SPRINTCAR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP VITAL POINTS UP FOR GRABS

Feature photo by: Gary Reid… Sam, Walsh will compete April 15 at ECS.

By Dennis Newlyn

It’s getting down to the business end of the season in the battle for the Sprintcar Track Championship at Eastern Creek Speedway with the running of round 15 Saturday night, April 15.

Thirty-three 410 Sprintcars have nominated for this weekend as Troy Little leads the charge at the top of the points table.

However, the title is far from being decided and the remaining three rounds take on significant importance.

At this writing, there are a number of drivers still in contention and all have entered for this weekend. Little, who has 1112 points, will face off against Aaron Kelly (1050), Daniel Sayre (1024), Jessie Attard (1000) and Warren Ferguson (988) as the drivers most prominent in the title chase nearing the end of the season. Troy has been consistent throughout the 2022-23 season and he has been at or near the top of the point standings throughout the ECS campaign.

“The car that we are running at the moment, it probably would have 180 nights of racing on the chassis. When I first got in the car, it just felt comfortable. It’s really just an old car that seems to work well for us,” Troy explained.

Troy, driving the Steve Lynch Pit Stop Autos Maxim, “the magnificent Maxim,” as Troy enthused, is a former Parramatta Raceway Sprintcar Track Champion with 24 years Sprintcar experience after having started his career in Litre Cars.

“Steve and I are still going strong as a team some ten years later since we joined forces. It’s like we have got to a stage where we’re not sure who owns what in the team, but it’s all good.

“We just put in a solid effort every night and try and get the job done.”

Little, who is also winner of the 2005 NSW Sprintcar Championships, obviously needs to maintain his good form as Aaron Kelly is mounting a strong challenge for Queensland and is 62 points adrift of Little.

Time trials, heats and feature races means the title still has plenty of points to be earned before the grand final ECS Sprintcar Track Championship feature race on May 13.

Hard luck story of the Track Championship belongs to second-placed Mick Saller who has been sidelined for the season with a fractured T4 vertebra after a crash last meeting.

Wingless Sprints, Lightning Sprints and AMCAs will be the support card this weekend.

The April 15 ECS fixture represents the final round decider for honours in the Lightning Sprints’ Syndicate Communications sponsored Track Championship.

It sets the scene nicely for the ultimate top three to become a part of Sydney speedway history in the inaugural full season ECS title for the division.

Pete Styles leads on consistency with 828 points but with every driver dropping their worst round, Scott Withers (787 points) and Chris Davis (729) are the competitors to beat and should they take podium results on April 15, it will have a major impact on the final outcome. A win for Styles would have him where he needs to be at the finish as the final positions are determined.

Withers, Davis and AJ McTaggart (622 points) cannot afford a feature DNF.

It really gets down to a shoot-out for the top spots . . . the title is between Styles, Withers, Davis and McTaggart. Scott Moir is close to securing his first B Grade Championship after finally overcoming engine issues earlier in the season.

The Wingless Sprints have 29 cars entered for next Saturday night.

Mark Blyton returns to Eastern Creek Speedway following his success at home town track Dubbo in the third and final round of the Wingless Sprints’ Easter Trail.

Blyton was the dominant force on the trail and topped the overall Easter results from Brayden Shute, Blake Darcy, Nathan Dicker, Andrew Seery and Graham Flood – all six have entered at ECS April 15. Once again there is a strong Wingless line-up for the ECS fixture with an impressive list also featuring competitive runners Jason Bates, Jason Davis, Kyle Mock and Bailey Goodwin (also listed amongst the 410 Sprintcar nominations).

AMCAs also have a good entry list as the other attraction on the four star card with another night of top action assured.