Junior Street Sedan Title – Maryborough
Junior Street Sedan Title…18/01/07…Pam Franz
This Saturday night the Junior Street Sedan State Title will be held at Maryborough Speedway. This will be second major speedway sedan event held at Maryborough Speedway in the past month. On both occasions showcasing the Junior Sections of speedway sedans.
In complete contrast the Qld Junior Street Sedan drivers compete in higher powered cars to their National counterparts. Cars such as later model Falcons and Commodores will be doing battle. Junior Street Sedan racing began in Qld in 1992 when a group of senior competitors got their heads together and could see the benefits of teaching the younger generation car handling skills at a younger age. To simplify the cost factor Junior Street Sedan drivers are able to race the same car as a senior driver. Lots of cars are shared with Dad or an older sibling who in some cases also came through the Junior Street Sedan ranks.
Only a handful of these teenagers from the age of 12 years through to 17 years actually are old enough to hold a licence to drive on the road. Many of them have been competing in Junior Street Sedans for several seasons and have learnt their craft well.
It is to be hoped that when they progress to driving on the road that they will make for safe competent drivers who know how to handle a car in unsettled conditions. They know that the place to ‘hoon’ is on the speedway track on a Saturday night.
Jason Slade will be defending his Title after having won the event at Kingaroy last year. Jason will be competing in an EL Falcon which has not been seriously raced this season since it was built. Jason won last years event in a Mitsubishi Sigma and is looking forward to having the extra horsepower to provide him with the best possible chance to retain his crown.
Maryborough will be well represented with 5 Juniors – Mitchell Thomsen, Brian Grundy, Sam Cordie, Danielle Harris and Hamish Redman. Mitchell Thomsen will be fast around his home track in an EL Falcon and looking for success in front of his home town crowd. Hamish Redman has clocked up the laps in his very fast Escort and will be confident of a good showing. Both these Juniors following in the footsteps of their Dads who have had many successes on the speedway track at home and away.
An interstate based car driven by Max Clarke from Casino will be quick all night and should have a strong finish to be there when the checkered flag falls on Lap 20 of the Final event.
Trent Humphries will be strong in his EL Falcon after making a great showing at the recent National Title held on this track.
The full field of nominations are as follows:
Jason Slade, Tiffany O’Keeffe, Rick Schleusener, Mitchell Thomsen, Archie Turner, Trent Humphries, Max Clarke, Anita Cooper, Brandon O’Keeffe, Bradley Jennings, Brian Grundy, Sam Cordie, Danielle Harris, Amy Smith, Brett Baxter, Casey Purcell, Hamish Redman, Ash Volk, Kirstie Harm, Ben Rossow, Jaymee Budgen, Michael Budgen, Josh Howell, Michelle Blavius
The Qld Saloon Car Association would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Maryborough Sporting Car Club and it’s committee of dedicated workers on the face lift given to their complex over the past few months. Maryborough Speedway is now one of the premier speedway complexes anywhere in Australia.