout performer in these parts earlier in the season during the inaugural Summer Slam Tour, Alexander returns to drive for the newly formed Hussey Racing Team aboard the car previously campaigned by Jason Campbell. Alexander has dominated racing in his home state this season and was actually leading the Australian Championship final in WA until he found himself tangled with some lapped cars and there is no doubt he would love to avenge his misfortune by beating the local lads on home soil.
Needless to say, Pagel will be out to secure the Think Money Championship crown in the best possible way, by adding another win to the already impressive run of success which has kept him at the top of the series standings from the early weeks of the season. Pagel has performed very well at Archerfield this season, in both Super Sedans and Modified Sedans, and has every reason to feel confident of procuring another podium result.
Incredibly enough, despite the form that Kane, Pagel, Alexander and Pagel bring to the event, they certainly should not be expecting an easy passage to the podium because there is a multitude of state and national championship winners in the field who have every reason to fancy their chances. Former national champ Steve Jordan is amongst the nominations, as are Wayne Brims and Ian Brims, who have accumulated five NSW Championship wins, with Wayne Randall, defending series champion Sean Black and Tasmania’s Steve Latham also in the field. Each of these drivers has the experience and credentials to emerge as the feature race winner in what promises to be an intense fight for supremacy.
An added element to proceedings will be the battles through the field to secure the best overall position in the championship with all of the top 12 drivers in the series standings amongst the entries, with the likes of Bob McCosker, David O’Keefe, Tony Brinkmann and Nicholas O’Keefe looking to for strong results to consolidate or improve their positions inside the top ten. Also in the field for the Think Money Grand Final are Sam Roza, Barry Craft, Brian Thevithick, Craig Craft, Jack Childs, Rodney Craft, Nick Sampson and Mark O’Brien.
Each driver will contest three qualifying heats in a bid to secure a place inside the top eight that secures their participation in the Penrite Grid Draw that will determine the starting order for the first four rows of the grid for the Paul Geary Testimonial Feature Race.
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
For Super Sedan news and results throughout the 2016/2017 season, follow the Super Sedan Association on Facebook or visit the SSA website at www.supersedan.com.au
Photo: Mark Pagel leads heading into the final round of the Think Money Championship Series this weekend.
Photo by: Chris Metcalf