In preparation for this weekend’s Australian Wingless Sprint Championship at Warrnambool’s Premier Speedway, 15 of the host state’s NSW neighbours will travel south to clinch top honours for their state for the first time in the history of the event.
With a NSW-based driver having never before been able to win an Australian Championship, there’s much at stake for the NSW representatives when they take to the track, but with the line-up featuring numerous genuine contenders, victory is certainly not out of the question.
Having previously withstood the pressure of a title event to earn the silverware, former NSW Champion and current Australia # 4 Jason Bates is no stranger to going up against a formidable field of rivals and he will be putting his experience to the test throughout the weekend, as will Lismore’s David Eggins, who has already racked up four feature-race wins so far this season.
Ashleigh Jack and her Aussie Racing teammate Luke Sayre, who finished 11th in last season’s Australian Championship, will be amongst the nominations, with Ashleigh being one of only three female racers to participate in the Australian Championship, while O’Brien brothers, Mitchell and Leighton, will both be hoping to do their family and their state proud.
Photo: Robert Lake Photography
Driving the NSW # 2 machine owned by Tony Powell, Robert Mazzer is hoping to fare well, along with current Australia # 8 Troy Carey, Michael Butcher, Zac Pacchiarotta and Jason Davis.
Other drivers within the NSW contingent include youngster Cody Boulding, Mason Cattell, Darryl Marshall and Evan O’Bryan.
To view the full Australian Championship nominations list, visit the following link: www.awsr.com.au/event/702.
Getting underway with scrutineering, practice and the calcutta on Thursday, February 21 the last of the scrutineering will be completed on the morning of Friday, February 22 before drivers contest two rounds of heat races on Friday night, with the top-40 drivers in the point standings going on to complete two odds and evens preliminary feature races.
The first four finishers in these preliminary feature races will qualify directly into Saturday night’s feature race and will compete in the Champions A-Scramble to determine their starting positions.
Following the opening night of competition, the top 96 cars in points, excluding the eight drivers who have already qualified for the feature race, will return to the track on the Saturday night of February 23 to contest a final round of heat races. The top 8 in points will then qualify directly into the feature race and will compete in the Mid-Pack B-Scramble to determine their starting positions.
The next 32 drivers in the point standings will qualify directly into two B mains, while other competitors will contest one of four non-qualifier events to determined qualifications into the D main and two C mains, with the top four in each main progressing through to the back of the next main.
Once these mains are complete and the final feature-race transferees are confirmed, 24 drivers will take to the track for the 40-lap Australian Championship feature race.
For more information about the AWSR, visit their website at www.awsr.com.au or LIKE them on Facebook or Follow them on Instagram and Twitter by searching Australian Wingless Sprint Racing.