Sprintcar action returns to Ausdeck Patios Archerfield Speedway this Saturday night (November 11) for round five of the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Track Championship, with solid support from Formula 500s, Compact Speedcars and Open Sedans. With the start of the international Sprintcar season fast approaching, the fields are growing as time is running out for drivers to find their best form in preparation for the arrival of American superstar Donny Schatz, fresh from securing his ninth World of Outlaws Championship in a season that also produced his 10th Knoxville Nationals victory and a fourth win in the Eldora Kings Royal. Of course, Schatz will be competing exclusively at Archerfield once again during his Australian visit, which kicks off on Boxing Night (December 26).

With previous round winner Allan Woods absent this week and series leaders Luke Oldfield and Andrew Scheuerle having been proven fallible (finishing sixth and ninth respectively behind Woods), the time has arrived for other drivers to step up and prove themselves worthy of a feature race win. Mitchell Gee has been very close on two occasions this year and perhaps looms as the biggest threat to Oldfield and Scheuerle, although Callum Walker has been sensational in recent weeks and must be closing in on a feature race win, while Lachlan McHugh is the only other driver who has featured on the podium this season, leaving a large contingent of competitors still in search of success. Of the other 25 drivers competing this weekend, Peter Lack and Ben Hilder have been the most consistent in the completed rounds and both are seemingly on the cusp of securing a top three result.

Mick Sauer was certainly speedy at the previous round, only to crash out early in the feature race after contact from Brent Kratzmann, who will no doubt be looking to put this incident behind him and rediscover the form that carried him to a win in Toowoomba earlier in the season. The likes of Brock Dean, Mark Pholi and Dan Murray have shown glimpses of speed with strong time trial performances and/or heat race wins, but have yet to translate that into feature race success. Brodie Tulloch might surprise in what will be only his second meeting since joining forces with car owner Simon Hansen, while Kevin Titman makes his first appearance for the season as he begins preparations to tackle the World Series championship for the first time.

Having been exceptional at every outing so far this season with big fields and quality racing, another impressive line-up of 18 Formula 500 combatants will take to the track again this Saturday night, 17 of whom are on a mission to upstage Australian champ Liam Williams. Enjoying an exemplary season at Archerfield thus far in 2017/2018, Williams is yet to be beaten in feature race competition. Kristin Brown, James Kennedy and Ryan McNamara seem the trio most likely, although junior graduates Nick Hodges, Randy Morgan and Brady Argles will have no qualms about upstaging their senior rivals, which includes Australian Lightning Sprint champion Kurt Wilson making his second appearance in the F500 ranks.

With 20 nominations this weekend, the Compact Speedcars continue to flourish and the growth in numbers has seen the emergence of several new front runners, with Tim Farrell the most recent feature race winner. Farrell takes on a strong field on Saturday, including fellow feature winners this season in Dave Collins and Trent Usher, along with experienced hands such as Steve Swingler, Wayne Corbett and Mark Maczek. Matt ONeil has been dynamic in recent outings and must be closing in on a feature win, Emma Harris has also been on the pace and the form of newcomers such as Riki Harrison and Richard Treanor has lifted the racing a new level of competitiveness.

Formula 500 Juniors and another sizeable field of Open Sedans round out the program, with gates opening at 4.00pm. Early racing kicks off at 5.00pm, with Sprintcar time trials scheduled for 5.30pm and the main program to get underway at 6.00pm.

East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Track Championship round five nominations: Adam Butler, Andrew Corbet, Andrew Liebke, Andrew Marks, Andrew Scheuerle, Ben Hilder, Brad Ayers, Brent Kratzmann, Brock Dean, Brodie Tulloch, Bryan Zelinski, Callum Walker, Dan Murray, David Whell, Jason King, Karl Hoffmans, Kevin Hill, Kevin Titman, Kris Jennings, Kristy Bonsey, Lachlan McHugh, Luke Oldfield, Mark Pholi, Mick Sauer, Mitch Gowland, Mitchell Gee, Nathan McFarlane, Peter Lack, Travis Woods

Formula 500 nominations: Adrian Farrell, Brady Argles, Bryn Upshall, Glen Douglas, James Kennedy, Kristin Brown, Kurt Wilson, Liam Williams, Nick Hodges, Paul Swindells, Phil Roberts, Randy Morgan, Robert Kite, Royce Harvey, Ryan McNamara, Tomas Partington, Tony Bailey, Vicki Canfield

Compact Speedcar nominations: Andrew Parkes, Bernie Clarke, Dave Collins, Dave Swan, Emma Harris, Glenn Wright, Graeme Flynn, James Barton, Jayden Mathers, Jayden OToole, Jim Kennedy, Mark Maczek, Matt ONeill, Richard Rooke, Richard Treanor, Riki Harrison, Steve Swingler, Tim Farrell, Trent Usher, Wayne Corbett