EASTERN CREEK SPEEDWAY APPROVAL

Photo: Multi World Series Sprintcars and National Champion Max Dumesny runs the new Eastern Creek Speedway. Photo: Anthony Snedden.

THE SYDNEY racing fraternity have given an overwhelming vote of approval to the new Eastern Creek Speedway following two practice nights.

The general consensus of opinion is this track is “the best thing that has happened to Sydney.”

Everyone has agreed this is not only a track that will take speedway in Sydney into the future, but Eastern Creek Speedway has the potential to lift the sport to an exciting new level of entertainment and race excitement with its superb facilities courtesy of the NSW Government.

Competitors who ran both nights noticed a distinct settling of the track surface as the clay compound bedded in and provided definite racing lines.

“The track was considerably good considering the amount of time to get the track surface ready. It appears to be a different clay to Parramatta and the track drives very well. It’s an awesome facility and I’m looking forward to racing at Eastern Creek,” multi World Series Sprintcars Champion and national titleholder Max Dumesny said.

The installation of the track surface is one of the success stories leading up to the Saturday and Monday night practice sessions after literally only days to have it ready.

Its first hit out was for the Friday media day but it allowed enough time for co-promoter John Kelly to work the track and provide a very racy surface for the two nights of practice.

“I could run a low line and a high line with ease,” Alex Orr said following the Monday night practice in his Sprintcar.

“The amount of track width is phenomenal, it’s a three or four wide track. It has so much promise. It’s really positive for the sport,” he added.

Former Sedan National Champion Ron Pyne continues his long time involvement in the sport as a Late Model Sedan car owner and he says the Late Models have tremendous potential to take their racing into a new found interest that has the potential to rekindle the great sedan days of the 70s-80s at Sydney’s former Liverpool City Raceway.

“I think we will build a Mecca for Late Model Sedan racing in Sydney,” Ron beamed.

His driver Jarrod Everlly from Singleton, NSW, poured on the power.  It’s a big step up in class for Everlly who has previously raced Stockers and AMCAs – the latter at Dubbo two weeks earlier!

Ron Pyne has been around the sport for more years than he cares to remember and made some poignant comments after first seeing the new venue.

“The shape and banking makes it absolutely superb and the crowd will be sitting right on top of the action. It will ooze excitement.”

Former Valvoline Raceway Sprintcar Track Champion Sam Walsh said soon after his workout during the media day:

“It’s a flowing bowl shaped track and it’s definitely rounder than Parramatta,” while there’s also plenty of room on the track.”

Midget star Troy Jenkins has now had two runs on the new surface after being one of the first on the circuit at the media day. “It will be a very good Midget track with very good racing lines,” he observed. Meanwhile former National Midget Champion Kaydon Brown had a few car issues, but, overall, ran strongly.

The massive positive was all racing divisions involved with practice have quickly adapted to the new state-of-the art world class facility.

For Sydney Sprintcar driver Mick Saller, he was just delighted “to be a part of the very first laps at the new state of the art Eastern Creek Speedway. This place is next level and I can’t wait to see it finished.”

Construction work is continuing around the clock at the facility as attention now turns to the first race meeting at Eastern Creek Speedway, January 14.

The opening night fixture will be the Final of the Speedway Australia NSW/Queensland Sprintcar States Series and also will feature the appearance of California’s World of Outlaws Sprintcar star Carson Macedo.

Tickets are on sale at www.easterncreekspeedway.com.au