Corowa-Rutherglen Speedway Club starts its brand-new race season this Saturday night at their Wahgunyah Speedway complex with two of the biggest crowd-pleasing classes in town headlining a night full of local race stars.
The Victorian Late Model Sedan and Super Sedan associations both have a huge event attracting some competition from right across Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales as they strive to win on one of the best racetracks in Australia.
Along with the two featured classes Junior Sedans, Standard Saloons, Sports Sedans and Humpy Holdens all get time to shine.
In the forty lap Late Model feature event drivers include New South Wales based stars Nathan Disney, Ben Nicastri, Todd Bayley, Lachlan Onley and Jacob Croker.
They will go head-to-head with the likes of Dylan Barrow from Wandin and Eildon brothers Brock and Chevy Edwards, along with Melbourne’s Shane Belk and Warrnambool’s Fiona Verhoeven.
It is hard to look past Disney, Nicastri, Bayley and Onley in particular however their will be plenty of support for both the NSW and Victorian competitors with their unlimited engine sizes.
Super Sedan action to get the Victorian point score season underway with former Victorian champion Jamie Collins leading the entrants this weekend. Collins will go to battle with Ash Bergmeier a long-time front running competitor in the class from Bendigo.
Trav Ramsdale, Dave Mackenzie, Ricky Ashmore and Brock Atkins complete the Victorian competitor’s group as they compete with Tyson Moon from New South Wales and Chris Ferguson from South Australia. There is good money up for grabs along with all important association points.
Fans will see several local heroes in the supporting classes. Developing champions of the future hit the track in Junior Sedan competition.
Tyler Smith from Tasmania leads a list that includes Taijan and Zade Ussher and Cooper and Ryder Lack from the Wangaratta Speedway Club along with Mackenzie Dixon from the Goulburn Valley. Taijan has a number of class records at Wahgunyah, however, will have his work cut out for him with Tyler Smith a quick competitor from Tasmania keen for a win.
Standard Saloon competition will be led by club champion and Corowa local Micheal Fleming-Robertson. Fleming-Robertson has been at the top of the Standard Saloon field at Corowa for the past few seasons and whilst he heads into Saturday as favourite, Scott McAuliffe, Rhys Lavender, Keith Cattermole and Rod Stubbs have plans of their own to win.
In particular McAuliffe and Lavender have been getting closer to Fleming-Robertson and hope to put him behind them at the finish this weekend.
Sports Sedans this weekend have Daniel Joosten, Danny Cox and Billy O’Donoghue looking to defend home club territory as they compete with Brad McNeil and Braiden Simmonds from the Goulburn Valley club and Rhys Collins and Mitchell Sayers from the Wangaratta club. Over many seasons locally Rhys Collins has been a hard to beat front runner, Collins though will find all three Corowa cars difficult to beat.
Ladies Sports Sedan’s and Humpy Holdens round out all the action this Saturday.
Fans who want to get to the track early and settle their viewing area can take advantage of the free pit walk tour at midday.
Gates to the public open from 9am. Racing starts at 3pm. A full canteen. Entry is $25 for adults whilst the club offers aged pensioners and Children aged 12 to 16 a $15 entry. Any child under 12 is free. Family tickets are $60 for 2 adults and 3 children in the 12 to 16 age bracket. Veterans with the Gold or White Card who attends the speedway and produces the card, receives free entry for themselves.