NATIONAL CHAMPION JOCK GOODYER HEADS IMPRESSIVE STATE TITLE ENTRIES

Feature photo: Brock Hallett – a NSW Sprintcar Championship contender. Photos courtesy of: Gary Reid 

By Dennis Newlyn

National Champion, Tasmanian Jock Goodyer, heads the impressive entry list for the 2023 New South Wales Sprintcar Championship over two nights at Eastern Creek Speedway, March 31 – April 1.

Goodyer, who took out the 60^th running of the national title at Perth Motorplex on February 11, is part of a big interstate contingent that also includes the winner of the 2023 prestigious 50^th Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Warrnambool, Brock Hallett, who has previously enjoyed main event success at ECS.

With 39 entries received for the sixty-fourth running of the state title, this season’s event looms as an enthralling contest.

ECS regulars Aaron Kelly, Allan Woods, Randy Morgan, Richie Rob and Ryan Newton, will attempt to give a Queenslander NSW title glory. Also in the nominations is Grant Anderson driving the V#37 entry.

The locals will be put to the test and former national titleholder Marcus Dumesny, who made the home track breakthrough with a main event win against the interstaters, is obviously keen for a repeat performance.

Local drivers who are well placed in the ECS Sprintcar Track Championship led by Troy Little, winner of the 2005 NSW Sprintcar title at Parramatta Raceway, cannot be ruled out of calculations with Kaidon Brown, Lachlan Caunt and Jessie Attard also contenders.

Meanwhile, Alex Orr puts his state title chances down to getting the car set-up correctly for this weekend.

“When we get it right we can be fast and also we finally have an engine that’s running really good,” he said.

But he openly admits that lack of track time could be to his detriment as he prepares to give the state title his best shot.

“I am lucky to have done any more than one-hundred laps at Eastern Creek since the track opened, but I am always aiming to improve every time I do race there. I admit sometimes our set-up can be hit and miss but we can make the car fast.”

For Sydney’s Jordyn Brazier, a win in the NSW Sprintcar Championship would carry on a wonderful family tradition in this event.

The fourth generation racer hopes to emulate his grand dad Steve, who won the NSW Sprintcar Championship in 1973, 1978, 1987, while his dad Garry took honours in 1995, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2012. “These are the titles you want to win because of our family background,” Jordyn said.

He is happy with his form going into the state title. “We have had a decent crack the last couple of shows at Eastern Creek, but also have had a bit of bad luck,” he acknowledged.

Robbie Farr will be chasing his fourth career victory in the NSW Championship after his last win was recorded in 2019.

“We have not done a lot of racing at Eastern Creek this season, but our last outing was fairly good,” said Farr who will again drive for the Saller team.

The state title event is one of the oldest in the era of Australian Hot Rod/Super Modified/Sprintcar history after its inception in 1962 at the former Windsor Speedway on a cold Sunday afternoon in winter when the title was taken out by Arthur Murray.   

Murray came from Stockcars to win the first NSW Hot Rod Championship for this developing class of racing at the time.

Over the years there have been some incredible victories in the NSW Championship, but none more spectacular than in1970 during the Super Modified days at Sydney’s former Liverpool Speedway when US serviceman Billy Anderson won on three wheels and crossed the finish line backwards! 

Billy, a known racer in California, was in the US Navy and on leave in Sydney when he jumped behind the wheel of the ex-Larry Burton Super Modified that, in1970, was owned and raced by Brisbane’s Ron Wanless.

Anderson drove a great race and had the event shot to pieces – that was until he came off turn four in the run to the chequered flag.

The rear axle broke, the car spun, the tyre came off the axle and Anderson was driving the car in a reverse direction as the field closed in, but he lasted long enough to win as he retained the title he won the previous year.

Billy, brother of Johnny Anderson who created a Sprintcar revolution in Australia when he brought the Broadway Andy’s company blue and white Sprintcar out of Sacramento, California, to Australia in April, 1971, holds a very special place in the magnificent history of this event.

So many great drivers have won this championship: Graeme McCubbin (Victoria), Keith Blicharski (Qld), Bill Wigzell (SA), Trevor Green (SA), while amongst the best from NSW are Bill Warner, George Tatnell, Wayne Fisher, Bob Blacklaw, Garry Rush, Max Dumesny (originally Victoria), Brooke Tatnell, Skip Jackson, Ian Madsen, Lynton Jeffrey, Robbie Farr and the list goes on.

Other milestone title moments focus on Warner who won in 1965 at Westmead Speedway after he gave the field a lap start and when Ian Madsen was victorious in 2016, he and Kerry became the first brothers who finished 1-2 in the title.

A significant factor relating to the winners are the years between victories by some of the sport’s biggest Sprintcar names.

Max Dumesny has the longest time span between successes after he won at Parramatta in 1984 and it was not until 2008 before he again drove into the winner’s circle. He won again in 2014 to take his overall career tally to three NSW titles.

Defending titleholder Jamie Veal has, at this writing, not entered so it appears an open title in the battle for 2023 honours.

Wingless Sprints have been booked for appearances both nights, while March 31 also will feature Late Models and RSA Street Stocks will compete April 1.

Story by Dennis Newlyn.

IN OTHER ECS NEWS . . . 

GARRY COLEMAN ON ROAD TO RECOVERY

Reverend Garry Coleman spent the weekend at home after he was released from western Sydney’s Blacktown Hospital following a heart trauma Saturday night, March 18, at ECS.

He has had a pacemaker inserted into his heart and was given a clearance for discharge late Friday, March 24.

Garry, who enjoyed the weekend watching footy on TV, wants to thank everyone who passed on their best wishes via phone calls and text messages.

He was contacted by not only the Sydney speedway community but also people from throughout New South Wales and interstate. He was overwhelmed by the response.

Doctors have advised Garry he will not be able to drive for up to five weeks.