Sport
9 February, 2024
Speedway action this weekend
SIMPSON Speedway will come to life this Saturday with the running of Super Rods, Sports Sedans and Wingless Sprints.
The always sideways Super Rods will take their antics and determination to a whole new level with the 47th running of the prestigious and much coveted Trevor Podger Memorial.
Last year Stan Marco Jnr was the victor leading every lap despite polesitter and current Victorian champion Jacob Pitcher’s best efforts to gain the lead throughout.
Pitcher’s desperate efforts saw him smack a tractor tyre as he raced hard into turn one ending his race immediately.
This year the result will be very different as defending champ Marco Jnr is a no-show as is young Jacob Pitcher who has vacated the seat of his Vic1.
Ironically both drivers will be watching their respective fathers steer the machines in the hope of victory.
Both fathers have decades of racing under their belts and both of them are second generation racers who now also have multiple sons following in their own footsteps.
Allan Pitcher is also a previous Victorian Champion, multiple race winner and former Sprintcar racer while Stan Marco Snr has spent years in SDAV Hot Rods before switching to Super Rods a few years back.
Young guns Michael Coad (last year’s runner up) and Jamie May will continue to battle hard while the gifted, firey and determined Shaun Walsh makes a return to the ranks.
Veteran Jason Kavanagh is usually towards the front of the field fighting for wins but has struggled to finish a feature this season and veteran George Woolstencroft is pumped after a podium finish at Warrnambool recently.
Numerically and arguably, the Wingless Sprints may be the headline act with their Front Row Challenge with 46 nominations so far.
Interestingly current Aussie Champ Todd Hobson is not amongst the entries and neither is Travis Millar.
Last year’s winner Sam Wren is also a non-starter.
None of that matters as the man of the moment is Cobden’s Blake Walsh who won last time out there defeating Hobson and co on a three-day weekend where he won each night.
Christopher Temby is also in great form and back in the families VX89 but he and Luke Weel will have to defeat Dubbo’s (NSW) veteran Mark Blyton who has wins all around the country in many classes.
A group of Go-Karting classmates will go head-to-head including Ben Hodge, Adin Robertson and Ebony Hobson back after a few years out due largely to injuries sustained playing AFL football – her other passion.
Many fans will also be keeping an eye on Pakenham’s “Mr Versatile” Brad Warren.
Warren will step out of his Modified Production Sedan to take the reigns of the VX62 Wingless.
Last year’s podium placegetters Chris Halesworth and Nicholas Ryan will be buoyed by lasts years form at the tricky track and looking for a solid result.
It’s a huge field in both depth of numbers and quality on a track that is not easy to conquer.
Sedan Fans will also be thrilled by round four of the DirtX Industries VSC Sports Sedan Series.
Last year’s race is in no way an indicator for this year as the event was rained out after four heats and the Sports Sedans are not regulars at the “awesome avocado”.
The series so far has seen both Damien Miller and Jamie Lock take round wins at Rosedale and Redline respectively while round two was rained out before the feature. Damien Miller is a non-starter so this opens the door for Lock to extend his series points lead with a good result.
Lock recently won the Victorian Championship so is in good form but then Felicity Roycroft just won the Ladies title last weekend and is one fierce competitor.
Russ Smith, Rhys Meakins and Brendan Miller all scored heat wins before the rain came so have some form here to work with.
Lucas Conder is usually quick while Shannon Burke and Brendan Miller have both scored podiums in this current series.
Given the shape and nature of the clay-way and the irregular racing of this class at the venue picking a winner is virtually impossible but it will be fun to see who comes out on top.
Gates open at 4pm with cars on track from 5pm.