MOUNT Gambier sprintcar driver Glen Sutherland is gearing up for yet another big night at the Borderline Speedway with Round 3 of the World Series Sprintcars powering into the Blue Lake city tomorrow night.
The busy Christmas and new year period on the track is rounds of the World Series competition, which is incorporated into Speedweek.
The opening round kicked off at Murray Bridge last night.
However, the event was yet to be finished at the time of going to print.
Sutherland – the only contracted driver based in Mount Gambier – will also take part in Round 2 tonight, which is again hosted by the river.
Sutherland said he has had a satisfactory start to the season before entering Speedweek.
“My season has not been going too bad, we have been rolling around the A Mains and getting into them and then starting off pretty well, but have not been able to quite finish them,” he said.
“The car has been excellent, it has been time trialling well, it has been flawless.
“We are just putting our head down and concentrating on ourselves and just going through the motions this week.”
With Speedweek already under way, Sutherland said it was an exciting time for the sport.
“Speedweek is great,” he said.
“There is three nights in a row straight away and there is a lot of other drivers and teams who come and just do Speedweek.
“There are a lot of good competitors and teams so the competition is tough, but good.”
While the opening two rounds are important, Sutherland said he looked forward to returning to Mount Gambier and racing in front of his family, friends and sponsors.
“We have been looking forward to it, it is the first time I have done the World Series as a contracted driver so I cannot wait for the challenge, it is going to be really good,” he said.
“I love coming home to race, it is good to race in front of family, friends and sponsors.
“It is an awesome facility, hopefully plenty of people come out to support it.
“The Borderline Speedway have done a top notch job.
“The place is in awesome condition, so it will be good.”
While the ultimate goal will contest for the World Series Sprintcar title Sutherland said he plans on taking each round as it comes.
There is a large calibre of drivers that will line-up on the grid each night and making the main will be tough.
“We just want to make the A-Main every night, that is our main goal and just see what happens from there,” he said.
“Get into each show, that will be the hard enough deal on its own.
“There are a lot of names from Australia and America that are going to be competing each night.
“We are going to have to be one our A game each time we hit the track, so it will be exciting racing that’s for sure.”
Sutherland said Australia drivers James McFadden and Jamie Veal are at the peak of their game, along with many other drivers.
“All the names in world series are all pretty good drivers, so it will tough each night,” Sutherland said.
“It will be good.”
Sutherland said he was privileged to have contracted drive and praised the hard work of his team.
“I do not get too wrapped up in the whole contracted driver deal,” he said.
“I have a good team, good crew and good cars, so we will just worry about ourselves and get after it.
“None of it would be possible without my crew Kent Collins and Glen Beaton, as well as my major sponsor Gambier Earth Movers.”
