Trapp claims honors in the final round
Sunday March 11, 2007. Nathan Macdonald

Robert Trapp drove a sensational race to claim the final round of the HDS Modified Production Series held at Charlton Raceway on Saturday 10th March.  Over the 25 lap main event there were four different race leaders, including Todd Doyle, Shane Langton, Mark Ferguson and Robert Trapp.

Gary Maroske in his rotary powered RX7 placed his car on pole for the A-main, with Local favourite and round one winner Shane Langton sharing the front row on the outside.  Langton was the early race leader with Todd Doyle in the chase for the lead.  Doyle moved into the lead but as the caution lights come on was relegated back to second after Dennis Bullpitt and Darryl Etherden come together.  Bullpitt was transferred to the back of the field.

On the restart Doyle pounced and drove underneath Langton into the lead.  After winning round two at Kingaroy and round 4 at Lismore, Doyle was in a prime spot to take another possible win, but an overheating engine would see him retire to the infield.

Travis Barron and Gavin Fletcher brought the race to a halt as they come together up the main straight.  The restart saw Robert Trapp take over the lead as he made his way forward after starting from position six on the grid.  Dale Grother made a welcome return after a horror smash at Rockhampton Speedway, which destroyed the back half of the car.  The Blackburn Performance Engines team done a great job to repair the car for the final round.  Grother was now running a strong second behind Trapp.  Shane Langton sat in third place with big mover Mark Ferguson in fourth.  Ferguson started the race from position eleven.

Trapp showed his local knowledge of the track to gain a handy lead over the rest of the field.  As the lap counter wound down, Ferguson was looking to be a threat as he moved into second place.  Ferguson locked his eyes onto the back of the leader and slowly reeled in Trapp through lapped traffic.  Two laps to go and Ferguson made himself known to Trapp as he raced up the inside.  Trapp raced him on the outside and maintained the lead.  Once again Ferguson charged down the back straight on the inside and was the new race leader with three laps to go, until Trapp kept his momentum going and drove back into the lead on the outside with a bold and daring move as he squeezed between Ferguson and a lapped car.  The final lap came as Robert Trapp kept his cool and crossed the line in his Holden VX Commodore ahead of Mark Ferguson, in what was a brilliant display of driving which kept the crowd on their feet until the chequered flag.  Dale Grother crossed the line for third followed by, Shane Langton, Royce Ernst, Troy Ware, Darryl Etherden, Gary Maroske, Adrian Sott and Jason Campbell.

Robert Trapp or "Trappy" as his fellow racers know him, had a few weeks off from the Speedway circuit after a recent new addition to his family.  To come out and win the final round of the series has topped off his last few weeks as he said "I couldn't have asked for more!" 

Several cars were parked on the infield including series leader and eventual winner Michael Hally, who got caught up in an earlier incident.  Greg Raymont was also out with a flat tyre.  Hally was later crowned the winner of the 2006/2007 QLD Hydraulic Drilling Services Series, with Greg Raymont in second and Todd Doyle third.  More news will follow for the final series placings.

Matt Swarbrooke got off to a great start winning heat two with Robert Trapp in second.

Shane Langton was able to steal the race win in heat four, after a photo finish between Langton and Gavin Fletcher.

Dale Grother made a return for the better, winning heat five.

Another Toowoomba Local Rodney Pammenter looked to be off to a great start, as he beat Todd Doyle off the line and into the lead in heat six, but would pull out on lap two with engine problems.  Doyle went on to win the heat.

Gary Maroske powered on to take heat seven while Troy Ware won heat eight.

Todd Doyle come from the back of heat nine, to be the eventual winner with Greg Raymont in second.