Gold Coast’s Lachlan McHugh became the first Queenslander to win the South Australian Sprintcar Championship after a masterful display of high line driving at the Whyalla Speedway last night. After dropping a heat due to a coil lead issues McHugh was forced to start from position 11 but by lap 20 he had found the lead after picking off the leaders one by one on the high side and he went on to win ahead of Luke Dillon and Ryan Jones.

“Even after dropping that second heat I knew we had a great car. It didn’t really bother me that I started that deep in the field as we had a plan to run the top and it worked out. The car felt good up there and to be honest I was really surprised that no-one else tried running the top. Right from hot laps the track actually reminded me a bit of Archerfield, so I was really comfortable, and I had a lot of fun out there” added McHugh on the podium.

“I can’t believe I won the South Australian Title; this will go well with my Queensland Title. To hold two Titles at once is something that I thought I would never achieve. I guess I will have to come back and defend it next year”.

McHugh only received the drive in the Whyalla Earthworks Racing #52 after regular driver Matt Egel recommended McHugh as his preferred replacement.

“To have the recognition of my fellow competitors is really important to me and I couldn’t let the Team down. Matt trusted me to drive the car tonight and to know that he believed that I could get the job done is pretty cool”.

After starting from the pole, courtesy of being fastest in Time Trials and a heat win, Dillon trailed early race leader Aidan Hall for the opening nine laps but took the lead on the restart following the red light for Darwin’s Chace Karpenko. He then led until losing the lead on lap 20.

On the podium Luke Dillon conceded that even if they knew McHugh was running to top groove, he simply wouldn’t have had anything to hold him off.

Third placed Ryan Jones was solid all night starting the 30-lap main event from position three and finishing third although he held down second during the middle stages until he too was passed by McHugh on the outside.

Fourth place went to Aidan Hall with Daniel Pestka returning to form with a fifth placed result. Lisa Walker was impressive all night as she finished sixth, with Brendan Quinn, Luke Bowey, Joel Heinrich, Ben Morris and Jamie O’Neill completing the finishers.

Earlier Luke Dillon set the pace in Time Trials with a lap of 11.701 while Dillon, Hall, Walker and O’Neill won the heats.

Sprintcars SA would like to thank Scotcher Race Fuels and Oils, Maxwill Race Engines and Lonsdale Competition Tires for their Contingency Awards and A1 Welding for being the naming rights sponsor.

Random Draws:
Scotcher Race Fuels and Oils – Drum of Methanol – Daniel Smith
Maxwill Race Engines – Axle Beam – Lisa Walker
Lonsdale Competition Tires – Hoosier Right Rear – Joel Heinrich