Image credit: Toowoomba Speedway
James McFadden has returned to Toowoomba Speedway victory lane for the first time in over 10 and a half years, winning preliminary night of the Red Hot Shootout on the racy little highbank clay coliseum.
Early in the night McFadden qualified second in his group behind overall quicktime Jamie Veal (V35) who set a lap of 11.038 seconds. Heat wins went to Jy Corbett (NQ10), Ryan Newton (Q66), Nicholas Whell (Q21) and Lachlan McHugh (NQ7); McFadden ran second in that fourth heat race, right behind McHugh.
In the preliminary A-main it was all McFadden at the front, the Aussie Champ controlled the momentum with veteran precision. The battles behind the A1 were typical T-Bar, three and four wide wheel to wheel dicing that has become synonymous with the egg shaped oval. Several restarts provided ample opportunity for the chasers to capitalize but McFadden only used the clean air to maximize his advantage time and time again. Matt Dumesny (57) had the most convincing challenge for McFadden, the Sydney-sider closed in on J-Mac's tailtank as the laps wound down but ultimately falling just short at the line. Lachlan McHugh won his heat race early in the program, going on to finish the feature in third after a torrid battle with Veal and Nicholas Whell (Q21) who ended their nights in fourth and fifth respectively.
Several big names had issues while running strongly in the feature. Luke Oldfield inexplicably looped his #17 machine while contending for a podium, Jock Goodyer (T22) suffered a steering box failure and Brock Hallett brought on the reds after going upside down. These three, and a host of others will have their work cut out for them trying to move forward on night two.