Huge field to kick off 2017 season at Avalon.

WOW!!! The Victorian Speedcar Drivers Association (VSDA) is kicking off the new season in a way that hasn’t been seen for many years, in fact many decades, with a huge field of nominations (25) set to open the new season at Avalon raceway this weekend (October 7th).

“I’m really excited and proud about the season ahead”, said club President and car owner Tim Fisher. “We’ve got 25 nominations for the first race and a regular base here at Avalon that I feel will only help to grow the class even more.”

Yes, that’s right, 25 nominations to open the season, and it’s an early season start which is usually not conducive to big numbers. These are the sort of numbers that haven’t been seen since the 1980’s in the days of the much lamented Melbourne Speedbowl.

Added to the burgeoning cast of the fast is a handful of rookies that bring undoubted family racing genetics and history and continue the stunning multi-generational family that is the VSDA.

18 year-old Dillon Ghent will follow his Sister, Father and Grandfather into the ranks behind the wheel of the family’s V27 Spike powered by Paul Jordan’s’ Mopar engine.

25 year-old Chris Nankiville is similarly a 3rd generation racer with an outstanding pedigree and he will debut behind a similar Spike/Mopar wearing number 20 for his family owned team.

Andrew Lardner will take the wheel of the ubiquitous #5 to keep the family connection alive while Daniel Timberlake continues a strong family speedway heritage with a difference.

Timberlake is not young, being 42 years old, and similarly bucking the rookie trend he, his father and brothers speedway racing careers have all been conducted with a roof over their heads.

With a background in Modified Production Sedans, V8 Dirt Models and Late Model Sedans, Timberlake explained that he surprisingly “has always loved and wanted a Speedcar.”

“It’s the different combinations of cars and engines and the ingenuity and engineering in them and the history behind them that I love.” stated the Bannockburn resident.

These rookies will need to learn fast but will have the combined talents of some of Australia’s best to help them along the way with guns, Travis Mills, Ashley Booker, Domain Ramsey, Kaidon Brown, Joe Lostitch, Glen Shaw, Nick Parker and many others to regularly show them the fast way around.

Adding to the class will be Sydney’s Matt Jackson who has taken up the seat in Fishers renumbered V23 while Luke Bowey will head east from his South Australian base to get an early hit out ahead of his home state holding this years’ National Championship.

Other exciting news for the VSDA includes a long awaited return to Ballarat’s Redline Raceway on March 24th for the Bill Evans Classic. Speedcars were once the premier class at the regional venue with brilliant fields of cageless cars and National superstars contesting the hallowed Craven Mild series and other major events.

The club is also pleased to be taking the 73rd Victorian Speedcar Championship back to the Premier Speedway high banks on January 7th.

Two other significant events will be held at Avalon being the Beasley Memorial (Nov 25th) and Skips Race (Mar 17th).

With events at Darlington, Portland, Laang, Bairnsdale and Wangaratta as well as the previously mentioned venues the 84 year-old club is looking forward to one of their best seasons ever.

VSDA 2017/18 race calendar (subject to change)

October 7 Avalon – Round 1 Track Championship
21 Darlington – Mid Western Raceway.

November 11 To Be Confirmed
25 Avalon – Beasley Memorial/Rd 2 Track Championship

December 9 Avalon - Round 3 Track Championship
16 Portland
28 Laang

January 7 Warrnambool – 73rd Victorian Speedcar Championship
13 Avalon - G-Town Rumble/Rd 4 Track Championship

February 9/10 Murray Bridge SA – Australian Speedcar Championship
24 Bairnsdale

March 17 Avalon – Skips Race/Rd 5 Track Championship.
24 Redline – Bill Evans Classic

April 7 Wangaratta
21 Avalon – Round 6 Track Championship.

Further details and a complete list of nominations can be found on the VSDA facebook page.

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