Trans-Tasman rivalry at Oreti Park

With the current world champions in the mix and trans-Tasman bragging rights at stake, adrenalin-pumping action is a foregone conclusion at Oreti Park Speedway, near Invercargill, this Saturday.

The world’s southern-most speedway club will host round four of the inaugural Sidecar GP Trans-Tasman Test Series, featuring the top echelon of New Zealand and Australian combinations.

“Several of these teams have competed successfully in the global arena, including Europe, so we’re really excited to have them racing in Southland,” Oreti Park Speedway president Fraser Gillespie said.

“With the exceptional talent of these riders and plenty of good old-fashioned trans-Tasman rivalry, this is shaping up as an event not to be missed.

“The introduction of a Test at each round will certainly heat things up and I’m expecting a battle of epic proportions.”  

Adelaide’s Mick Headland and Paul Waters are firm favourites given their world champion status, but will face tough competition from the likes of 2008 world champions Darrin Treloar and Justin Plaisted, of New South Wales, and current Australian champions Mark Mitchell and Tom Golding, of Adelaide.

1NZ Les Plummer and Kervin Demanser and 2NZ Russell Stewart and Andrew Parker will undoubtedly lead in Kiwi charge.  

At each of the five rounds of the GP Series, top ranking local teams join the line-up. Oreti Park members earning the chance to compete are the current New Zealand short track champions Fraser Gillespie and David Uitentuis, the current Southland sidecar champions Jason Harpur and Mark George, Shaun Kerr and Robin Poole and Aiden Thwaites and Bruce McLean.

Also being hosted with the GP is the Ivan Mauger North v’s South Solo Challenge.  

The GP sidecar event will double as excellent preparation for the Kiwi contingent, with Oreti Park’s track at Sandy Point, near Invercargill, hosting the New Zealand Sidecar Championships on February 12-13.