By Trevor Jackson
MCNAMARA Park will roar into life this weekend for the time-honoured Master of Mac Park motorcycle event.
A strong field of South Australian riders – due to Covid restrictions – has been assembled, including some of the best in the state.
Arthur Sissis will start as a hot favourite to take out the main feature race on Sunday afternoon, but there will be plenty of action across the weekend.
That includes the Supersport series, where Furner racer Dallas Skeer will look for a clean sweep.
Skeer currently runs a 600cc GSXR Suzuki in the Australian Supersport class as part of the Australian Superbike (ASBK) series.
Unfortunately due to Covid-19 outbreaks around the country the season has again been affected, with Skeer having little time on the bike, apart from a couple of club days and a coaching day at McNamara Park.
He holds the lap record for the category at his home track and is keen to lower that even further this weekend.
His chances are good, considering he has developed the Suzuki through the ASBK series since 2018 and says he is riding better than even.
Skeer said the McNamara Park circuit has been positive to hone his skills and he hopes it will equate to a dominant weekend.
“I hope to be able to win the Supersport class,” he said.
“I might be the only ASBK rider in the class, so I want to qualify on pole, win all four races and break the lap record again.
“Declan Carbery will be on a 600 and he is about a second off my pace.
“He will look to tow along behind me and would be my main competition in the class.”
Apart from that Skeer will also contest the feature event and will have a tough time chasing down Sissis on his 1000cc Superbike.
“In the Master of Mac Park I would be happy with second place,” he said.
“Arthur Sissis will be there and he is another Superbike rider.
“He is on a Superbike so I probably won’t be able to keep up with him.
“On the first lap the bigger bikes might get me, but hopefully I can get past them and put my head down.
“Second would be nice which would be my best finish.
“My times are there to be able to do that.”
Skeer’s current lap record is just .4 of a second off the outright record set by Sissis.
He hopes to use the extra experience he has gained and a bit of competition with Sissis to reduce it further.
“The Superbikes have 400cc more, with 80-odd horsepower more than me,” Skeer said.
“Around Mac Park they are not as advantaged as bigger tracks like Phillip Island because there aren’t many places they can open up.
“As soon as they crack on the power they will pull a couple of bike lengths on me but the 600 around Mac Park is probably the perfect bike.
“If I can tag onto the back of Arthur he might pull me down to one-minute-nine lap times which is what I want to do.”
Should the expected rain eventuate it may level the playing field further, with Skeer showing his pace in the wet last year.
“In the wet the only place they would probably pull away is down the straight,” he said.
“They won’t be able to use their power around the corners.
“Last year I did the fastest time at the Master of Mac Park in the wet against the Superbikes.
“I haven’t done much riding in the wet, so it will take a few laps to get comfortable.”
Skeer has also used his time off from the ASBK circus to hone his skills on the dirt.
He purchased a KTM 250cc two-stroke bike and has enjoyed the grass track meetings in the region, along with sand riding around Beachport and on his property at Furner.
It all adds up to time in the seat and preparation for when and if the ASBK series returns this year.
However, for now Skeer is focused on the weekend ahead, keen to again go racing.
“I am looking forward to seeing the lights go out again, that is for sure,” he said.
“I can put my race helmet on and do what I usually do.”
Qualifying kicks off on Saturday morning, with racing after lunch.
Sunday will see racing all day, culminating with the features races in the afternoon.
