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Last Updated: Apr 1st, 2010 - 18:30:06 |
World No.2, former Australian champion or former placegetter in the Australian Championship are credentials that have counted for nothing for several riders contesting the 2010 PBOZ Australia and Suzuki of Newcastle sponsored Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship at the Newcastle Showground Speedway this weekend.
Five competitors sharing those credentials are among the field that have to contest the Qualifying Meeting of the championship to be staged on Saturday afternoon (racing starts at 3pm).
Townsville rider Gary Moon is not only a former Australian champion but was placed second in the inaugural World Sidecar Championship staged in France last August.
Another Townsville rider Scott Christopher is also a former champion and a finalist in last year’s Australian Championship.
Other former placegetters are Maitland’s Grant Bond, Rick Howse of Broken Hill and Warren Monson of Mildura.
None of those five riders managed to win their state title meeting this season, which was the criteria for the six riders who were seeded directly into the championship field for Sunday and who can afford to sit back and relax as the qualifying meeting unfolds.
Even though those riders are entitled to be aggrieved at not being seeded to the championship decider on Sunday (racing starts at 5.30pm) they still have plenty going for them in the way of some good recent form and the fact that ten riders from Saturday will progress to the championship decider on Sunday.
Even with ten places available though the quality of the line-up for the Qualifying Meeting should ensure that there is a hard fought battle right to the end.
There is plenty of local interest on Saturday with, besides Bond, Darren Café of Seaham and the veteran Mick Farrell of Wallsend also vying for a berth in Sunday’s showdown.
Sydney is represented in the Qualifying Meeting by another experienced rider in Phil Hudson, while of course Darrin Treloar will be one of the favourite’s come Sunday night.
The Sunday meeting will also feature support events for solos.
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