Sport
14 April, 2023
Action hots up at Darlington
DARLINGTON Speedway will come alive this Sunday when it hosts one of three rounds for the Daylesford Speedway Association.
The Daylesford association was recently rocked by a tragic accident on-track, and will now see out its race season at Darlington.
The Mortlake Speedway Club has offered its racetrack, enabling the Daylesford club to see out its season and run its final three events at the Mid-Western Speedway.
With the Mortlake and Daylesford executive committees coming to terms on how the offer could benefit both clubs, Daylesford club classes plus the standard saloons and junior 1200 sedans will be back in action this weekend.
Daylesford modified sedans continue their points battle for the season class champion, with Daniel Carter so far this season proving to be the benchmark of the class. Ryan Daly, Ian Bartlett, Graham Smith, and Steven Warlond will all be trying to increase their points while keeping the pressure on Carter. A victory could catapult somebody right up close to or even ahead of Carter.
Glenn McCoubrie, David Clark and Anthony Bull have continued to hit the track this season in Daylesford street stocks, and they will all be looking to increase their points over these final three rounds.
Last season’s class champion Chris Hay returns for competition on a track he is familiar with and could just sneak away with the victory.
Competition will be tough on Sunday in the street stocks.
A small field of Daylesford junior sedans have nominated this weekend, with numbers affected by drivers stepping up into senior class racing at the end of last season. Blaize and Peyton Edwards will compete with Blair Botheras and Noah Basten on Sunday.
Ladies sedan action will again be competitive, with Richelle Warlond coming up against Shelby Higginbottom, Charmaine Bryans, Marlena Argent and Vicky Alford this weekend. Richelle is looking to go back-to-back with victories, however any of the ladies will be capable of a victory.
As always, standard saloon racing will be extremely competitive with the likes of Luke King, Nathan Hutchins, Greg Hutchins, Dean Pederson, Aaron Meakins, Jacob Head (a winner five weeks ago at Redline) and Rick Stowe all in the line-up.
Meakins in the best credentialed of the field, consistently winning qualifying races against the states’ strongest racers.
King is close to a feature race win looking at recent form and this will be a class to keep a close eye on this Sunday.
Junior 1200 sedans have a competing event the night before in Wangaratta and on the same day in Drouin this weekend, however the Daylesford club is enormously proud to have a line-up, with every nomination a Daylesford member.
Arthur Hutchinson is the current number one driver in the state and Riley Taylor looks to be his strongest competition this weekend, with Holly Hutchinson, also gaining confidence and speed in recent race meetings, another to watch.
The canteen will be open on Sunday and entry is just $15 for adults, $10 for life members and aged pensions and $5 for children aged 10-17.
Children aged 10 and under will be admitted free. Gates will open from 8am, with competitors due at the track by 10am (pit gates will shut to competitors by 10.30am).
Racing will start at 11.30am.
