After the first half of the Olympic Park season has been chock full of top Solo speedway action, with the successful conduct of two Australian Championships, this Saturday night sees the break out of the Sidecars into great three wheeled action, with the conduct of the annual Sidecar Shootout, with the winning team taking the coveted “Dudley Bradshaw Trophy.”

The line up is star studded with the current and former Australian Champions in the field. Mark Mitchell and Tom Golding have again started their season quietly, much the same as they did last season, when they planned their peak at exactly the right meeting of the year. Five times Champ, Darrin Treloar, with Justin Plaisted on board, has taken the exact opposite route to the Easter Title at Newcastle, by riding just about everything that is possible, including another Australian Long Track Title together at Tamworth just a couple of weeks ago.

There is no love lost between these two teams as the Australian Title is such a sought after prize, so Mildura fans will again be in for a classic confrontation and, just for good measure, throw in the top line local riders, who are all after an opportunity to ride at the National Title at Easter, but for most of them, they want to be “King of the castle” at Olympic Park. It is interesting to note how riders feel about taking some advantage or ascendency over another team at any given track around the country. Strange matters can motivate individuals or teams and a perceived advantage over an opponent can give a team tremendous confidence, just as a drubbing at a venue can cripple the efforts of a team for many meetings into the future.

Jason Bradshaw / Simon Cohrs, have the added honour of again trying to win the Trophy named after Jason’s late father, Dudley, who along with the late “Curley Carmes”, with the Trophy which is named after him for the annual Sidecar Spectacular, was one of the founders of Sidecar racing at Mildura. These founding gladiators are so well respected, as the machines they rode must have felt like they were riding a pig compared with the smooth geometry of today’s bikes.

Byren Gates / Mick O’Loughlin and Warren Monson / Deven Gates, along with Andy O’Rourke / Jason Mayes and Clint Mayes / Jamie Knudsen are the other locals who will give the line up some real curry on the track. Each of these local teams have had moments in their season, so far, which they would rather forget, but have also had moments where they were unbeatable on any given track on the night. The nature of Sidecar racing allows this aspect of competition to always be interesting, which gives our spectators such wonderful entertainment.

Ouyen’s Munro brothers, Scott and Kane, have been riding with some improving form, as have the “Dad’s Army” crew of Chris Holmes / Neale Hancock, now blessed with new and much faster machinery under them. Both these teams could take valuable points during the heats and either of them could feature in the final for the night.

Visiting Englishman, Matt Tyrrell, will be keen to make his short trip to Australia most worthwhile and the southern attack will be headed by Mark Radford / Steven Stagg and Simon Hartley / Nathan Chisholm, who are now regular riders at Mildura and have a strong following of local supporters, such is their endeavour on the track. Both Radford / Stagg and Hartley / Chisholm choose to ride at Mildura as often as possible, as they value the tougher competition which they say is always worth the long drive north. The Mildura Club appreciates the continued support of these boys and they are considered as local entrants for our regular and significant meetings.

The local Milner boys, especially Jason, after taking a big hit in Broken Hill just three weeks ago, will be looking to success even though they have non regular passengers for this meeting.

For the Shootout, the field will be split into two equal divisions and the riders will ride their heats into a semi final for each group, with the top two place getters taking their place in a final for the Dudley Bradshaw Trophy.

Support events in the program will be the popular Motorcross Mayhem as well as a very competitive division of the increasingly popular Quad bikes.

The Motorcrossers always provide great entertainment as they throw their machines around the tight corners of Olympic Park. A large field of combatants will be engaged, with many of the riders being great exponents of the dirt track discipline, which gives them a good advantage coming onto the speedway track. Watch for some pretty hair raising action in the motorcross, as riders always make it two races in one as there is always a race to the start from the Bob Crump gate, upon entry to the track. Riders tell us that the Mayhem events are such fun to ride and Olympic Park patrons are well known to enjoy the racing which is provided.

The Quads are increasing their great value to our regular speedway meetings, with a very compact and vibrant group of riders based locally and now showing signs of some specific machinery development, designed totally to give the riders more opportunities to get around Olympic Park in the fastest way possible. It is now determined that the Quads will be set up to travel the solo speedway way of going and the machines are now being set up accordingly.

A junior support program will be contested before the senior meeting begins.

Olympic Park gates will open at 5:00pm. Senior practice will be followed by the junior event and the senior meeting will follow at 7:30pm sharp.

Patrons are reminded that Olympic Park offers a full catering service and that there must be No BYO be law.

Download the press release: PRE – 2010 Sidecar Shootout, 170210