SIDECARS ON WARPATH FOR TITLE

A quality list of Sidecars will contest the Curran’s Used Cars – 2016 Victorian Sidecar championship at Olympic Park Speedway on Saturday 2nd January. From a massive entry list of thirty Sidecar teams, the Mildura Club has been given a quality field of sixteen competitors to contest the Title on Saturday night.

Defending Champions, Rick Howes and Adam Commons will journey down from the Silver City to see if they can go back to back with the State title, while current Australian Champs, Justin Plaisted / Sam Harrison will be keen to get another major title and some good track time ready to defend their National crown at Olympic Park on 8th and 9th April this year.

Broken Hill’s Howes / Commons combination have been quite successful in recent years although a major injury to Howes kept him from the racetrack for a couple of years a little while ago. They are good around Olympic Park and will want to take the Trophy back north one more time.

The top line riders in the field will all be trying to assert some authority over their contemporaries as the Australian Championships will be here later this year. Track time and psychological advantage will be important in April, especially for those who get a direct seeding into the Title meeting. All teams will use each opportunity at Mildura to assert that authority or seek an extra advantage over fellow competitors.

Former Victorian Champions, Wazza Monson, now with Matt Morgan back on the chair and Byren Gates / Mick O’Loughlin will be busting to add to their Championship list. Monson is recovered from a nasty crash last week at Mildura when he smashed into the fence on the exit of turn four with just one lap to go in the final of the Mildura Masters. Monson’s passenger, Andrew Summerhayes, injured a shoulder in the incident and Monson has called on former passenger Morgan to join him for the Victorian title. Gates and O’Loughlin in the meantime have a new engine in their machine and from last week’s performance, it all looks good for them to get amongst another title bid. Gates would love to return to the top step on the podium, this time with Micky O alongside him.

Riders who could thwart the hopes of the locals are dual World Champions. Mick and Jesse Headland, who are fresh from a SA Title last Monday and World and multi Australian Champions Darrin Treloar / Blake Cox, who will be keen to get another State title to add to their impressive list. Treloar is still the class act in the sport, but there are plenty who would enjoy to see him on a lower step of the podium.

Headland has an entertaining style and is always a favourite of the patrons as he always seems to be fighting the machine, but he has had good success at Olympic Park, so he will be looking to add another State crown inside a week.

Podium place getters in last week’s Mildura Masters, Damian Niesche and Mitch Spear and local Neale Hancock and Brendan Johnson will look to keep their form of last week with them. Hancock made one of the best stoppages of all last week when he spun his machine to avoid hitting the fallen rider, Summerhayes, who had been ejected when Monson clouted the wall on the exit of turn four.

In an instant, Hancock spun his machine when he saw the falling passenger and avoided hitting him by just millemetres. The large crowd appreciated Hancock’s quick action and applauded loudly. The putting down of a solo machine or the spinning of a sidecar to avoid contact is one of speedway’s greatest skills and is always warmly appreciated by speedway patrons. Hancock and Johnson made a rapid and brave decision and were deservedly congratulated.

Other Victorians in the field include locals Chris Dess / Brenton Kerr and regular Melbourne visitors Mark Radford, who will have local Blake Halls in the chair and Simon Hartley / Nathan Chisholm who are always up for the fight and the fast gating Dale Milner / Nick O’Brien. The constant travelling of these teams in particular is appreciated by Mildura patrons who always enjoy their dedication to the sport.

Regular visitors from Waikerie, Arron and Teagan Hartwig will be back for another tryout and hopefully will be better rewarded from some smoother riding. The Hartwigs have always been quick, but in their last outing they were more erratic than usual in trying to come to terms with some new set up on their machine.

Rob Patterson brought a new passenger last week and his entry into the Title meeting is a result of having been a local for some years prior to his move away. Patterson is always a solid performer and in with a chance to spoil the party.

Regular supporters from Broken Hill, Rick Stephens / Justin Richards and Klae Hobbs / Jack Spear could also heavily feature in the nights proceedings.

There will be a strong Reserves grade with AJ Pearce/ Brock Gates, Nathan Cock / Kayne McMahon, NSW rider Shane Hudson / Eli Wright, Chris Wakefield / Jason Pinncock and Paul Donnelly / Jayke Roberts all keen to show that they should have been in the field.

Classic Sidecars will be back in action again with Rob Kemp / Peter Harvy, Don and Scott Morris, Simon Cohrs / Reece Farr, Chris Rae / Rob Hardy and a welcome return to Sydneysider, Greg Griffiths/ Nathan McFadden who will make it at least three 750cc 2 stroke Suzuki Water Bottles in action in the classic division.

A Junior program will start proceedings at 6:15 pm with senior racing to follow at 7:30pm.

Olympic Park offers a full catering service and advises that there is plenty of free grandstand accommodation available on a first come – first served basis. Gates will open to the public at 5:00pm and License requirements advise that there must be no BYO by law.

Olympic Park Speedway is straight out 11th Street West about 3km from the City centre and provides great family entertainment with a modest entry fee, but more importantly, Children under 15 accompanied by an adult are admitted free of charge.

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