The 2016 Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is once again set to be one of the Blue Ribbon weekend’s on the Australian Sprintcar calendar with the weekend on January 22 to 24, 2016 forming part of a massive ten day stretch of Sprintcar racing at Sungold Stadium, Premier Speedway, Warrnambool.

As was always the intention of the Premier Speedway Club Management and Board, a working party was selected post the second of the three night Classic’s back in January to discuss a number of matters regarding the event, both on and off the race track!

This meeting, coupled with feedback from right across the Speedway industry, has resulted in some minor changes to the original three-night format, all of which have been designed to maximize the excitement and prestige of the event, especially on the third and final night.

For the 44th running of the Classic, prize money has been increased with the competitors set to vie for more than $212,000.00 in prize money, which will be accompanied by an attractive tow money package. The A-Main on Sunday night will offer $102,000.00 to the 24 entrants, with the winner taking home a cool $30,000.00.

The format, for the opening two nights of competition will remain as has been for the past two seasons, with the field to be split into their respective qualifying nights. On each of the qualifying nights, the Oval Express Magazine Australia-America World Challenge Cup, feature event will pay $10,000.00 to win. The field will then assemble as one on the Sunday Night.

The first significant change is that, should the total entries exceed 96 cars, only 96 cars will be a part of the final nights program, meaning that a maximum of eight heat races will be contested as opposed to ten in 2015.

The format for the final night will be a D-Main, two C-Mains and two B-Mains before the 40 lap Classic final, which will again feature 24 cars.

Both B-Main fields have increased in size from 16 to 20 cars, with the top four from each to progress to the Lucas Oil Classic final.

“By limiting the field to the top 96 cars in points, it gives us a set figure to work with and one that we are confident of keeping a decent race track beneath as well as providing the punters with an action packed, tough night of racing, that is befitting of the Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic”, Premier Speedway General Manager David Mills said.

“We looked at a number of options, whether they be locking in so many cars to the A-Main based on points or capping the field along with many other different and varied suggestions and we feel that the 2016 Classic format, is fair to everyone, the racers, the punters, our officials and track prep guys”, he added.

With the current dip in the Australian dollar, severely impacting on a vast majority of race teams, it remains to be seen as to whether the number of entries can again exceed the magical 100 mark for a third straight season.

“Despite having capped the field at 96, we are well aware that the number of entries may dip beneath this figure anyway, but we felt that the changes as made along with a slight increase to our pit size, will hold us in good stead come the Classic and the 54th Australian Sprintcar Championship which will be conducted, also over three nights of competition, the following weekend”, Mills said.

Those cars that don’t make the final cut of 96, will receive a small gate refund payment in addition to their tow money and any prize money as accumulated from their qualifying night.

Arguably the most contentious of any of the changes to the Classic program, is notification that, given all things being equal, hot laps will not be conducted on the third and final night.

“The matter of hot-lapping on the final night actually came from the competitor input to our meeting. It was something that we had been tossing around and then, wham, the competitors asked why do we hot lap?” Mills

“In reality our track guys spend a number of hours after the races on Saturday night preparing the track and then they are the first ones back here on Sunday morning. They do an awesome job and then we put 100 plus cars on the track for hot-laps, in short destroying all their hard work”.

“We then ask them to build a track for arguably the most important night of the season in about half an hour, it simply doesn’t make sense. Obviously should we have inclement weather during the day or whatever, yes then me may have to re-visit the whole hot lap thing, but as it sits right now, we will engine start the cars and then get into the heat race action”, Mills continued.

“We are quietly confident that we have put some measures in place to keep the Classic as a great event. The late finish in January was unacceptable, we know that, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault really, however by making these changes we are very much looking forward to an event that is everything to everyone that the Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic should be”, Mills concluded.

The Classic will again act as a qualifying event for the Speed Sport News World Challenge which will be held during the Knoxville Nationals next August.

The 2016 44th edition of the Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic will be supported by the following sponsors; Oval Express Magazine, KRE Race Engines, The Lady Bay Resort and GJ Gardner Homes.

Copies of the 2016 Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic entry form have been forwarded to the 2015 entrants while a PDF version is available for download from the Premier Speedway website www.premierspeedway.com.au

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