Record sidecar field ready for action

SHELLEY CLARK

SWING LOW: Defending Burt Munro sidecar champions Shaun Kerr and Robin Poole.

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Two Oreti Park Speedway members are hoping to fend off the North Island challenge and make it a local scrap for the Burt Munro Challenge sidecar title tonight.

The Speedway Spectacular has attracted what is believed to be a record field of 25 sidecars this weekend, another big occasion during what is shaping up to be a top summer of racing at the Sandy Point track.

Defending Burt Munro Challenge sidecar champion Shaun Kerr and his swingman Robin Poole are keen to repeat their efforts from last year after seeing most of last season's wrecked by persistent engine problems.

Kerr said this week the team believed it had tracked down the cause of the electrical problems and was now primed for tonight.

"We've had more than a few (issues) – basically, anything that can go wrong has gone wrong with the engine," Kerr said.

"It's been very frustrating, but that's all part of it."

Kerr and Poole grew up together and had developed the level of trust necessary for an effective sidecar team.

They will face a stern examination from the veteran Fraser Gillespie, who has been racing for more than three decades, and his swingman David Uitentuis. The pair had been riding together for the past two and a half seasons.

Gillespie has won New Zealand short track, long track and grass track titles and would love to add a Burt Munro title, after getting close last year.

"It's a big title and it's on your home track.

"They are going to contest the New Zealand title here in February so it's going to be a good indication of who is doing what."

Auckland's Noel McNamara and Glen Bagshaw will try to reclaim the title they won at the event in 2007, while current Southland champion Jason Harpur, with new swinger Mark George on board, will have home-track advantage.

In the solo ranks, Oreti's Grant Tregoning and Andy Aldridge, of Christchurch, return after racing professionally in Europe.

Larry Ross, of Christchurch, will feature alongside his son John, while seasoned Invercargill competitors Alex Cunningham, James Miller, Paul Hayes and John Tuffley will be trying to make the most of their home advantage.

Racing at Oreti Speedway gets under way from 5pm.

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