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Last Updated: Nov 28th, 2010 - 10:22:29 |
Two teenage speedway riders from the Hunter region will face their toughest challenge this Wednesday night (December 30) when they contest the Qualifying meeting for the 2010 Australian Speedway Solo Championship.
Alex Davies and Michael Penfold are among the 16 riders who will do battle at the Olympic Park track at Mildura, with only the top six winning through to the championship proper.
To finish in the top six would be a great achievement for either rider, particularly as they are among the least experienced riders in the line-up.
Davies has signed to ride for the Kings Lynn team in the British Premier League in 2010, but while Penfold is yet to sign his first contract to race overseas his performance in both the Mildura qualifier, and also the Australian Under 21 Championship also at Mildura in mid-January will be keenly watched.
Both Davies and Penfold have produced some mixed performances over the past two months with Davies having some mechanical problems while Penfold has struggled with a back injury. But in spite of those problems both turned in some great performances in meetings at Tamworth and Newcastle.
If Davies or Penfold can rise to the occasion and finish in the top six at Mildura they will have an added bonus of knowing that the third and final round of the championship will be staged at the Newcastle Showground on Saturday January 9.
The opening two rounds of the championship will be staged this weekend at the Gillman track in Adelaide on Saturday night (January 2) followed by the second round at Mildura on Sunday night (January 3).
As Davies and Penfold do battle at Mildura one rider missing will be fellow Novocastrian Kozza Smith who has lost his battle to be fit enough to resume racing.
After a horrid run of injury throughout the UK season Smith had hoped to have recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury, but conceded this week that he has run out of time and he withdrew from the qualifier.
Also taking more than a passing interest in the Qualifying meeting will be two other Newcastle riders, Jason Doyle and Sam Masters, who have been included among the ten riders seeded into the Championship.
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