Smithwick too good in Rocky
Posted: 28/06/04

Three cars from the Toowoomba region, that being Peter Rodgers, Rodney Pammenter and Nathan Macdonald, travelled about 700km up to Rockhampton to contest the Queensland Super Stocker Championship.  The racing was held at the Rockhampton Showgrounds, and this being their first time out on the Rockhampton track.  Nathan Macdonald was the first Toowoomba car out to race, being in heat 1.  Macdonald started from position 7, and moved his way through the field up to 3rd, but couldn't reel in 1st and 2nd.  Macdonald headed back to the pits to try and improve his car.  1st Craig Shaw    2nd ??    3rd Nathan Macdonald. 

Peter Rodgers found himself in heat 3 of round 1, starting from position 2.  Rodgers had Aaron Smithwick on the inside, in his V8 Holden Commodore.  This being Smithwick's home track.  Smithwick got the better start, which left Rodgers to slide back into 2nd.  Rodgers then lost another position after Lyndsay Hawkins moved into 2nd.  Aaron Smithwick was out in front, when he went to high in all the loose dirt and spun the car around, narrowly missing Lyndsay Hawkins.  This stoppage saw Smithwick go to the rear which moved Rodgers back up to 2nd place.  Rodgers couldn't catch Hawkins, crossing the line in 2nd place.  1st Lyndsay Hawkins    2nd Peter Rodgers    3rd ?? 

Rodney Pammenter then come out for his first heat, starting off of pole and taking the lead straight away.  Pammenter had about 3 laps left to run when there was a stoppage, which allowed Joel Thomas in another V8 Commodore to start right behind him.  The two cars diced for final few laps, but Pammenter managed to be the car out in front after the race, taking his heat win.  1st Rodney Pammenter    2nd Joel Thomas    3rd ?? 

In Nathan's 2nd heat, the #32 car started from position 6.  Macdonald worked his way up to 2nd, and slowly catching Craig Shaw out in front through the lapped traffic.  Macdonald caught right up to the back of Shaw's car, but had to settle for 2nd.  1st Craig Shaw    2nd Nathan Macdonald    3rd ??. 

Rodney Pammenter and Peter Rodgers found themselves in the same heat, Pammenter starting from position 10 and Rodgers in position 6.  Pammenter moved through the field, picking a car off every lap to find himself in 2nd, while Peter Rodgers made up ground to finish 4th.  Joel Thomas was out in front, opening up a good lead to take the heat win.  1st Joel Thomas    2nd Rodney Pammenter    3rd ??. 

In Nathan's 3rd and final heat, he started out of position 3, and made his way into 2nd spot after the first corner.  Macdonald was chasing race leader Lyndsay Hawkins, when Macdonald made a mistake, drifting high, letting one car past.  A few laps later Macdonald then passed 2nd place, only to be passed again to go back to 3rd spot.  1st Lyndsay Hawkins    2nd ??    3rd Nathan Macdonald. 

Rodney Pammenter started from position 5 in his last heat, and found his way up to 2nd place, but couldn't catch the race leader who was over 1/4 lap ahead.  1st Craig Shaw    2nd Peter Rodgers    3rd ??. 

After the final round of heats, Rodney Pammenter managed to qualify in 5th position, while Nathan would start out of position 8, and Peter Rodgers position 10.  After the track had been wet, the 50 lap final was underway.  "Rocket" Rodney Pammenter had trouble down low on the wet surface, while Nathan found traction, making up 4 positions in the first corner.  Macdonald then picked off another car, moving into 3rd spot.  While Rocket was battling with Lyndsay Hawkins for 6th place.  Nathan caught up to 2nd place, Craig Shaw, and both cars soon found themselves in amongst lapped cars.  Macdonald saw an opportunity, going underneath a lapped car while Craig Shaw went around the outside. 

Macdonald was able to pass Shaw and find himself in 2nd place.  The race leader was Joel Thomas, who had a lead of half a lap.  After nearly 25 laps, Macdonald's car was starting to overheat, Macdonald was forced to back off to let the car cool, but Aaron Smithwick had then caught up and passed Macdonald.  As soon as this happened, the leader had a flat tyre and had stopped on the track, bringing the yellow lights on.  Macdonald thinking he should start in 1st position on the restart, the officials put him in 2nd place with Smithwick in 1st.  Lyndsay Hawkins had found his way up to 4th place, with Rodney Pammenter right on his tail. 

Smithwick opened up a few car lengths lead over Macdonald on the restart.  After about 40 laps, Macdonald was trying to pass a lapped car, on a few occasions having passed the car on the outside, but Macdonald then drifted high and the lapped car kept coming back on the inside.  Macdonald then went down low, but the lapped car had got a bit sideways and Macdonald had spun him.  The officials having turned the yellow lights on and putting Macdonald to the rear.  Macdonald was unhappy with the decision but couldn't do anything about it.  Aaron Smithwick then led the rest of the race, to win the 50 lap Queensland Title.  Lyndsay Hawkins stayed in for 3rd spot with Rodney Pammenter in 4th.  Nathan Macdonald managed to get back up to 6th place from the rear, while Peter Rodgers finished in 7th.  1st Aaron Smithwick    2nd ??    3rd Lyndsay Hawkins.