One man looking forward to this month’s upcoming 2007 FIM Track Racing Sidecar Gold Trophy 1000cc, is sentimental Australian favourite Darrin Treloar.
Treloar will be riding with Andrew Plaisted as his passenger when the event takes place on 24 November, at Wayville Showground in South Australia.
Together, the pairing has won the past two Australian Speedway Sidecar Championships, and having finished fourth at the inaugural staging of the Gold Trophy event last year, the pair heads into the 2007 event with some unfinished business.
Speaking ahead of the event, that’s exactly how Treloar assessed the upcoming race-meeting having been desperately unlucky at the Isle of Man in 2006.
“We had a bit of bad luck at the last one,” he admitted. “We were leading in the final and then with a lap to go we got a flat tyre.
“We were that close to victory, so we will be looking to win it this year because we were unlucky not to last year.
“It really can’t come around quick enough. We’re ready to have a go, looking forward to it and I’m sure it will be great.”
Treloar admitted that his form together with Paisted over the past few years has been exceptional, and said that it augurs well for them when the Wayville event comes around.
“Last two seasons me and Justin have had it pretty good, and we haven’t lost many meetings,” he admitted.
“We have pretty much always been in the top three, have always been competitive, so we are hoping to continue that in the Gold Trophy this year.”
In terms of main rivals for the event, Treloar was quick to point his finger at a few fellow Australians to provide the biggest threat, but he admitted that the international competitors are still a dangerous unknown.
“It’s hard to say how the overseas riders are going to go, because we haven’t raced them for 12 months and never raced them at a big track like this,” he said.
“So it’s tough to predict how they are going to go, but the Aussies are certainly going to be hard at it.
“Moon, Christopher, Aldridge, Plaisted – they’re all going good this year, so it will just come down to the luck on the night and a good draw, and the best man will win.”
But the real excitement when discussing the event with Treloar was definitely how much he is looking forward to riding in front of his closest family, friends and sponsors on home soil.
“It’s going to be great. This is the third year people have travelled for it, and it’s always been overseas, so we’ve never had the support or our family and friends there to watch it.
“To do it here in front of all of our family and friends, the Australian crowd will be great, and the sponsors who have been supporting us over the years will be able to get a good look so that’s great.
“I think it will be a really good turnout and so it will be great to win the first one in Australia!”
