by Dean Thompson
Nyora Raceway this Saturday night is hosting the Victorian Compact Speedcar state title as part of an all-open wheeler speedway show that includes Formula 500s seniors and juniors, wingless sprints and outlaw karts seniors and juniors.
Amongst those in the compact speedcar state title field are Mitch Whiting - the Australia number one - New South Wales state champion Justin Paull and recent Speedweek series winner Aston Rodriguez to name a few.
A stellar field for the compact speedcars as they set about trying to secure the coveted number one moniker for themselves as state champion includes Whiting, who developed his race craft as a Nyora junior competitor many seasons ago before reaching the level of current Australian champion.
It also includes Justin Paull who has been there and done that as far as championships go, young gun Aston Rodriguez who in his first season out of junior racing is leaving a mark, and Caleb Mills - who was recently winning in the more powerful speedcar class during their recent national series racing.
Plus add in Ash Booker who is a former national champion in the Grand Prix midget class, and Trevor Perry who was winning most recently during Australia Day weekend in Gippsland.
Michael Conway returns to racing, hoping any bad luck he had attached to himself has disappeared, whilst Rod Saville and Byron Smith will be at the track having travelled down from New South Wales.
The Formula 500s return for the second race meeting in succession after Terry Rankin won the Stampede series round three weeks ago.
This time the racers are competing in the Golden Jacket Showdown with Rankin, at the time of writing, keen to make it back and is a possible starter, whilst Victorian champion Dale Sinclair is in along with recent winner over in the southwest Jackson McLean.
Nyora has interest in the field with the likes of Gippsland farmer Owen Milton, Maddox Gibbs, and Steve Jabke in the line-up, plus Rowdy Andreatta making his senior debut having just made the decision to step up from juniors.
Matilda and Cruz Farrell lead local hopes in the junior Formula 500s with Cody Malley, Roc Hughes and Lexi Eastham among others to have done a lot of junior racing in some form or another at Nyora, especially whilst it had a speedway kart track operational.
Levi Milburn also carries on the family name at Nyora that has seen his grandfather, father and uncle race at Nyora on many occasions. Last race meeting's junior winner Hugo Chivell is back for more with Rusty Ponting keen to get one over him at this show, whilst Cruz Farrell is in the mix also.
A huge field of 30 drivers have entered the latest round of the Eastern Victoria series for wingless sprints this weekend.
Thomas McDonald, who won the last race meeting of the series at Drouin Speedway, leads the list that includes almost half the field as potential winners, Wayne Logue from Morwell, Ricky Mills, speedway kart champion racer Kai Malley, Todd Moule - who has been in the thick of things in the sprintcar ranks, Cranbourne's Adin Robertson, Jake Warren, Ben Hodge and Chris Temby are just some of those race drivers highlighted for race fans to keep an eye on.
We could list another dozen drivers who are perennial top five racers that just need that one big night to catapult them to the forefront of our memories, it could happen this Saturday night.
Spectator gates open from 11am, on track competition starts 4:30pm.
Pre-event online ticket purchase prices are adults at $25, pensioners for aged care and disabled at $10, children of any age up to 16 at $5. A family ticket of two adults and two teenagers is $55.
Do yourself a financial favour and pre-buy online and turn up to the gate and with your phone and you will have a few extra dollars in your pocket.
Purchase of tickets at the track gate sees pricing change to adults at $30, pensioners for aged care and disabled at $10, teenagers aged 12 to 16 at $10 all kids up to the age of eleven $5 dollars. A family ticket of two adults and two teenagers is $60.
Eftpos is available at the track and for enquiries you may contact 0428 847 888.