Sport
19 September, 2025
Full throttle fun at the Sprints
It was an exhilarating weekend for competitors and spectators alike at the 27th annual Pittsworth Sprints on 12-14th September.
The adrenaline was pumping as entrants lined up on Friday evening, most of them in a Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon, to kickstart the much-loved annual event on the district’s calendar.
The 1.3 kilometre circuit was a mix of high-speed straights, challenging bends and complex chicanes through the Industrial Estate.
The meet was the brainchild of the Pittsworth Sprints committee and the Millmerran Auto Club, first held in 1998.
While some of the same drivers are still competing, the Pittsworth Sprints has become an intergenerational celebration of motorsport and mechanics.
The event has connected generations through shared knowledge and experience, with the founders’ children and grandchildren now slipping behind the wheel for a race on the track.
Scott Ariell, President of the Sprints Committee, said it was another successful year.
“All round it was a good weekend,” Mr Ariell said.
“Everything went well.”
There were about 180 entrants who raced across ten rounds.
The outright winner was Trent Laves with a lightning run of 46.65 seconds.
Second place went to Cameron Freeman from Toowoomba only milliseconds behind on 46.71.
Des Pearce took third in his 2006 Mitsubishi Evo9 with a time of 47.20.
In the ladies section, Kirsty Wedding took home honours at 55.08 seconds followed by Jacinta Follington (55.12) and Teagan Jones (58.18).
Dallen Kelly raced in a 1993 Ford Laser to win the junior competition (0-2500cc) with a time of 56.01.
Harrison Porter was fastest in the junior (2501cc and over) competition.
On Saturday afternoon around 4.30, the burnouts drew a large crowd to the Pursehouse Rural corner of the track.
With 45 entrants, the competition was at full capacity, and spectators watched on in excitement through a haze of smoke as rubber went flying.
Everyone was well fed by the Junior Danes with their on-the-go meals, the hot chip van manned by Southbrook Central State School and the team from Bottlebrush Café.
Refreshing beverages were available from the Pittsworth Scouts who operated the Cooks Soft Drinks van.
The Pittsworth Showgirl committee, Toowoomba Rotary Club and Pittsworth Lions Club volunteered their time to man the gates.
“A very big thank you to all the committee members who attended the meetings, helped at working bees and assembled and disassembled the track,” Mr Ariell said.
“Thank you to the business houses in the Industrial Estate who were affected by the event, we are grateful for your support.”
Mr Ariell expressed his gratitude to Lindsay Simmons, Clerk of the Course, and other volunteers for their efforts including the event secretaries, time-keepers, starters, and flag and pit marshalls.
Purely out of interest, a motorcycle policeman dropped by the event and clocked Cameron Freeman with his radar speed gun, tearing down the back straight doing 150 km/hour.
It definitely provides perspective as to how much speed is required to make the fastest times!
