After years of uncertainty and decline, the 2024-2025 Australian summer sprint car season is underway in the major locations: Western of Australia, Victoria/South Australia, Queensland and Sydney.
With new venues opened and other major ovals completely refurbished, the season promises a return to pre-COVID years.
Of course, there remain threats, including the race-ability of the newly built and upgraded tracks, the unpredictability of the weather, and the lingering tensions in Sydney over the changed management of the relatively new Eastern Creek venue.
A highlight of the new season has been the construction of a ‘pop-up’ speedway oval operating as part of the program for this weekend’s season final of the Vailo Supercars 500 in Adelaide.
Located in the middle of Adelaide, the oval was constructed over a cricket field, with constructors trucking in the sand and clay and building the safety fences and other facilities in a few weeks.
Former Australian Sprintcar Champion Jock Goodyer topped night one of the NAPA Speedway in the City event.
The 23-year-old Tasmanian qualified in eighth, but was able to win his heat race and advance from the dash to qualify on the inside of the second row for the main event.
The 20-car field was greeted with a two lane race track that showcased many passes, with Goodyer able to weave through traffic to defeat Grant Anderson from the lead, with some close battles between the pair and Brock Hallett.
The battle would eventually end with contact between Hallett and Anderson sending Hallett into a back straight spin, triggering a caution after contact with Anderson that would consequently send him to the rear of the field.
Goodyer led the restart before establishing a significant lead.
“To be honest, when they called me to be an ambassador for an event where they had to build a temporary speedway on a cricket pitch, I thought they were joking, but to be here and just be a part of this event, it’s absolutely amazing what has been achieved,” Goodyer said. “And it just shows what can happen when a great bunch of people work together for a common outcome, and I am just proud to be a part of it.”
Texan Chase Randall was an impressive runner up, while Anderson survived to salvage third.
NAPA-backed James McFadden made great advances from deep in the field after a frustrating qualifying result, making his way as high as fifth before a throttle linkage issue forced him to retire to the infield.
Although a tight 374 yards around, the oval allowed for competitive racing.
The venture is one of many highlighting the new season. The problematic grey clay at Premier Speedway, Warrnambool has been replaced by a new lighter surface. Jock Goodyer took advantage of the improved track, claiming an early feature of the season from Jamie Veal and Marcus Dumesny at the home of the Grand Annual Sprint Car Classic,
A completely new oval is currently being completed at Bordertown, one of the featured ovals in South Eastern Australia, rejoining Warrnambool, Mt Gambier and Murray Bridge on the very competitive Victorian/South Australian circuit.
The season is also underway in Western Australia with the usual feature series underway.
A highlight of racing at the Perth Motordrome will be the hosting of the High Limit Racing series on Dec. 28-30.