An excellent line up is guaranteed with major Prize money offered to get riders to Mildura 3 weeks after the Australian Championships which will be held in Newcastle over the Easter weekend.

Mildura Club officials have looked hard and long to before deciding that the ANZAC night meeting does not clash with any other speedway event.

Gillman has the Mick Headland / Paul Waters Benefit night on next Saturday, 13^th March and then it is up to Broken Hill for a big Sidecar night in Broken Hill on Saturday 20^th March.

The Australian Titles follow those meetings and the ANZAC weekend is the best fit to re-run the Coca-Cola Sidecar Spectacular.

The Club believes that speedway patrons all around Australia EXPECT us to run the “Speccy”, as it is the longest running speedway event outside of a Title event in Australia.

A normal junior program will be conducted before the Speccy and gates will open at the regular time of 5:00pm.

Gate prices will remain at $20 for Adults, $15 for Children – aged between 12 and Under 16 and Families will be admitted for $55.

For further information contact BJ on 0419 174 225

Brendon apologises for any inconvenience regarding last Saturday night’s weather forced cancellation of the 2010 Coca-Cola Sidecar Spectacular.

A Club meeting on Tuesday night 16^th March, will determine the Club’s response to the cancellation which will be publically advised through the website after the meeting.

An excellent line up is guaranteed with major Prize money offered to get riders to Mildura 3 weeks after the Australian Championships which will be held in Newcastle over the Easter weekend.

Mildura Club officials have looked hard and long to before deciding that the ANZAC night meeting does not clash with any other speedway event.

Gillman has the Mick Headland / Paul Waters Benefit night on next Saturday, 13th March and then it is up to Broken Hill for a big Sidecar night in Broken Hill on Saturday 20th March.

The Australian Titles follow those meetings and the ANZAC weekend is the best fit to re-run the Coca-Cola Sidecar Spectacular.

The Club believes that speedway patrons all around Australia EXPECT us to run the “Speccy”, as it is the longest running speedway event outside of a Title event in Australia.

A normal junior program will be conducted before the Speccy and gates will open at the regular time of 5:00pm.

Gate prices will remain at $20 for Adults, $15 for Children – aged between 12 and Under 16 and Families will be admitted for $55.

For further information contact BJ on 0419 174 225
Date: 2010-04-25

The winner of the 2010 Keith “Curly” Carmes Trophy will be deserving, as the field is top class in the top group of ten. More than twenty sidecars will be on the program, but the Trophy will be decided amongst the ten “A” grade nominees.

Last week’s winners and runners up will start the meeting as firm favourites as Darrin Treloar and Justin Plaisted have five Australian Titles under their belt, but it could always be the local stars, and now Victorian seeded riders into the 2010 Australian Title at Newcastle, Byren Gates and Mick O’Loughlin, who, with their local knowledge could wrest the Curly Carmes Trophy away from the visitors.

Gates and O’Loughlin have been electrifying with their starts in recent meetings and are obviously grooming their style to suit the requirements of most tracks, and certainly the Newcastle venue for Easter, which will also auger well for them for this weekend too. Most local officials have not seen the Gater Racing Team make such impressive starts, as they have been during this season, which has only really heated up for sidecars over the last month, but something has been done to focus the attention of the team on their starts, which is working well.

It is vital that any team gets away from the gate well and over the past few seasons Treloar, who is a great exponent of the start process, has been showing the way by example and has obviously won many races because he is just so good from the trap. Treloar and Plaisted have a very purposeful routine at the start line, which usually gives them an advantage over all other teams in the regular field. Treloar stays on the machine, just hanging back from the line, while Plaisted grooms the start rut or groove before allowing the machine to settle in the start box. It is noticeable that Treloar gets maximum drive from the line, often having the front wheel raised slightly off the ground, such is the total power being delivered through the back wheel. Treloar has always used this technique and now has it perfected, but maybe the other riders have learned from this skill and are applying it, or some variation of it, for their own purposes.

We see the return of Warren Monson and Deven Gates for this week’s meeting after Monson was on Australian Superbike duty last weekend at Phillip Island. Monson will add some action to the track as his is one of the most powerful engines in Australian Sidecar speedway today. He and Gates are no slouches when it comes to getting around Olympic Park and Monson certainly does not mind taking the wide line to go around some other rider which is one of the best sights in speedway anywhere in the world. Monson should be expected to finish in the top order, especially as the Speccy format includes the top eight points scorers into two semi-finals, with the top two teams from each going on to the Curly Carmes Trophy final.

Fellow local riders, Jason Bradshaw and Simon Cohrs and the Munro brothers, as well as Andy O’Rourke / Jason Mayes and Chris Holmes / Neale Hancock should also acquit themselves well.

Bradshaw and Cohrs have something to prove after last meeting, to show that their form is better than their result would have shown. They are a class act and have shown some incredible speed, so it is hoped that some good luck and just some good starts are theirs for the meeting. They have good speed, although sometimes get caught washing off too much speed, particularly in the pit end turn, but Jason has been around the track plenty of timers as both rider and formerly as passenger with his elder brother Wayne, now team mentor, so they should be comfortable that the draw is kind and they get a chance in the odds and evens selection into each semi-final.

O’Rourke / Mayes, Holmes / Hancock and the Munro brothers are the big improvers of the season and are well deserving of their place in the main game for the night. Holmes rides the faster machine owned by passenger Hancock and often comments that it is a joy to ride, with he and Holmes saying recently that “old men are not supposed to have so much fun riding a motorcycle”, such is the ride that they each get from the Olympic Park racing.

The Munro’s have put away the Headers and have been able to concentrate on their racing, although one wonders whether former West Coast Eagles player, Kane, often thinks of his time in Perth as a regular senior player with the Eagles. It sure is different to training the body and mind to the physical requirements of football. Kane comments too that Sidecar racing is” just such a buzz”, so we followers should just accept that football at the very top can be difficult to handle, whereas, sidecar racing is just fun to do.

A rotten meeting last week saw O’Rourke and Mayes with a major engine problem which has now been rectified, so they will be looking forward to measuring themselves, particularly against Treloar, to ascertain whether a trip to Newcastle is a positive goal.

Most of the top flight of Mildura based riders should be thinking very seriously about the chance to ride and qualify into the 2010 Australian Title, as only very few Sidecar riders have ever ridden the big expanse, which is the Showground facility at Newcastle. Speeds will be amazing as the machines will get plenty of space to wind up to top pace and the track should be wide enough for even those with the most massive “tackle” to go around the outside, should there be a requirement to do just that.

Clint Mayes and Jamie Knudsen have had an inconsistent season so far so will be wanting to finish off on a top note as they complete their first season together, while Dale Milner and Nick O’Brien have moved up to the top grade and have had a good season of consolidation during this year.

The unlucky two “A” grade riders who miss out on the two finals will move into a Consolation final, where the top two “B” grade riders will join them to finish the year with something a little different.

The semi-final will see the top eight riders pitted against each other with the selection being made for odd numbers from the top and the even numbers from the top; again something just a little different.

Support events will be a “B” grade division and also a six team Classic Sidecar division, who will also have a final amongst themselves.

Patrons are advised that gates will open at 5:00pm and a full Junior program will be conducted before the senior meeting. Olympic Park operates a full catering facility and advises that there must be No BYO by law.

Patrons are reminded too, that the next meeting at Olympic Park will be the 2010 Easter Haymes Paints, Arena Motorcross, which will be conducted on Easter Saturday night, 3^rd April as part of the Mildura Rural City Council Easter Power Sports Promotion, which is now in its twelfth year of operation.

The Club thanks all of its valued sponsors, particularly those who have been naming rights sponsors for the year or those who have given of their time, effort or the machinery to assist in the new improvements to the Track and surrounds which are part of the ongoing new planning and strategy changes which the Club can progress as the longer term lease of our grounds has been secured during the year.

Patrons should look forward to the continual improvement of facilities and services into the next season.

Download the press release: PRE – 2010 Sidecar Spectacular, 060310

Arena Cross 3 April SUP REGS

The night’s racing was clean and fast and the final could have been the final for the Aussie title. Mark Plaisted / Sam Harrison had some bad luck in their third heat when they destroyed a gear box and prevented them from seeing if they could go through the meeting with a clean sweep. Andrew O’Rourke /Jason Mayes blew a motor which put them out for the rest of the night also.

The O’Brien brothers haven’t lost their touch after coming out of retirement, though Glenn did say that they were on Tony Cox’s bike and it isn’t quite as fast as they would have liked. They are going back to Perth to build a new one of their own and come back next year in full force.

Darrin Treloar/Justin Plaisted dominated all night, dropping their only point to Qld pair Scott Christopher/Trent Koppe, while local duo, Byren Gates/Mick O’Loughlin were right up there and took second place. This should give them a berth in the Aussie Title in Newcastle at Easter as the highest ranked Victorian riders.

Darrin Treloar / Justin Plaisted, Glenn and Nathan O’Brien and Scott Christopher / Trent Koppe are all previous wearers of the coveted blue sash as the National Champions and they will be joined by as strong a line up as has ever contested the State Championship in many years.

Byren Gates and Mick O’Loughlin started every heat and final last week like scalded cats, with amazing speed from the trap, but more importantly, with brilliant reaction time from Gates on the throttle and clutch. The Gater Racing Team has been improving their form as the season has progressed, as they plan on making an assault on the Australian Championship in Newcastle over the Easter weekend.

The other top chances to wave the Mildura banner are the team of Jason Bradshaw and Simon Cohrs, who are often brilliant around Olympic Park and could take some big scalps over the course of the meeting. They were very fast last week and like Gates, stood out from the crowd with some great racing. Apart from one blemish, when they turned themselves around after coming into the Pit turn too hot, they won all their heats well.

Added to this august group, we need to throw in Rick Howse / Adam Commons, from Broken Hill, who were second in the World in 2008, fellow northerners, Rick Stephens and Dean Hobbs and the English rider Matt Tyrrell, who is contemplating shifting to Australia permanently to commit to his Sidecar racing future, plus our long list of Olympic Park experts, which includes all our local champions and those regular visitors from further south in Victoria.

Mark Plaisted / Sam Harrison would be another team in contention for top honours, as they were unbeaten at the 2007 World Sidecar Gold Cup meeting in Adelaide and all except a poor decision, which cost them one start, probably would have won the Gold Cup meeting. Olympic Park will buzz with excitement as the pressure builds. They have maintained good form for the past two seasons so expect them to do well this week.

There are plenty of Olympic Park specialists who will have something to say about top points in each heat that they all contest. If Mildura patrons want any more than such a line up, then I am sure they are kidding themselves. The temperature will rise, according to the status of the heat event and patrons will be on the edge of their seats all night as the heats progress.

As mentioned before, Jason Bradshaw / Simon Cohrs and Byren Gates / Mick O’Loughlin will have a fair say on proceedings, as will other local teams, in Clint Mayes / Jamie Knudsen, Andy O’Rourke / Jason Mayes as well as Dale Milner / Nick O’Brien and Chris Holmes / Neale Hancock. Any of these teams are a chance to take points off any of the fancied teams along the way, with one local team hopefully getting the easy route to the Australian Championship by being the first Victorian home. Do not be surprised if any of the Mildura teams don’t steal the thunder of any of the, perhaps more highly credentialed teams from out of town.

Another team who might give a few people a big surprise is the Headland team of Trent and Jess, who will be on their father’s machine, given the present injury status of the current World Champions. Trent and Jess have ridden Mildura plenty of times and from all reports their work at Murray Bridge just three weeks ago was very sound. We all know that the Headland machine has never lacked for speed and there is a strong gene present to “wind on the throttle”.

We should not forget too, that it is the four times champions, Glenn and Nathan O’Brien, who are still, after nearly fourteen years, the fastest team ever to do four laps of Olympic Park. The O’Brien’s four lap record was set at 62.32 seconds, way back in the 1996 Sidecar Spectacular, held on the 8^th April 1996. Their form at the moment is probably not as fast as that evening, but with the throttle in his hand, Glenn O’Brien and brother Nathan along side, will have not lost any of their skills of race craft and Title races like this one usually only require the winning team to do just enough to win the event, no matter what the overall speed of the individual event might be.

All teams will be focused on getting into the top points scores for the meeting, to ensure a place in the North West Funerals Final for the night. Perhaps not for many years, will it have been so vital to accumulate points all the way through the night, because the safe entry to the Australian Title will go to the Victorian team who finishes with the most points. Any place in the final might be just enough to get the direct seeding into the Easter weekend at Newcastle for the Victorians.

The Club is most gratified to be involved in a joint venture with long time and respected local business, North West Funerals, who are keen supporters of speedway in Sunraysia. It is most timely that NWF join with Olympic Park in a new sponsorship venture, as it is in the same month that NWF have opened their magnificent new Funeral Home premises at 1586 Deakin Avenue, South Mildura.

Sunraysia speedway fans should be hanging off the rafters to see this meeting, as the status of the event will increase every heat along the way.

Support events will include some “classic” sidecars, which are always enjoyed by genuine speedway fans. Some of the genuine classic machines of yesteryear will be seen, with Honda and Suzuki 750cc machines as well as the stinging noise of the smaller 500cc two – stroke powered machines will be back on track.

Olympic Park gates will open at 5:00pm, with Senior practice scheduled to begin at 5:30pm. A Junior program will be completed ahead of the senior Championship event, which will commence at 7:30pm sharp.

A full catering service operates at Olympic Park and patrons are reminded that there must be no BYO by law. Grandstand seating is provided on a first served basis and patrons are also reminded that flash and video photography is not allowed from outside the track confines. On too many occasions in the recent past, Club Officials have had rider complaining of seeing “red” lights coming from the public area. The Club seeks the total co-operation from patrons on this matter.

Download the press release: PRE – 2010 NWF Vic S’car Titles,270210

The double seven format proved to be most successful as more chances are given to, perhaps some of the lesser riders, but this meeting had intensity right from the start as all teams worked hard for enough points to get them to their own semi-final, which would then give them the chance of winning the Dudley Bradshaw Trophy.

Whilst Gates and O’Loughlin won all their heats and finished on a maximum score, it was the “Dad’s Army” team of Chris Holmes and Neale Hancock who finished with the second selection chance on eight points. The older gents have some very good machinery under them this season and are using it and their massive experience to be really at one with their racing. Total local domination in division one continued with Andy O’Rourke / Jason Mayes just “pipped” for third place points on count back from Clint Mayes / Jamie Knudsen, with each team on seven points.

O’Rourke / Mayes were fortunate to join the Gates / O’Loughlin team going into the final, with the bad luck probably going the way of the elderly team, who came home in third place in the final. At the after meeting presentation, it was interesting to hear Dad’s Army passenger Neale Hancock say to many young fans that “old folks can still have a lot of fun and enjoyment racing Sidecars”.

In the second division it was again some good riding from another of the locals when Jason Bradshaw and Simon Cohrs won all the heats that they finished, just spinning out coming into turn one, while carrying a bit too much corner speed into the turn, in the heat where the stakes were the highest. They and their machine looked fast all night and they were always going to be the team who gave it to Australian Champions, Mark Mitchell and Tom Golding, but it was the pressure coming from the SA pair that caused the local boys to spin while trying to gain ground on the Title holders. Joining both these teams in the semi-final was Ouyen team of Scott and Kane Munro, who are just getting faster with each meeting and are now riding some very good lines and Warren Monson and Deven Gates, who just pegged away at their task and accumulated enough points to make it into their fifth ride for the night. Monson has one of the fastest engines going around and when track conditions are suitable, Monson is always hard to beat.

In a most eventful final, racing lines were at a premium and, with the pressure on for a place in the Trophy event, spectators saw the exclusion of both the Australian Champions and the Ouyen pair for cutting a corner during the race, although Mitchell pointed out to the Referee, that he had had to go slightly infield to avoid any contact with the Munro team, who he figured were in some sort of trouble just ahead of him. The Referee was not having too much of that story and it was the two local teams who went through to the main event for the evening.

The Dudley Bradshaw Trophy was won clearly by the Gates / O’Loughlin team, who shot out of the gate with amazing speed and settled nicely into a race winning rhythm.

Bradshaw and Cohrs got away just slightly to the advantage of Monson and Gates, who chased hard for nearly two laps before moving through into second place. Monson and Gates were able to maintain their advantage, but at no time during the event were the event winners ever under pressure of losing their chance at glory.

A reduced group of Quad racers still provided some good racing but it was the second support group, the boys in the “Motorcross Mayhem” who brought the crowd to light, with some daring and even sometimes desperate riding. Prominent Dirt Track star, Rohan Tegart, had some great battles with Nick Waters, with the wily old fox, Jason Stewart always in contention, from Lewis Gunn, Brock Gates and Josh Knights. Most interest was created when a reverse direction event was included, as many of the riders are only tuned to race in an anti-clockwise direction and, when forced to think the opposite way of going, things can be quite difficult for some.

Sunraysia’s sidecar fans are in for a massive meeting next weekend, with the North West Funerals – Victorian Sidecar Championship to be held. The field will be strengthened by three past Australian Sidecar Champion teams, who have ten Championships between them. Darrin Treloar / Justin Plaisted, Scott Christopher / Trent Koppe and the amazing Glenn and Nathan O’Brien will all be in attendance, just to get some high level competition. Top opportunity will come for the best Victorian team, whether they win the event or not, as it will ensure that they represent Victoria in the Australian Title in Newcastle at Easter. This could be the easiest way into the National Title, as the Qualifying meeting will be expected to be very tough and to make it through a solid qualifying meeting and then race for the Championship the next night could be most stressful.

Only Sidecars will operate next Saturday night, as a full compliment of “classic” chairs will be the support for the Victorian meeting. Patrons will enjoy the full Sidecar schedule as the season now turns to three wheeled action as the main entertainment.

Download the press release: POST – 2010 Sidecar Shootout, 210210

1. Byren Gates – Mick O’Loughlin
2. Warren Monson – Deven Gates
3. Jason Bradshaw – Simon Cohrs
4. Andrew O’Rourke – Jason Mayes

Download the full scorechart: 2010 Sidecar Shootout & Quads

This chart gives a heat by heat picture of events as they occurred.

Note:

• Gate 1 is RED, gate 2 is BLUE, Gate 3 is WHITE, and gate 4 is YELLOW and gate 5 is GREEN.
• For finals, gate positions are chosen by the highest points scorer selecting a gate first etc.