Pammenter retains Outlaw Title
Posted: 27/01/04

Over the Australia Day long weekend, Nathan and Shane, along with other Toowoomba drivers and Darren Lester from Brisbane, travelled up to Mackay to compete in the Australian Outlaw Championships.  Saturday night's results are as follows.  Shane's first heat for the night saw him on the outside front row.  After numerous restarts from other cars spinning out, Shane was always able to take the lead into the first corner, and wasn't troubled all race to take the heat win.  For Nathan's first heat, he started from position 4, and jumped into 2nd place in the first lap.  Macdonald was able to chase down the leader and eventually get into 1st place, just staying ahead of 2nd placegetter, Aaron Smithwick and 3rd Rodney Pammenter.  1st Nathan Macdonald    2nd Aaron Smithwick    3rd Rodney Pammenter. 

Shane's second heat saw him start from 6th position, and ended up finishing 5th behind Darren Lester, and Shane Langton in 2nd.  Nathan Started started from 5 in his next heat, and fought his way up to 3rd, and tried on numerous occasions to pass 2nd, but couldn't pull it off and had to settle for 3rd, with Aaron Smithwick taking that heat win.  Nathan's last heat for the night saw him out of 2, and took the lead into the first corner, but was being chased down by Lyndsay Hawkings, until Hawkings popped a tyre, allowing Smithwick in car #63 into 2nd.  Macdonald was able to take the win with Smithwick in 2nd and Shane Langton in 4th.  Shane's final heat saw him on the outside front row, and took the lead into the first corner, and taking his heat win comfortably.

Sunday night:    Heat 1 on Sunday night saw Shane Macdonald start from 4, and went wide into the first corner, spinning out and backing it into the wall.  Macdonald was sent to the rear for causing the stoppage.  Shane finished 6th.  Nathan started from the rear in his first heat, and was following Peter Rogers on the 1st lap, when Rogers braked to miss a car and Macdonald spun him.  Macdonald was then stuck together with a car that had then ran into him after hitting Rogers.  They were able to separate the two cars, and Macdonald started from position 2 after other cars retired.  Around the first corner Nathan got a little sideways and was collected by another car, both spinning out.  Macdonald was sent to the rear.  After those two incidents, Nathan's steering had been damaged, but was still able to finish in 4th position behind Peter Rogers. 

Shane started in position 4 for Heat 2, and on the first corner a car spun, with everyone narrowly missing him.  He was sent to the rear which saw Shane move up to position 2 for the restart.  From the green flag Macdonald  was first into the corner, and never let off the gas until the Chequered Flag, taking the heat win. 

Heat 2 for Nathan saw him start on the outside of Peter Rogers from Toowoomba, on the front row.  Nathan got the jump and took the lead and was never troubled all race, to take his heat 2 win, with Peter Rogers in 3rd. 

In Shane's final heat for the night, he started out of position 6 and Darren Lester was on Pole.  Darren put the foot down, and after sorting out his engine troubles and setup from previous meetings, he lead the race from start to finish in the Holden Commodore.  Shane sneaked up to 3rd place, challenging for second, but had to settle for 3rd place. 

The final heat for the weekend saw Nathan on pole.  Nathan was beaten into the first corner, and slotted back into second place.  After challenging for first for a few laps, Macdonald took the high line and squeezed into 1st position, leading the rest of the race, with Peter Rogers coming in for 3rd. 

After two nights racing, Nathan Macdonald in car #32 found himself being the highest point scorer, putting him on pole for the 40 lap Feature, followed  by Rodney Pammenter, Aaron Smithwick, Shane Langton, and Shane Macdonald, with Darren Lester in 10th and Peter Rogers in 12th.  The start of the 40 laps saw Rodney the Rocket Pammenter take the lead from Macdonald.  Macdonald then pushed wide in turn 4, allowing Shane Langton into second.  Sitting in 3rd, Nathan was following Langton, when Macdonald lost most of his steering.  The #32 car had very little steering, which forced him to retire after about 10 laps.  Shane Macdonald in car #27 fought his way up to 3rd place, when he made a mistake with about 2laps to go, nearly spinning out, losing a few positions dropping back to 8th.  Pammenter lead from start to finish, winning back to back Outlaw Titles.  Final positions were 1st Rodney Pammenter    2nd Shane Langton    3rd Aaron Smithwick     7th Darren Lester    8th Shane Macdonald    9th Peter Rogers.