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A Race of Champions
Archerfield Speedway posted Tuesday January 21, 2014.
 The best in the world will converge on Brisbane this weekend. The star-studded line up is teeming with champions that include 6 Americans and 10 New Zealanders who will test Australia’s best. Supercheap Auto Archerfield Speedway will stage the first Australian sector of the inaugural World POWRi Midget Championship and the Australian Midget Car Championship simultaneously over two nights. Preliminaries will be held this Saturday night January 25 with the finals in the evening on Australia Day, Sunday January 26; which is sure to stir the patriotism in everyone.
Three out of the top four drivers in the 2014 Chili Bowl A-Main are heading to Australia to compete! Landing on Thursday and leading the list is 24 year old #US39 Bryan Clauson who won the event this year! He came out on top amid a field of 280 cars that contested this year’s Chili Bowl. Bryan is the current USAC Sprintcar Champion and last year he attempted the Indy 500 but finances brought his campaign to a halt; he’s still looking for a ride this year.
Current USAC Midget Car champion, young #US2 Christopher Bell and Ex-PORWi Midget Champion #US82 Andrew Felker will be racing for CJR Motorsport this weekend; they land in Australia tomorrow. At just 19 years of age, Bell finished third at this year’s Chili Bowl; he’s hot property and rapidly on the rise - not only in Midgets but Sprintcars as well.
Both Clauson and Bell are in the running to take out the inaugural POWRi World Championship. The opening 4 rounds were held in New Zealand, there’ll be two rounds in Australia before the final 4 rounds in America. Bell won the first round, the second was rained out and Clauson won the next round followed by New Zealander Michael Pickens who won Round 3. It’s due to the rain out that this weekend will be known as round 4 of the World POWRi Championship.
The line up of US stars continues with #US29 Alex Bright. He finished fourth at the 2014 Chili Bowl and he ran second at the recent Australian Speedcar Title. Winner of the Magic Man and winner of the Speedcar Super Series, he returns to Australia thanks to Graham Jones Racing and will drive the Jack Berry Polar Ice Jbr Racing Q29.
#US91 Darryn Hagan and #US3 Jerry Coons JNR are both ex USAC Midget champions but it’s the latter that has the pressure on Archerfield Speedway Promoter John Kelly.
“The pressure is really on to have the track perfect; even more so than preparing a track for Donny Schatz! Jerry Coons JNR is driving for Danny Lendich who is in construction and he’s always into me about the track,” joked Kelly.
10 Kiwis are heading across the ditch and leading the charge are #NZ2 Scott Buckley and #NZ3 Hayden Williams who ran second and third respectively to Michael Pickens at the recent New Zealand Championship. Although Pickens isn’t nominated it is rumoured he may still have an opportunity to secure a drive. Buckley and Williams will be strong but its #NZ7 Brad Mosen who is rated the number one driver in NZ at the moment besides Michael Pickens.
Five-time NZ Midget Car champion #NZ89 Michael Kendall is in fine form and is no stranger to Archerfield; a fortnight ago he won two feature races here on the one night in a Midget and a Modlite. Fellow Kiwi nominations include #NZ91 Shane O’Connor, #NZ39 Peter Hunnibell, #NZ41 Ricky McGough, #NZ95 Duane Hickman, #NZ26 Dayne Maxwell and #NZ96 Chris McCutcheon.
The Australian defense line up is strong and leading the field is current Australian Speedcar champion #A1 Adam Clarke; he just won his third Australian title in South Australia a fortnight ago. Adam also holds every state title there is to win – QLD, NSW, VIC, SA and WA – and is the only person to ever do so.
#N1 Nathan Smee is the current Australian Midget Car Champion and will be defending his title this weekend. He hasn’t been beaten in his last five appearances at Archerfield. Brett Thomas, Grant Draney, Matt Greenwood, Matt Jackson, Troy Jenkins and a host of other Aussies will be super quick and taking it to the visitors.
Over 40 cars have nominated for the two-night show; there’ll be support racing both nights plus on the Sunday night, have a laugh at the crazy Caravan, Boat & Dunny race, there’ll also be a huge fireworks show.
Don't miss this historic event! Tickets are available online from our website www.brisbanespeedway.com.au using Visa or MasterCard (online tickets incur a fee and are only available until 2pm on the day) or purchase your tickets from the gate on the day - there are no eftpos, ATMs or Credit Card facilities at the venue.
Come watch our Aussies take on the best from America and New Zealand. See you there
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