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Big entries for Victorian dirt track crown

Posted on November 4, 2011

TRACKIN’: Sunraysia’s Nathan Hedley is expected to be among Sunraysia’s quicker riders this weekend.

Photos and story By BEN PISCIONERI

SUNRAYSIA’S reigning Victorian Dirt Track champion Rowan Tegart will be out to defend his crown this weekend when the North West Victorian Motorcycle Club hosts the Junior and Senior Victorian titles tomorrow.

Tegart is the reigning Pro Lites, Pro Open, MX Open and Unlimited Victorian champion after a dominant performance last year and will be keen to retain his titles on his home track this weekend.

Almost 200 of some of the quickest dirt track motorcycle racers in the country have entered this year’s titles, which will be fought out at the popular Jamberoo Park circuit tomorrow.

They include some of the hottest dirt track prospects in the nation, including young gun Isaac Ticehurst, from Cowra.

While the visiting contingent may bring some big names with them, Sunraysia will be well represented at both senior and junior level.

In the senior ranks the aforementioned Tegart will be joined by Nathan Hedley, Nick Waters, Corey Gates and Nathan Trigg among Sunraysia’s lead group of solo riders.

In the juniors meanwhile, Declan Adams, Cooper Riordan and Cody Ryan are expected to be vying for podium positions in their respective classes among a large group of local riders.

Racing will be fought out in senior and junior solo, quad and sidecar classes, providing a wide variety of racing for spectators.

There is also a massive field of Division 1 junior riders, which is a positive for the sport according to Club spokesperson Marg Tegart.

Mrs Tegart said dirt track racing is in the midst of a resurgence after a lull several years ago.

This weekend’s field of 170 riders is one of the biggest dirt track fields in six years in Mildura, and a massive 16-strong field of Division 1 junior riders indicates a bright future for the sport.

“You can see the growth even locally, where our own dirt track series has increased significantly in the past two years,” Mrs Tegart said.

“Our last club day for example, we had 95 entries.”

She said it was particularly pleasing to see the growth of dirt track in Victoria, as New South Wales and Queensland had traditionally been seen as the heartland of Australian dirt track.

“We’re thrilled to have the entries we have for this weekend’s event as the last three big meetings in New South Wales, including the New South Wales Senior Dirt Track Championships, have all been cancelled due to lack of entries, so to have a field like this in Victoria is fantastic,” Mrs Tegart said.

Sunraysia has a rich and successful dirt track racing history, boasting several national champions, including road racing sensation Josh Waters, who amassed an incredible 24 Australian Dirt Track and Long Track titles and more than 60 State titles before making the switch to road racing.

Rowan Tegart has three nationals titles to his name, multiple State titles and is the reigning Victorian Pro Open, Pro Lites, MX Open and Unlimited Champion.

On three wheels, dirt track sidecar rider Steve Warne has collected a plethora of silverware during his career including an Australian title and three State titles.

Dirt track racing is a common path for the world’s most successful road racers – riders like Casey Stoner and Wayne Gardner, for example, all started out racing dirt track before making the shift to road racing.

Tomorrow’s Victorian titles will be a day/night meeting, with the first of the on-track action getting underway about 12.30pm with practice.

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