Brisbane/Charlton Race Re-cap
Posted: 18/04/04

Saturday night saw Shane Macdonald race at the Clive Berghofer's Charlton Speedway, while Nathan travelled to Brisbane to contest the first round of the tri-series.  The next two rounds will be at Kingaroy on the 2nd of May and Yandina on the 15th of May.  In Brisbane, for Heat 1, Nathan started from position 6, and got up to 3rd, after Shane Hollyman was leading and hit a wet patch, and just slid up into the wall, which resulted in a broken rack in his car.  This put him out for the second heat as well.  Allan Williams was then placed in the lead, and after the stoppage for Shane Hollyman, Williams drove to open a up a good lead over Terry Medcalf, and wasn't troubled all race.  Nathan attempted to pass Medcalf a few times up the inside, but didn't quite have enough pace.  1st Allan Williams    2nd Terry Medcalf    3rd Nathan Macdonald. 

Heat 2 saw Nathan off the front row, with Paul Zoubakin on the outside of him.  Zoubakin on the start got a better run on the outside, and took the lead coming into the corner, but had a bit of a lose coming out of the first corner, which allowed Macdonald to go around the outside into the lead.  Macdonald was being chased by Australia #1 Tony Blacker, but Blacker drifted high and hit the wall.  While the yellow lights were on for Tony Blacker, Allan Williams was running 2nd while his car caught on fire, forcing Williams onto the infield.  Nathan wasn't challenged for the lead, while Paul Zoubakin come in for 2nd, followed by Terry Medcalf and Tony Blacker.  1st Nathan Macdonald    2nd Paul Zoubakin    3rd Terry Medcalf. 

Heat 3 saw Macdonald and Zoubakin off the front row again.  Once again the Mazda of Zoubakin's got a better run around the outside, Macdonald slipping back into 2nd.  But on the next corner, Zoubakin drifted a bit higher, which let Macdonald go underneath him.  Macdonald slid up a little and hit Zoubakin, but Macdonald obtained the lead.  Macdonald putting his foot down to open up a handy lead, wasn't troubled all race.  While Tony Blacker come through the field into 2nd followed by Terry Medcalf, Shane Hollyman, Steve Conway, Paul Zoubakin and Tanya Blacker.  1st Nathan Macdonald    2nd Tony Blacker    3rd Terry Medcalf. 

The racing at Charlton Raceway, saw Shane Macdonald and Rodney Pammenter off the front row for the first heat.  Macdonald got a bit anxious and jumped the start, the yellow lights coming on for a restart.  With another restart, Pammenter was in the lead around the first corner, but was too high and drifted high into a wet patch, which allowed Macdonald through.  But Macdonald's car pushed wide up near the fence around the next turn, which in turn let Pammenter and Shane Langton in car #72 through.  Macdonald then drifted high again and just hit the wall, which dropped him back to 6th position.  Macdonald got going again and crawled his way back up to 4th.  Peter Campbell once again proving his car is good on the wetter tracks, while he was running 3rd until he got a little crossed up and stopped on the track after just touching the wall.  Pammenter out in front, couldn't be caught by Langton.  The Rocket opening up a good lead over his opponents to take the heat 1 win.  1st Rodney Pammenter    2nd Shane Langton    3rd Dennis Bullpitt. 

Heat 2 saw Dennis Bullpitt and Peter Campbell off the front row.  After a few laps, both Dennis and Peter got swamped by Langton and Pammenter.  Langton eventually taking the lead from Bullpitt, with Pammenter following him into 2nd, while Shane Macdonald also come through the field into 3rd.  Pammenter was unable to reel in Langton, while Macdonald caught up to Pammenter in the last few laps, he couldn't find any gaps to get passed.  1st Shane Langton    2nd Rodney Pammenter    3rd Shane Macdonald. 

Shane Langton once again qualified on pole for the feature race, with Rodney Pammenter beside him, followed by Shane Macdonald, Dennis Bullpitt, Peter Rodgers, Brett Raabe and Peter Campbell.  Langton was the one who got the better start, but Pammenter stayed on the outside of Langton for nearly a lap, until eventually slipping back into 2nd, with Shane Macdonald right on his heels.  Pammenter never let Langton out of his sights, when a few lapped cars come up, Pammenter pounced, getting up the inside of Langton, racing side by side for nearly 2 laps, when Pammenter took the lead, only to see Peter Campbell facing the wrong way stopped on the track.  For the restart, Langton was put back in front of Rodney.  With a 3 lap dash to the finish line between Langton, Pammenter and Macdonald, all 3 cars couldn't advance any further.  Pammenter and Macdonald having to settle for 2nd and 3rd, while Shane Langton having to settle for his 4th straight win at Charlton!  Dennis Bullpitt was running a comfortable 4th when his steering rack broke, which saw him drop back to 6th.  Peter Rodgers was still running strong in 4th, with Brett Raabe behind him.  1st Shane Langton    2nd Rodney Pammenter    3rd Shane Macdonald.