USA Superstars Roll In For President’s Cup

USA Superstars Roll In For President’s Cup

Avalon regulars Milburn, Doukas, Loudoun, Burleigh & Sutherland in action at the SRA Victorian Titles earlier this month.

By Mark Humphrey

Avalon, Vic/Aus. 20^th January 2015. Some of the world’s elite sprintcar drivers are set to go head to head with Australia’s finest sprintcar peddlers in the running of the 34^th President’s Cup at Avalon Raceway tomorrow night.

With Aussie superstars like Veal, Lines, Tatnell, McFadden, Farr and current Australian champ Dave Murcott contesting the event the visiting Americans will have their work cut out trying to secure a front row start for the feature event. There is lots of interest around the young American hot shot in Christopher Bell who has taken the US scene by storm over the past several seasons as to whether he can adapt his talents to the tight Avalon circuit but for me the American with the runs on the board is former Cunningham camp driver Kyle Hirst. Hirst sealed back to back KWS series championships in the US late last year and picked up the 2014 Victorian 410 sprintcar title at Avalon on his tour down under last year. This year Hirst has signed up with the Monte Motorsport group primarily to follow the World Series Sprintcar season in Australia which has limited his 2015 Avalon appearances to just 1. Having said this Hirst was a regular at Avalon Raceway last season and should have plenty in the memory bank.

Of the regular visitors to Avalon Glen Sutherland seems to be one of the guys carrying form into the event. The Mount Gambier local has contested every sprintcar race at Avalon this season and finished runner up in the Victorian Sprintcar title behind another regular in Daniel Pestka last time out. Consistency has been the model for Sutherland this season and with the right car set-up can take it to the heavy hitter’s tomorrow night. A couple of times this season he has missed the set-up big time in the feature un-doing his nights work but with the right combination can threaten. Pestka like Sutherland is having an excellent Avalon season this year and leads the Essendon Ford track championship from Jamie Veal by around 40 points and should do well tomorrow night. His win in the Victorian Sprintcar Title last time out shows what he is capable of and like Sutherland is certainly a chance to figure as the night goes on.

Victorian Brett Milburn seems to be the state’s hard charger and best chance outside of the elite level and will no doubt be in it right up to the end along with Nic Lacey who at times has shown speed this year without the finishing results. I expect both of the regular girls in Rhiannon Burleigh and Kristy Ellis out mixing it with the boys and putting on a competitive show. Both girls have looked good out front and Burleigh had a fantastic event last time out securing a start in the feature.

Whichever way you look at it, the action is going to be hot come tomorrow night with 62 competitors going for just 1 prize, The President’s Cup.

For more information on the President’s Cup go to: http://www.avalonraceway.com/

Images From The 410 Victorian Title

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