Photos taken and supplied by Raymond Woodcock - Detla Photography
Resolute Security Services 2020 HQ Racing WA Season.
Saturday 29th February the Home Loan Solutions Round 1 at Wanneroo Raceway for a full weekend of racing at the 51st Birthday Meeting meant Qualifying and 4 races over 2 days. However, the drama started from Friday practice. With Scott Hames withdrawing the #62 due to the engine failure and jumped into #14 for the round.
Qualifying on an overcast, humid 27 degree Saturday morning saw the number 93 of Adam Butler take third place on the grid with the ADH Golf and Utility Vehicles #74 of Mick Woodbridge on the front row with the #7 Network Couriers of Michael Howlett on Pole by just over a tenth of a second. Brian Pangler in the Bolivar Holdings #13, which he purchased over the summer break from the 4 times consecutive WA State Champions’ car (Marc Watkins). Pangler qualified strong in 4th place. Rory Sharp seemed to have good pace qualifying 5th. Phil Breen in the #75 Impressions Window Cleaning with excellent pace Qualified 6th. Scott Hames qualified the #14 Bodeccia Management Services into 7th spot. Dennis Russell in the #23 Tyrco Wangara Qualified 8th. #6 I-Mett Coatings of Darren Peat qualified in 9th. Steve West #36 BD Pest & Termite Control in 10th. Todd Forknall in #24 Qualified 11. With Chris Ainscough in the #12 Western Australian Security Personnel struggling for pace qualifying 12th.
Race 1 was 8 laps with Howlett in the lead. A lead change mid race with Woodbridge in front for a couple of laps, but taken back by Howlett with Woodbridge coming in second. Third was hard fought with Brian Pangler holding the position until the end of lap 5 where he suffered engine failure believed to be a broken camshaft. This brought out the safety car and the race finished behind the safety car. Taking third place was Rory Sharp, who qualified 5th. Adam Butler also with engine trouble recorded a DNF. Chris Ainscough in the WASP #12 survived and finishing 7th making up a few places from where he started. Brian Pangler in the #13 Bolivar Holdings HQ taking fastest lap of the race which would remain unbeaten for the event with a 1:16.4127
Race 2 was 10 laps starting on a full reverse grid. 10 cars starting, with #13 and #93 out with engine failure, Michael Howlett took control early finishing 1st, Holding Mick Woodbridge off who finished in 2nd place. Dennis Russell starting in only his 3rd season finished with a fantastic result of 3rd place, closely followed by Steve West who got Rory Sharp by less than 2 tenths. Phil Breen in 6th then Ainscough in 7th Hames and Forknall taking 8th and 9th after a coming together in turn 6 on lap 2, which resulted in some damage to the driver’s side of Todd Falknall’s #24. The #14 of Scott Hames getting some damage to the left front guard. Both drivers managing to finish the race. An early retirement on lap 5 of Darren Peat recording a DNF due to overheating issues. Mick Woodbridge in the ADH Golf and Utility Vehicles #74 taking the fastest lap of the race with a 1:16.4222.
Day 2 Sunday. A hot and sunny 30 degrees.
Race 3 started in the morning with 8 laps. Michael Howlett and Mick Woodbridge started on the front row. They exchanged the lead a couple of times with Woodbridge taking the win. Howlett second and Dennis Russell backing up his performance the previous day with third place again. Hard and great racing fought behind with Rory Sharp and Steve West with only a couple of hundredths of a second separating them. Phil Breen 6th and Darren Peat 7th scrambling for position. Hames coming in 8th, Ainscough 9th then in the spirit of HQ Racing, Network Couriers lent a driver’s door to Forknall and his rear door was repairable from the incident the previous day in Race 2, enabling Forknall to continue in the #24 finishing 10th in this race. Mick Woodbridge in the ADH Golf and Utility Vehicles #74 took the fastest lap of the Race with a 1:16.2660 on lap 2.
Final Race, Race 4 started after the lunch break at 1245 hours. In the peak heat of the day 10 laps were ahead of 10 drivers, with the excellent sportsmanship happening again an engine was provided by the Network Couriers/Howlett camp. Many hands assisting in the transplant, Adam Butler was back starting from rear of grid for the last race. Scott Hames was unable to start with a broken Bell Housing. It was Howlett from the start with a challenge by Woodbridge moving into first for a lap on lap 5, however dropping back to 3rd by lap 7. Rory Sharp coming in at 2nd place, Butler in 4th, West in 5th, Russell in 6th, Peat in 7th, Breen in 8th, Ainscough, 9th and Forknall in 10th.
Grade winners:
Grade A
Michael Howlett – Nework Couriers
Grade B
Rory Sharp
Grade C
Chris Ainscough – Western Australian Security Personnel.
Round 2 on the 28th March will be a “Night Masters” a favorite of all the WA HQ’s. It promises to be a great event with word a few drivers returning making a bigger and better grid. Addendum Round 2 postponed as per WASCC.
