www.lucasoil.com.au (January 23, 2016) - Former Australian Champion James McFadden held out a fast finishing Kerry Madsen to take out night 1 of the 2016 Lucas Oils Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at the Sungold Stadium at Warrnambool. After starting from position six McFadden worked the top side of the speedway early in the race before making the decisive pass for the lead on Ben Atkinson in turn 1. Third place went to the early race leader with Brad Sweet and Ryan Jones completing the top five.

"Yeah it was good. I knew the track was going to take rubber it was just a case of when. I worked the top of the track early and then ran the bottom later when I needed to. Towards the end I looked up at the screen and saw the 29 was coming so I just protected the bottom. The track was the most fun to race on tonight as it has been for a number of years. Tonight was a good way to get our classic underway" added James shortly after the chequered flag.

On the initial start of the 30 lap finale Jordyn Brazier and Max Johnston made contact as they entered turn one with Jordyn Brazier rolling his Q21. The contact also ended the race for Max Johnston but the red light stoppage allowed Western Australian Darryl Clayden to change his right rear tyre.

Once the race got back under way the opening lap was hard fought with Atkinson getting the better of pole sitter Ryan Jones but Jones didn't give an inch as he attempted to take the lead back in turn three. But Atkinson would keep the lead as the caution would be out on lap two for Brad Maiolo.

Atkinson would continue to lead until lap 16 when James McFadden, who had been railing the top side of the speedway, switched to the bottom and put a slider on Atkinson in turn one. The race would then see one more caution as Jason Pryde spun in turn two just two laps after "JMac" took the lead.

Brooke Tatnell, Terry McCarl, Darren Mollenoyux, Tim Rankin and John Vogels completed the top 10.

Local hero Darren Mollenoyux claimed the B-Main ahead of pole sitter Max Johnston and Grant Anderson, who executed a number of exciting slide job passes to book his place into the A-Main. The final transfer spot went the way of Brad Keller. The only stoppage of the B-main occurred with five laps remaining after Troy Little lost a muffler.

After a tough night Ian Madsen transferred to the back of the B-Main from the 15 lap C-Main along with Troy Little, American Danny Dietrich and Victorian youngster Dion Bellman. During the C-main New South Wales resident Daniel Sayre rode out a big crash after hitting the wall with three laps remaining.

Earlier in the night South Australian racer Daniel Pestka and Western Australian Brad Maiolo set the pace in the spit time trial groups prior to the heat races.

With the opening round of heats seeing the fastest cars from the front Daniel Pestka, Taylor Milling, Ben Atkinson, Brad Maiolo, John Vogels and Ryan Jones capitalised on their fast qualifying performance by winning their heats from the front row.

The second round sent the fastest cars to the rear but it took until heat 10 until a heat was won by someone who didn’t start on the front row. That win went to former Classic Champion Ian Loudoun who started from position four. The drive of the night in the heat races was without doubt Ryan Jones who drove his Ryan Schlam #49 to a runner-up result after starting from position seven.

The fact that the track proved be extremely narrow during the heats was unfortunate for the big crowd on hand for night 1 of the Lucas Oils Classic but it was understandable considering the weather throughout the afternoon.

The remaining heat races went the way of South Australian Champion Brad Keller, Sydney’s Troy Little, American based Sydneysiders Ian Madsen and Glen Saville and Jason Pryde.