Some of Australia‰Ûªs best dirt track motor cycle racers will be back on the Central Coast of NSW this weekend for the annual staging of the Tumut Motorcycle Accessories / Honda Motorcycles Central Coast Cup meeting.
The Allen Park track at Somersby will again be the scene of this major event on Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18.
The Central Coast Cup meeting has in its short history established itself as one of the major non-championships meetings on the dirt track calendar.
One reason for the on-going significance of the meeting is the honour roll of winners in both the senior and junior classes since its inception in 2005.
The senior class has been won, with one exception, by riders who have been Australian champions before, or after, or both, winning at the Somersby track.
The only dual senior winner is North Brisbane rider Jace Castles who will be trying to add to two wins and a second placing in the event this weekend.
Even without last year‰Ûªs winner Sean McLellan, Castles is sure to face tough opposition from the likes of Brody Nowlan, teenager Thomas Duggan, Nick Leahy and former World Supersport Championship contender Matthew Davies from West Wyalong.
Duggan, 16, is just six months into his senior racing days will face a busy weekend as he has entered the Under 19, Pro 250, Pro 450 and Pro Open classes as well as the Central Coast Cup feature.
Duggan won last year‰Ûªs Junior Central Coast Cup and will be striving to become only the second rider ever to win the Cup at both junior and senior level.
The Junior Cup (for 13 to 16 year olds) will see North Brisbane riders Jarrod Brook and Zaine Kennedy posing the biggest threat to Hunter rider Mitchell James emulating his brother Bayley as a winner of the event.
Entries for the other junior classes are, as usual, very strong, headed by host club member Senna Agius and Billy van Erde who were the only riders to win two classes at last month‰Ûªs Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships.
Junior competition is invariably just as competitive as the senior action, with the added focus of assessing which of the youngsters may go on to stardom in the future.
The Central Coast Junior Motor Cycle Club has been in existence for over 40 years and provides a regular program of activities for riders of all ages who want to get involved in the sport at any level.
A highly acclaimed coaching program is in place and among those who have been part of the set-up at Somersby as part of their development is world champions Casey Stoner and Chris Holder.
Entry fee for spectators will be a tax deductible $5 entry per vehicle payable at the gate to the St Johns First Aid.
For more information about this weekend check out the club‰Ûªs website www.ccjuniormotorcycleclub.org.au or contact Club President David Smith on 0412 506503.
