SPRINTCARS SA SEASON COMMENCES WITH WIGZELL RACE

By Sprintcars SA

After a long off-season, the first Sprintcar race of the 2023/24 South Australian campaign will take place this Sunday night ((October 1) at the Murray Machining and Sheds Speedway with the Annual Bill Wigzell Battle of the Bridge.

For several years now the “Wigzell Race,” that honours former Australian and Classic Champion Bill Wigzell OAM, has become the traditional South Australian Sprintcar season opener.

The 21-car field that has nominated for the event includes a quality early season line-up with drivers from four states, but they will all be chasing Luke Dillon, who will attempt to repeat his Wigzell Race win from 12 months ago and if he is he successful, it will be his fourth win in the race overall (2016, 2018, 2022).

Other former race winners in the field include Ryan Jones, who has two Wigzell victories (2017, 2019) and Matt Egel, who was first across the line in 2021.

All three of the drivers mentioned have already had a busy season taking in the Chariots of Thunder (COT) Series in Darwin, in addition to several of Northline Speedway Track Championship rounds, with Jones and Dillon finishing on the podium in the overall COT Championship. While racing in the Northern Territory, Jones and Egel both picked up a A-Main victory, while Dillon was on the podium three times so on current form, they may be hard to beat.

But they won’t be the only three drivers worth keeping an eye on as the nomination list includes many of the best competitors South Australia has to offer. Strathalbyn’s Daniel Pestka was a feature winner last season at Murray Bridge and he is more than capable winning again, while the likes of Steven and Mark Caruso, who were winners last season at the venue in Pro Sprintcar events, Lisa Walker, Keke Falland, Brendan Quinn, Chad Ely and Joel Heinrich would all love to add this prestigious race to their resumes.

Mount Gambier will be represented by Glen Sutherland and Scott Enderl, with both drivers also coming from an off-season Darwin campaign. Last season Enderl put in an outstanding performance at the “Battle of the Bridge” as he finished third – his best career 410ci result at the venue.

Rounding out the South Australian entries will be Craig Vanderstelt, who is returning to Sprintcar racing after a three-year break, Murray Bridge residents Robert Heard and Brent Fox and veteran Ricky Maiolo.

The interstate nominations for this Sunday night include Broken Hill resident Brendan Guerin, Tasmanian Tim Hutchins, who has become a regular visitor to Murray Bridge in recent years, and Victorians Will Carroll and Corey Sandow.

The current format for the night will include qualifying in hot laps, one round of Heats, a Mid-pack Dash, a Gold, Silver and Bronze Shootout and the $5,000 to win 30-Lap A-Main.

Release by Phil Michell Motorsport Media for Sprintcars SA