MILDURA WINS IN STYLE

MILDURA SUCCESSFUL AT TEAMS MEETING

Teams racing proved to be very successful at Mildura’s Olympic Park last Saturday night when the Mildura Team, led by Justin Sedgmen won, over a Team Australia Select led by current Victorian Champion, Ty Proctor, in the 2016 MacU Kitchens, Mildura vs Australian Select Teams Match.

A small but very enthusiastic crowd appreciated the best of team racing techniques as riders did their best to satisfy the demands of their Team managers, Leigh Adams for Mildura and Mark Lemon for the Aussie Select side.

Mildura’s win was emphatic, as all riders contributed to the overall score, with Sedgmen finishing on twelve points just two points clear of his number two rider, Jaimon Lidsey, who rode particularly well all night to finish on ten points. Number four rider, Cooper Riordan and Heat Leader, number five, Brodie Waters, and number seven, Chris Ferguson, who, by night’s end had a “cult” following in “Bay 13,” each finished with nine points, while youngsters, Oliver Hamilton, who rode at six finished with five points and number three, Jordy Stewart finished with four points.

Team Captain, Ty Proctor was best for the Australia Select team scoring eleven, while number five , Josh Pickering scored eight points with just seconds and thirds. The young Adelaide pair of Dakota Ballantyne at number four and Mitch Grech at number seven, both scored five points while young Victorian, Jack Morrison scored two points in his number six position. Sadly for the Aussie Select side, their number three and heat leader, Josh Coyne, from Queensland, was not able to finish with any points from his four rides. Mildura won 58 to 32 points for the Australia Select team.

The meeting was a big bonus for Teams racing, which is generally not seen in Australia. Team racing is the way of speedway all around the rest of the World, where every other country has their sport based on the Teams racing model with League racing, sometimes in three divisions, in some countries and patrons who expect to have their team to follow in the League.

Right from Heat one on Saturday night, Mildura spectators were shown the excellence of “teams racing,” when Justin Sedgmen made a great start and his team mate, Jaimon Lidsey followed through turns one and two in second place. Sedgmen watched as Lidsey came out of turn two in front of Proctor, and then Sedgmen purposefully drifted wider into turn three, whereupon, Lidsey took the lead from his skipper by sliding underneath Sedgmen and continued on to lead for the remaining laps, while Sedgmen did the blocking work to keep his opponents behind. This was a classic demonstration of teams riding which was thoroughly enjoyed by the knowledgeable crowd in attendance.

Many patrons spoke to Club officials after the meeting saying how much they had enjoyed the teams format.

A small selection of Sidecars entertained the crowd as support events, with the Broken Hill pair of Darren Howse and Kyle Jarvis doing best, unbeaten on twelve points, with Adelaide’s Dean Hobbs / Justin Richards next on six points from locals Nathan Cock / Jack Wilson who finished on five points.

Next meeting at Olympic Park is the annual “Dudley Bradshaw Memorial – Sidecar Shootout” to be held on Saturday 3rd December, which will be well anticipated by Mildura’s loyal speedway fans. A big field of Sidecars is expected with some top names already in the Nomination book.

Mildura Club has been delighted with the acceptance of the Olympic Park promotion where all School aged children in all of the district’s Primary and Secondary School have been issued with a FREE Season’s Pass to Olympic Park Speedway and Arena Motorcross. This Club initiative follows a desire by the Club to make attendance at speedway and “family Affordable occurrence” as Club members are mindful of the financial pressures on Families and that the Club has a desire to do something good for families.

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