The Hunter Motor Cycle Club is about to embark on a busy period of on-track activity, highlighted by the staging of two Australian Championship meetings at their Barleigh Ranch Raceway. First up is the Australian Junior Track Championship coming your way this weekend, July 8 and 9.
An incredible list of 128 riders have signed up to ride at the much-awaited event, coming from up and down the East Coast, including 40 from Queensland (including some coming all the way from Townsville). The girls’ classes have received sufficient entries to ensure championship status and they will be decided over five rounds where points from all rounds will count towards the final outcome. All open classes will be decided over four rounds of heats, then a repechage and an all-deciding final.
Racing is for riders between seven and 16 with competition grouping riders of similar ages and similar machines on the track.
Hunter Motor Cycle Club President Keith Davies, a former national champion himself, points out that junior racing can be as close and exciting as senior competitions. “Smaller capacity machines and riders of the same age are invariably close on the track and are extremely watchable,” said Davies. “There is some great young talent coming through the ranks, they are well drilled and they show poise and confidence beyond their years”.
While dirt track racing continues as a regular competition for seniors, many youngsters look at it as a training ground before moving into other disciplines of motorcycle racing. One aspect of junior competition that is particularly appealing to long-time track announcer Peter Baker is that while many of the riders entered have already had success in previous title meetings, it is likely that some may go on to bigger and far better achievements in their careers. Baker said, ”Over the past two decades this junior championship meeting has featured riders like Casey Stoner who have gone onto become the World Moto GP champion, and current performers on the world road racing stage like Jack Miller, Remy Gardner and Joel Kelso.” Not to forget former world speedway champion Chris Holder who also started out in dirt track racing.
And in more recent years Flat Track racing in the USA has become another avenue dirt track racers can venture into.
A small contingent of the entrants this weekend have just returned from the American Amateur Dirt Track Championships which showcased riders of all ages aiming to eventually transition into the elite Flat Track scene, while others are already well entrenched in road racing in Australia.
The Barleigh Ranch Raceway is situated just off the Pacific Highway north of Raymond Terrace and there is no charge for fans on Saturday while a carload of fans will pay $20 to see the deciding events on Sunday.
Press Release prepared by Peter Baker (bakerp@westnet.com.au) on behalf of Hunter Motor Cycle Club