Rallycross slides into SEAC Park

FINALLY HERE: Phil Wilson and Aaron Bowering test the SEAC Park track in readiness for the Rallycross event which will be held this weekend.

FINALLY HERE: Phil Wilson and Aaron Bowering test the SEAC Park track in readiness for the Rallycross event which will be held this weekend.

IN a big coup for the Limestone Coast, the South Eastern Automobile Club will host a rallycross event at its SEAC Park venue this weekend.

According to club president Kevin Raedel it is the first time for many years such an event has been run in a regional area at club level, with plenty of interest from across the border as well.

Raedel said it was pleasing to finally have the event come to fruition after a long time in the pipeline.

“Finally after 18 months of hard work we have got it off the ground,” he said.

“It is the first one in Australia for around 40 years – there has been some national stuff out of Winton, but we have finally got a club-based show to happen.”

The format will see four cars go head-to-head on the track simultaneously, providing some real racing action, rather than single-car time trials.

“We normally run one car at a time, so it is pretty exciting to start four cars off the line,” Raedel said.

“We will qualify them on Saturday to work out the top cars so they are racing against similar speed cars.

“On Sunday we will have heats and see who gets the most points at the end of the day and then run the final.”

The event has attracted 25 competitors, with the top club drivers such as Phil Wilson, Dale Cagney and Adam Jesse right in the mix, along with some competitors out of Victoria.

Those drivers include Melbourne’s Will Orders, who will show up in a new Hyundai I30 with Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 running gear.

Raedel said it will produce around 650 horse power, but that will not be the only fast car in attendance, with Justin Dowel – who owns the Hyundai – expected to bring several cars along with drivers.

“This is just a club show, but those guys have been coming across to hire our track and practice, so they are coming back to support us,” Raedel said.

To add to the excitement, rallycross includes what is known as a joker lap.

Each heat runs over four laps, but one of those laps has to be a joker, which takes a different course.

Every driver has to complete one joker per heat and depending on when they take that option will often decide the outcome.

The SEAC Park venue provides the ideal un-sealed surface to run such an event, which Raedel said could lead to bigger and better things in the future.

“If it takes off there will be the potential to have a couple of state rounds here next year,” he said.

“To bring something so big to Mount Gambier is huge.”

Raedel said it was testament to the hard work club members have put in to ensure they could host such an event, with other regions such as Tailem Bend also chasing the sport at The Bend Motorsport Park.

“We have been working pretty hard on it, so to finally have it happen is a pretty big achievement,” he said.

“We have probably set the benchmark now for Tailem Bend – they have been asking how we managed to have it approved.

“For us as a club and a group it is a massive achievement.”

Practice and qualifying is expected to kick off at 2pm tomorrow, with racing Sunday from 9.30am.