Sprintcar NSW took over ACT Speedway on the 3rd of April to begin the Capital to Coast challenge.
Over the Easter long weekend, the sprint cars travelled between Canberra, Nowra, and Goulburn, delivering fast-paced, mud-slinging action. This year marks only the second time the event has taken place over Easter, and it sure didn’t disappoint.
Canberra had plenty to offer throughout the night as we saw the sprint cars take the track six times, with plenty of high-drama races. This allowed the fans to experience the open wheel, V8 machines flicking mud into our faces (and the food trucks).
To end the night, all 16 cars took the track for the feature race. This showcased close racing and carnage on track as the current stars in speedway, such as Jackson Delamont and Warren Ferguson, battled it out for the win.
The night remains significant as it is only the third year running that sprint cars have been at ACT Speedway. The sprint cars came to the ACT Speedway for the first time in 2023 due to drainage and lighting issues at the newly built Sydney Speedway.
The National Capital Motorsport Club seized the opportunity to bring sprint cars to Canberra, making the ACT a regular fixture in the Sprintcar NSW calendar.
Accompanying the sprint cars was Legend Cars, taking part in their ACT championship race. Legend Cars are icons of Australian racing, using 5/8-scale replicas of 1930s automobiles, which can be raced on both road and dirt tracks.
The Legend Cars offered some of the closest racing of the night due to their smaller build. The field was also stacked with three of Australia’s best dirt track racers present.
The lineup included Australian champion Rob Rawlings Jr, New South Wales champion Darren Snowden and Western Australian champion Brad Rawlings.
Finally, the third category on track was the RSA Junior Sedans, which featured kids aged 10-14 on track. The Junior Sedans category is designed to give younger participants experience in a racing environment and is open to juniors aged 10-17 years.
The sedans had the opportunity to take the track four times throughout the night, showcasing the range of racing that Speedway offers.
When the racing was over, all audience members were welcome to go backstage into the pit area to meet the drivers and get up close to the cars. While in the pits, I got to see the aftermath of the races with cars getting pushed back to their trucks and the damaged wings from vehicles that had rolled.
The access into the pits was one of the highlights of the night.
I even got the opportunity to get into New South Wales number one Darren Snowdon’s legend car to experience what it’s like to be behind the wheel. Anyone was able to get into the car as Darren’s crew was offering the chance to everyone who entered the pits after racing
For those wondering what it’s like to be inside a Legend Car, well, it is shocking how low they are to the ground, especially for off-road cars. I felt like I was essentially sitting on the ground while in the driver’s seat.
Sitting inside the Legend Car, it’s surprising how little visibility the drivers actually have. All they look out of is a ten-centimetre-wide grill which only shows what’s directly in front of the driver.
Being able to get so close to the sprint cars is an experience unlike any I’ve had before at motorsport events such as Supercars or Formula 1. I really got to see all the behind-the-scenes and what life is like for Speedway racers.
To finish it all off, the podiums take place in the pits. It was a great opportunity to see the ACT Speedway acknowledged for the night they put together, and to see the drivers get the appreciation they deserve for the fantastic racing they put on throughout the night.
It also gives people an opportunity to see the drivers and see just how young those junior sedan drivers actually are.
Overall, the night at ACT Speedway was a great night for everybody. From kids to adults, motorsport lovers to first timers, Speedway racing can be an enjoyable night for anyone. With racing returning in November, I’ll make sure to buy my tickets to the next event.
Original photos by Barrett Bannon