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Brooke Tatnell and the Krikke Motorsport Team have successfully defended their Australian Sprintcar Title with a spectacular victory in the 50th running of the Championship event at Adelaide’s Speedway City on Sunday 29 January 2012.

At the conclusion of Night One, Tatnell was tenth in points and confident going into what was scheduled to be the final night on Saturday 28 January 2012, but the night was rained out during the first round of heats, before the Krikke Motorsport machine had turned a racing lap.

With Night Two of the Championship event rescheduled for Sunday, Tatnell was in the first heat to hit the track, starting the 10-lap race from the outside of the front row. He got the jump at the start and powered his Toyota Genuine Parts Cool machine away from the field, opening up a quarter of a lap lead with seven to go. Brooke maintained his lead to take a dominant win – a sign of what was to come later in the night.

With the field inverted for the second heat, the Australian Sprintcar Champion started from ninth. With a diminished field of only seven cars, he charged into sixth off the start, then battled for fifth, swapping positions before making a move with seven to go. He quickly pulled an inside pass to take fourth, and ran his Australia #1 machine around the high line chasing down third, but was unable to make a pass, finishing fourth and earning valuable points for the Championship final.

The Krikke Motorsport pilot started the 40-lap A-Main from the outside of the third row – the same position as the year before. Brooke held sixth off the start, before charging the Black Deuce into fifth with 36 to go. He ran the high line, then moved down low to make an inside pass for fourth. The following lap saw Tatnell move to third, then back to fourth two laps later. An epic battle for position ensued, with Tatnell running side-by-side with his opponent. He pulled a masterful slide job to take third with 24 laps remaining, then encountered lapped traffic which saw him move to fourth. A caution period halted the charge near half-race distance, following which Brooke restarted in fourth, again running side-by-side in a battle for position. A red light stoppage followed, after which he restarted in third, and quickly stormed the Krikke Motorsport machine into second. He ran side-by-side for the lead, taking first with 10 laps remaining. He soon found himself in lapped traffic, weaving through the slower cars and holding a commanding lead to take his fifth, and Krikke Motorsport’s seventh Australian Sprintcar Title.

“I’ve said it a million times, I drive for the best team, I’ve got the best crew chief out there, and I’ve got the best crew guys out there”, said an elated Tatnell. “This was a team effort, but I am a firm believer that this was just one of those things where the stars aligned. We say there’s nights that it’s meant to be, and it’s this or it’s that, but I’ve got to say it’s special because my family was here, my mum was here, having Krikke’s here – I wish Ryan was here this year, he missed last year and he’s missed this year. But to do it under that grandstand [the George Tatnell Grandstand] with dad’s name on it, and Kym Bonython’s name on it, it doesn’t get any more special than this. To have five championships – dad’s number. I sit here and say right now five is great, until next year when I’ll say I want number six. I can’t say enough about these guys. We haven’t had the strongest of years results-wise, but we’ve had a strong year performance-wise, and I’m just really, really proud of my guys and really proud that we got another one up there for Krikke Motorsport.”

“Winning the Australian Title tonight, it’s unbelievable”, said Krikke Motorsport Crew Chief Pete Caporn. “We have got the best driver in the country, and the team owners are the best in the country as well. There’s nothing here that we lack as a combination and it’s just unreal to win the Aussie Title. Hopefully we can keep this rolling and finish off the year strongly.”

“Well what more can you say – we just won the Australian Title!” exclaimed Krikke Motorsport Team Owner Shane Krikke. “It’s a fantastic feeling. We’ve had such a tough year; we’re on our fourth car, we’ve had a few engine ups and downs, and the guys have worked bloody hard. To come out and win the Australian Title again, go back to back, and that’s five for Brooke now, and seven for Krikke Motorsport, so we’re all very happy at the minute. Now we’ve got to go to the car wash and start working again. The guys have to hit the road tomorrow to get organised to go to Kalgoorlie, so not a lot of rest for the wicked. But it’s a fantastic feeling, all of sudden our year’s not that bad.”
Brooke Tatnell and the Krikke Motorsport Team now head across to Kalgoorlie for the resumption of World Series Sprintcars on Wednesday 1 February 2012.

Krikke MotorSport would like to thank their ongoing sponsorship partners:
Toyota Genuine Parts, AJC Professional Coating Services, Cool Chassis, Maxwill Race Engines, Mercure Hotel Parramatta, Mega Motors, PWR, BR Motorsports, A1 Digital Sign Shop, Valvoline, A.Lucas Spraypainters, GT Fabrication, Revolution Racegear, Pioneer, Alberts Car Stereo Bunbury, Vortex & Team BCM

30 January 2012 – Jane Alexander – KMS Media Representative

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