General News
24 January, 2025
Father and son keep the Mount in line
WHEN it comes to off-track action over the three nights of the Classic, there’s always plenty to be found on Mount Max.
For thousands of die-hard race fans there’s no better position than on the Mount to catch the best views and soak up the atmosphere.
From the time the gates open at 2pm there is a steady stream of eager bodies making their way to the Mount to claim their spot.
The ‘mad dash to the top’ is always a colourful and entertaining sight as chairs are opened and racegoers get comfy.
But long before the gates open the work has already begun on the Mount.
Jim Lewis and his son Jarrod have spent years making sure the rows on the Mount run parallel with the bottom fence and are easily seen by fans searching for that “perfect viewing spot.”
“I’ve been doing this for quite some time now and it’s pretty special to be able to do this with my son,” Jim said.
“When I first started we used to run a rope out and do all the line marking by hand; that was pretty back breaking work and took hours.
“These days, thanks to the genius work of Edmond Kirby, we use this machine which allows us to do two runs at once – we just load it up with the spray cans and push it from one side to the other.
“We probably do 10 or 15 laps on the Mount and then also mark lines in front of the judges’ box over here before we head over to the grass in front of the corporate boxes on the Warrnambool side.”
The pair spent around three hours yesterday (Thursday) morning marking the lines for tonight’s opening night and Jarrod will do it again on Sunday for the final night of racing.
“We go through about four boxes of spray paint; about four dozen cans.”
The pair’s involvement at Premier Speedway doesn’t stop with the line marking on the Mount.
Jarrod also volunteers on the crash crew at each race meeting while Jim has spent the last 40+ years holding various roles including board member, past president, grid allocation and more.
“It’s a great atmosphere out here; we’ve both made a lot of friends and to be involved at a voluntary level during the three-day Classic is something pretty special.”
Gates open at 2pm today (Friday), with on-track action from 5.30pm.
