THREE GENERATIONS TO RACE AT AUSTRALIAN SPEEDWAY CENTENARY

Feature photo:…Trent Headland in action

Former Australian Speedway Sidecar Champion, Trent Headland, is confirmed as a definite starter at the upcoming Australian Speedway Centenary, being conducted at North Brisbane Speedway, on December 28 and 29.

The Roxby Downs resident, is yet another superstar, locked in for the Sidecar Centurions Trophy, on night one, of the two night Centennial event. Trent’s passenger for the meeting will be emerging star, April Cottrell (to be featured in a separate media release later this week).

April Cottrell

Several weeks ago organisers of the Australian Speedway Centenary announced that legendary former World Champion, Mick Headland, was riding in the event, along with his experienced passenger, Brenton Kerr. But wait, there’s more.

Remarkably, there will also be a third generation Headland lining up in the elite sixteen team field, following confirmation that hard-charging young gun, Nate Headland (Trent’s son), will be competing with his passenger Jaxon Raynor!

It is very seldom, in an elite motor sport discipline, to see three generations going head to head in the same event.

“I will be riding a brand new SCC frame with a 2019 ZX10 that was the last bike that SCC constructed, owned by Jeff and Katrina Goldsmith, “Trent explained.

“I’m really excited for this one as the Centenary event means a lot to Australian speedway and it will have massive reach across the world.

“All the big dogs will be there ready to turn it on and I cannot wait. To line up next to my son will be something else too. I’m super proud of how far the boys have come in their first season and riding in an event like this, with the calibre of riders involved, not to mention the media coverage will only further enhance their character and race craft.

“We also rarely get to ride at a huge two night event, with the solo lads anymore, so it will be awesome to catch up with old mates and see them all putting on a great show the night following our big sidecar meeting,” Trent concluded.

Trent Headland won the Australian Championship in 2017 (with Daz Whetstone as passenger). He also claimed the runner up spot in 2016 and was placed third in 2018, capping off a great three year period. He also finished runner up in the Oceania Championship twice and is a multiple State Championship winner.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Nate Headland, won the first final of his senior career, in March this year, when he took out the Paintmaster SA Sidecar Cup at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway.

Headland and stand-in passenger Byron Mordaunt, replacing the unavailable Jaxon Rayner, were equal top point scorers with Shane Rudloff and Scott Morris in the twelve heats, before going on to win the final ahead of the Rudloff/Morris combination.

Young, Headland, also finished second in the Gillman Track Championship and third in the South Australian Championship, to underline his undoubted potential.

SIDECAR CENTURIONS FIELD, ANNOUNCED SO FAR, DECEMBER 28, 2023 – NORTH BRISBANE SPEEDWAY

Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox, Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, Andrew Buchanan/Drew Buchanan,

Brodie Cohen/Josh Murray, Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr, Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell,

Trent Headland/April Cottrell, Nate Headland/Jaxson Raynor, Justin Plaisted/Damien

Egan, Dave Bottrell/Darcy Risstrom, Bayley Ogilvie/Denny Cox.

More rider announcements later this week.

Tickets are now on sale – https://www.ticketebo.com.au/speedwaycentenary