SIDECAR SPECTACULAR TO OPEN MILDURA SEASON
The 47th running of the Mildura Sidecar Spectacular will open the Mildura motorcycle speedway season, when the Presto’s Hunting and Shooting sponsored event will be staged at Olympic Park Stadium this Saturday night, October 12.
Excited Mildura Club officials are pleased that an early opening to the competition season will start with a full field of sixteen Sidecars that will race for right to be awarded the Keith “Curly” Carmes Memorial Trophy at night’s end. The Curly Carmes trophy event is the longest running non-title fixture in Australian Speedway and a crack field has been engaged.
The re-engagement to the top flight of Sidecar racing by former Australian Sidecar Champion, Justin Plaisted, has been welcomed by many three wheeler fans, as he resumes in the sport with top machinery, which is beautifully presented and he has already shown that he has not lost any of his touch, which has taken him to his unique position in Australian sidecar racing.
Plaisted, along with former Champion, the late Bob Levy, is now the only rider alive who has won Australian Championship Championships as both passenger and rider. Plaisted was successful as a passenger, three times, with Australia’s Sidecar GOAT, Darrin Treloar and then he went on to win as a rider, while twisting the throttle on his own machine with Sam Harrison in the chair in 2015 at Alice Springs.
Mildura “Sidecar Aces”, Byren Gates and Mick O’Loughlin, will carry the main local hopes of Mildura fans to take another Curly Carmes Trophy.
Their slick style and always excellent preparation could see them secure an early advantage over many other riders as their track craft is always solid and will stand them in good stead for a top result. Other locals hoping for early season success include AJ Pearce, again with Eli Bock in the chair, and Simon Cohrs / Cam Diwell, who have ridden together for a couple of season.
Darcy Risstrom / Jake Doyle are a new combination, who will be looking touse Risstrom’s experience as a former good passenger to get them around the technical Olympic Park circuit and newcomers, Josh Kerr /Katie Barnes will be keen to put on a good showing in top competition.
Broken Hill is again strongly represented by the now experienced youngsters, Max Howse and Riley Commons, who are travelling widely to gain further experience against Australia’s top riders and the evergreenRick Stephens and Nick O’Brien, who are always solid performers at Olympic Park.
Coming out of retirement, too, is the former hard charger, Mal German with Cam White as passenger. “Germo” has always been a strong riderwho often collected plenty of paint from other competitors, but his experience will show through to perhaps see the Goulburn Valley team to the fore.
Regular competitors, Dean Hobbs / Daniel Low, Byron Mordaunt / Jarrod Katzorke, Steve Fowler / Jeremy Sherwood, Matt Binns / Jake Armstrong and Shane Hudson / Jack Spear, will mix it with Chris Walker / Connor Curran and Matt and Jamie Crundwell, who will all be trying as hard as possible to score enough points to make it into either of the cut throat finals set for the night.
Classic Sidecar support will be of great interest to speedway patrons who enjoy watching the “contests from those of yesteryear” from the five outfits in the division.
The freshness of veteran, Rob Kemp / Nick Johns, has just been recently rekindled as Kemp has had the honour of having the new trophy for the Classic Sidecar aggregate named in his honour.
It was appropriate that just two weeks ago at the club’s annual dinner and season launch the trophy was presented for the first time, with Kemp, along with regular passenger Nick Johns, winning the coveted award. Plenty of Kempy’s team were in attendance, out of respect for him, including machine owner and historian, John Waters, who has forged a wonderful relationship with Kemp and all the classic riders.
Olympic Park is located at the western end of 11th Street and plenty of good parking is available close to the main gate.
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