Victorian Grand Prix Midget champion Chris Fowler will be in action this Saturday at the Wahgunyah Speedway. Image by Vern Parker Photography.
Get ready for a thrilling ANZAC weekend at Wahgunyah Speedway with national titles and veteran tributes.
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The race meeting is headlined by visiting classes complemented by some local competitors, as the volunteers from the local Corowa- Rutherglen Speedway Club recognise veterans and serving Australian Defence Force members this ANZAC weekend.
Thrilled to be a part of the action are the Grand Prix Midgets competitions in their national title, the Late Model Sedans, who will compete in their state title, the Hot Rods and Dirt Modifieds competing for class aggregate points.
Locals will also take part in the Goulburn Ovens Sedan Association’s Humpy Holdens drivers’ group’s thirty-year celebration.
This Saturday all Australian Defence Force veterans and active personnel with relevant pension cards or identification receive free entry to the racing for the holder of that card or identification.
Chevy Edwards will be out to win Victorian Late Model Sedan title this Saturday. Image by Vern Parker Photography.
All the race action will start from 3pm Saturday, with early birds to the venue welcome to join on the pit walk, which allows fans to meet and greet competitors, get up close and in some cases afforded an opportunity to sit in race cars and purchase any team merchandise anybody might have on sale.
Gates are open from 8am, and the seating spots with the highest vantage points fill from around midday onwards and the venue can fit over one thousand spectators.
Whilst the national title for Grand Prix Midgets won’t be defended by the incumbent champion Peter Robotham, the car will compete with Locky Robotham behind the wheel.
Victorians will compete alongside New South Wales racers in this class where most cars are fitted with Yamaha and Suzuki motorcycle engines at just over 1000cc capacity up to 1200cc, with the likes of former national champions Paul Perry and Mark Cecil both of Victoria in the field and current Victorian champion Chris Fowler and NSW champion Gavin Black, the field has serious class.
Add in Robotham, Alex Myers, Gary Bowyer, Adam Buckley and Riley Bowyer to name a few and the title is sure to impress.
At the time of writing, the field for the Victorian Late Model Sedan title had not been confirmed, however it is more than likely that Goulburn New South Wales racer Ben Nicastri, fresh from winning the Easter weekend’s River Country Classic in Moama will be in the field.
Cameron Pearson, Callum Harper, Lachlan Onley, Todd Bayley, Chevy and Brock Edwards, Cody Gay and Brad Smith should also be entered.
Cars in this class have unlimited engine capacity, where getting the power to the ground on limited tyre sizes is critical.
Dirt Modifieds will be in town also after recently competing at the nearby Wangaratta venue.
Drivers looking for serious adrenaline kicks with the speeds generated on the huge Wahgunyah track are likely to include Corona’s own Steve Milthorpe, Daryl Hickson, Michael Ardley, Zac MacDonald, Zeke Edwards and Victorian champion Paul Tindal. These cars are mostly a powered by 360ci race engines.
Hot Rods from the Speedway Drivers Association of Victoria will also entertain running their smaller mostly 350ci engines.
With car bodies that are based off the old 34 Fords with a modern twist, the class is aesthetically pleasing and has been for a long time.
Butch and Allan Borradale are big fans of Wahgunyah Speedway and will compete with the likes of their champion driver Shannon Meakins, Brendan Roberts, Tony Green and class legends Phil Jenkins and Russell Hovey. Meakins is the standout competitor in the class.
A smaller than usual field of Goulburn Ovens Sedans drivers will see Ben and Tom Schmetzer lead fellow Corowa club members Brendan Lovell, Daryl Joosten, Shane Barkley, Sam Schmedje and Marcus Maclean into this weekend’s racing against visiting Leeton and Wangaratta members.
Humpy Holden car owners do not compete, rather they give spirited demonstrations of what their cars can do.
Members of the drivers’ group will also celebrate thirty seasons of existence this weekend, and in recent times they have been adding cars to their stable having been up and down the east coast to find more cars to join in.
The iconic cars put smiles on the faces of many young and old.
Gates open from 8am. Racing starts at 3pm. Full canteen. Entry: Adults $25. Children (12-16) and Pensioners $15. Under 12 free. Family tickets (2 adults and 3 children).
For enquiries contact Brendon Eames on 0400 126 487.
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