STREET Stock fans - It’s time to get excited, with 41 stocky drivers heading to Western Speedway for tonight’s prestigious MJS Street Stock Series.
This event has been running for many years, and this season it covers six events in South Australia and Victoria, with the first round being held at Whyalla where Oggie Ahearn took out the main event.
Round two was contested at Horsham’s Blue Ribbon Raceway and this saw the current Australian Street Stock Champion, Anthony Beare, greeting the flag, while round three at the Murray Bridge Speedway saw Steve Gartner taking the feature win.
Organisers are pleased to see such a large field and with nominations being accepted until 4pm today, there is a possibility that we could see the field swell even further.
Only two Hamilton members will contest this event, with Nathan Hutchins in HA25 and Troy Hose in HA57 holding the Hamilton flag high for the club.
Hose has had a busy few weeks contesting events in the Wingless Sprint, Speedcar and Street Stock classes at various venues, and is proving to be a force to reckon with on all occasions.
National Champion, Anthony Beare, is no stranger to Hamilton, having claimed many wins here in Junior Sedans and then in the Street Stocks, where he is acknowledged to be the most successful driver in the class, having won multiple Australian and state titles in his career.
The nomination list reads like a who’s who of the Street Stock world and includes several drivers who have graced state and national podiums over the years.
Victorian registered drivers include Oggie Ahearn, Dean Jenkins, Jack Jordan, Leigh Bourke, Tristan Hunt, Ellen Vagg, Hannah Domburg, Scott Secombe, Mitch Viney, Zac Yeoman, Jamie Crutchley, Ashley Fox, Peter Kinnear, Ron Davey, Stevie Watts, Troy Hose, Nathan Hutchins, Jayden Blomeley, Troy Blomeley, Wade Fell, Jensen Wilson, Timothy Hutchinson, Stefan Clark, Brent Clark, Aston Hurley and Steve Brook, while Keith Moore, Grant Harris, Darren Flatman, Stevie Gartner, Bryan Brown, Thomas Garner, Aaron Tyler, Daniel Lawn, Denis Knowles, Corey Richter and Drew Flatman make up the South Australian contingent.
Patrick Hall is the lone NT competitor, Tasmania is represented by Lucas Dickenson, and ex-Australian Champion, Mick Dann, will be driving a Queensland registered machine.
The format for the street stocks encompasses two 10-lap heats for each car, based on a front and reverse draw for grid positions.
The top 16 cars automatically qualify for the A Main, while the qualifiers from 17 to 31 run a B Main over 15 laps, with the top four finishers going to the rear of the A Main.
This then sets the stage for a 30-lap A Main, which will see the cars battle it out for 15 laps in one direction, followed by a turn-around mid-race to run in the opposite direction for another 15 laps.
This should provide some exciting tin top action.
While the withdrawal of the V.S.C. Sprintcars from tonight’s program was a disappointment, the vacancy was quickly filled by the Vintage Sedans, who are proving very popular with the fans, as they deliver their demonstration events in the cars of yesteryear.
The Vintage Sedans provide a nostalgic look at our speedway history, with race cars from back in the day taking to the clay to show how it was done in the past.
Driver nominations include Austin Corcoran, Derryl Leehane, Ray Hammond, Wal Hucker, Tom Grist, Frank Grist, Michael Grist, Steve Perry, Damian Murley, Rod Smith and John McIntosh.
Finally, the V8 trucks from the Horsham Club will be piloted by Fletcher Mills, Wes Bell, Luke James, Tim Driller, Daniel Timms, Nathan Bird and Jaryd Carman as they thunder around the clay.
All in all, a good-looking program, which should provide plenty of action.
Racing will commence at 5pm with the public gates opening at 3pm and the pit area at 1pm. Check out our website for online tickets and any further information, and tickets are also available at the gate on the day.
