The battle for two state titles headline Bairnsdale Speedway racing action this Saturday night.
The Granite Rock circuit will come alive as the sprintcars and junior 1200cc sedans compete for coveted state honours.
Defending the state title in the Victorian Speedway Council sprintcar title is Bairnsdale Speedway Association (BSA) member Nigel Laity, while Bryce Leek from the Drouin Speedway Club will defend his junior 1200cc sedan championship in front of an expected packed crowd.
The support card will see standard saloon classes and unlimited sedans compete for all important state series points.
Laity, of Wiseleigh, is keen to secure a unique back-to-back at the same host track two years in succession.
The title once again is in East Gippsland after the BSA was able to step up and take on the title when another venue had to relinquish the event.
Having the title locally gives the likes of Ethan Bastian, David Dennison, Koby Noonan, Adam Greenwood, Roddy Dennison, Laity, Alistair Bastian and Dillon Siely another run for the title at their own club, while they will face stiff competition from former champion Steven Horton, multiple time champ Dennis Jones, Thomas McDonald, Travis Millar, and Justin Barton.
Greenwood has form leading into the title with a strong result last weekend in
Ballarat, while Jones is in most pundits’ views the favourite, having won the big $5000 to win the feature at Bairnsdale in September.
Leek won the junior standard saloon title at the last Bairnsdale meeting and will be out for glory this Saturday night on a track that he drives particularly well around.
Xander Baxter and Riley Taylor who were on last year’s podium with Leek are sure to be serious challengers, while Chase
Doherty, Brad Marshall, Will Fallon and Andrew Mitchell are other potential contenders.
Victorian unlimited sedan champion Travis Ramsdale leads the field in the series round for the class this weekend with Peter Farley, Corey McDonald, Troy Hutchison and Anthony McKean other drivers to watch.
The standard saloons are on track with among others Beau Stuchbery, Jack Braz, Gus Argoon, Andrew and Ashley Cormack and Jamie Curtis all looking to pick up a first feature win of the season.
Bree Walker is the driver most likely to win in the ladies’ standard saloons however she can expect to be pressured all the way by Elise Halliday, Simone Taylor and Kate Stuchbery. Walker has already won a couple times already this season at Bairnsdale.
Tom Braz, Kaine Smith and Dyclan Sweet have been the quickest junior standard saloon competitors this season, however they can expect some serious competition from Tannah Lee and Sharni Stuchbery who are keen for a host club victory.
Spectator entry begins from 1pm with the consumption of alcohol prohibited at the venue while racing will kick off at 5.30pm.
