DAVID LANDER SELLS LISMORE SPEEDWAY

By Dennis Newlyn

PROMOTER David Lander has sold Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway.

New promoters are Mick and wife Kim Sauer, owners/operators of Pottsville Self Storage and Pottsville Landscape Supplies.

Mick, 41, has been racing Sprintcars for a number of seasons after he started his career aged 16 driving Stock Standard Sedans before he moved into AMCA Sedans, then to V8 Dirt Modifieds and later the Sprintcar ranks.

He has been a regular at Lismore Showground for over 30 years firstly as a keen spectator.

Mick says promoting the track will be his major priority and will put racing in the background when he officially takes over at the start of the 2022-2023 season.

“We just want to see Lismore Speedway continue to thrive and to also carry on the great work done by David Lander promoting the venue as one of the longest running speedways in Australia,” Mick explained.

Mick and Kim have two children, Ambrose 7 and Rusty 5.

Mick says he is looking forward to the challenge. “We are going to give it a red hot crack and I will only race on limited occasions. Promoting a speedway is something we have always wanted to do and now the opportunity has presented itself.”

For David Lander, 76, it brings down the curtain on 15 seasons at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway at the end of the current racing term in late April.  He has promoted the Lismore Showground venue longer than anyone else and it calls an end to a promotional career that commenced at Sydney’s Parramatta City Raceway in 1989.

When the time comes to hand over the keys to the Lismore Speedway office, David Lander will also take the honour of being one of the longest serving promoters in Australian speedway history.

“I will still be here at the venue in an advisory capacity for Mick and Kim’s first season,” David said.

Photo: Mick Sauer (left) and David Lander.

“Mick will be with me even for the rest of this season learning more about the operation of the venue. The racing and general running of the track will remain basically the same under the control of Mick and Kim. I am very happy for them and I know they will do a very good job.”

David already has visions of life after speedway when the day comes to literally hitch the wagon. “My wife Carol and I plan to buy a mobile home caravan and travel around Australia. I think it’s time to do this and enjoy the rest of our life.

“I have had a wonderful career in the sport, firstly as a competitor and then promoter, but when the time is right in your life to make a decision such as this, you have to do it.”