WHILE the unfortunate decision was made to cancel Saturday’s race meet following the heavy midweek rain, Sonic Speedway is still expected to fire into action for Sunday’s event.
Modified Sedan racing in their state series will include many of the star race drivers that have competed in the previous five rounds this season.
Brody Chrystie, Brad Wicks from Bendigo, Kye Walters, Tristan McGraw from Numurkah, Wade McCarthy of Mildura, Dylan Barrow and the class legend Graham West in his LJ Torana go up against the more technologically advanced Falcons and Commodores.
Open Wheel Eight-cylinder action will be in the form of the Super Rods from out of the south-west of Victoria.
An invitation from the class for local Hot Rod competitor Jayde Ewart to compete with them has been extended, while it was expected state champion Jacob Pitcher will lead entrants such as Jamie May, Michael Coad, Stan Marco Jr and Grant Stansfield.
A great field of Sports Sedans have nominated for competition, with Paul Blake, Shane Simpson, Toby Carmichael, Mick Mannix, Marc Anthony, Zoey Salau, Albert Lamb and Pauly Botheras just some of the entrants.
The Standard Saloon competition locally this season has been a Swan Hill-Ballarat battle and there should be more of the same.
Rhys Meakins and his father Aaron, representing the Alexandra club, add themselves into the fray and will be more than competitive, however those who have competed against each in recent months and delivered a terrific stretch of racing include Austin and Lachie Chivers, Kiel Tripcony and Josh Campbell, with the latter two both from Swan Hill.
Street Stocks have attracted a great line-up also, with Jack Jordan and Hayden Glare expected to fly the local flag.
Mark Purdie, Scott Purdie, Steven Watts, AJ Lawrence, Tim Hutchinson and Peter Kinnear are among the drivers that feature at the front of Street Stock fields.
Junior Open Sedan state champion Connor Claridge, from Bendigo and a member of the Swan Hill club, along with Blake Adam and Emily Hooten, will compete against Jacob Tinworth, Anthony Hanson and Mia Lamb.
Claridge has been strong as his state champion status suggests, however Tinworth will be a huge threat to his chances.
Finally, Formula 500 drivers will compete for the Pioneer Cup with Terry Knowles, Jess Bedggood, Michael Conlan, Malcolm Gammon and Tom Nietvelt all likely protagonists in the run to victory.
Knowles and Bedggood have been very quick at times, however have suffered mechanical reliability issues in recent meetings.
If they can get that right, then they will be tough to beat, however Gammon’s car development has come along in leaps and bounds, while Nietvelt has that winning mentality.
