PASCOE TO DEFEND ECGN AT CASTROL LISMORE SPEEDWAY APRIL 20

Feature photo by: Tony Powell

Media release by: Dennis Newlyn

Multi Australian Super Sedan Champions Matt Pascoe and Darren Kane head an impressive entry list for the annual running of the Brims Coastal Cement East Coast Grand National at Castrol Lismore Speedway, Saturday night, April 20.

Pascoe, the defending titleholder, enters the event facing not only tough opposition from Kane but a number of other contenders.

The ECGN has incredible history and heritage, a race that put the iconic Lismore Showground Speedway on the map back in the ‘seventies, and continues to carry a wonderful tradition with its annual running.

“It’s truly a very special event in the long and illustrious history of Castrol Lismore Speedway,” co-promoter Kim Sauer said.

“We know how much this race means to Super Sedan drivers and it’s also an event they all want to win.

“That will ensure the competition will be very tough on the night as some of the best in the country chase the honour and prestige that goes with winning this wonderful event. We also want to thank Brims Coastal Cement for their backing of this great race as naming rights sponsor.”

Pascoe knows the pressure will be on right from the first heat.

“It’s a quality field of entries we have for the ECGN and the heats will be vital to determine starting positions in the main event.”

Kane, a five time National Super Sedan Champion and twice Australian Late Model titleholder, has won the East Coast Grand National three times in an era when it was also known as The Grenville, held in memory of Lismore icon, the late, great Grenville Anderson.

The East Coast Grand National has special meaning for Darren.

“When I was growing up I used to buy the speedway publications and I used to read about the East Coast Grand National race. It was an ambition of mine to win that race,” Darren, 55, said.

Darren will drive the Australia One Dominator Ian Boettcher Race Parts Gen Five Super Sedan entry.

One driver who will be hoping to emulate a previous ECGN victory is Lismore’s Tania Smith.

That was back in 2010 on a night that was one of the most significant in the history of this race.

Her great victory was followed by an outpouring of emotion because the win meant so much to Tania.

She is very close to the Anderson family and Grenville was one of her racing heroes when she started her career.

This affinity continued after Tania, a registered nurse, cared for Grenville in the following years following his terrible crash at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway in the early 1990s. The injuries he sustained in that accident claimed his life on May 31, 2004 aged just 52.

Other drivers in contention for the 2024 Brims Coastal Cement East Coast Grand National include son of a gun Brad Pascoe, David Nichols, Steve Jordan, Sean Black, Rodney Pammenter, Seiton Young, Zac and Hayden Brims to name but a few. Support racing divisions are also programmed.

Late Model Sedans will feature the appearance of interstater Brad Smith who will clash with a good field of NSW stars, namely Ben Nicastri, Lachlan Onley, Todd Bayley, Daniel Cassidy, Mark Letham and Arron Barnes amongst the entries.

Track announcer Josh Boyd will put down the microphone to compete in Production Sedan action. Josh has emerged a very competent commentator at the Lismore venue and he has fitted superbly into the job working with long time track announcer Neil Marks. Josh had previously enjoyed significant racing success at national title level in the Junior Sedan category. Madison Harkin, Stuart Fawcett, Mark Quirk and Gerry Flood are also included in the Production Sedan nominations. Still on the topic of Lismore track announcers, Mark Stanger will jump behind the wheel of a Modlite for this coming Saturday night driving the N#3 entry. There will also be a couple of guest commentators at the venue calling the action. Modlites have A#1 Ryan Silcock in the field amongst the 22 entries received.

Photo caption: Queensland’s Matt Pascoe will defend the Super Sedan Brims Coastal Cement East Coast Grand National at

Castrol Lismore Speedway, Saturday night, April 20.