SSA Series Gets Underway
SSA Series Gets Underway on Saturday…27/09/06…SSA Media Release
The 2006/2007 Super Sedan Association season gets underway this Saturday night (September 30) at Brisbane International Speedway with the opening round of the A.S. Concrete Pumping Super Sedan Championship Series. Whilst there has been plenty of activity throughout the off-season, all of those efforts have been geared towards this moment as competitors launch into another hectic SSA season that will comprise 16 rounds of competition across Queensland and northern New South Wales.
The field for the opening round is smaller than usual with several SSA regulars absent for various reasons. However, the line-up is still very strong with six state or national title winners amongst the 18-car field, which includes drivers from as far away as Cairns, Mackay and Gladstone, so a great night of racing seems assured.
With defending series champion Wayne Randall amongst those who aren’t competing this weekend (he is waiting for a new car to be completed), it will be a great opportunity for other drivers to step into the limelight and secure an early points advantage in the chase for the championship.
Headlining the line-up tonight is the seemingly ageless John Leslight aboard his new-look Pontiac. Leslight’s record of success over more than 35 years is unprecedented and his affinity with this track is particularly strong, so expect another typically polished performance from the veteran steerer, particularly in the latter stages of the 30-lap feature event.
Leading the challenge will be former national champions John McGeorge and Darren Kane, who will be piloting the Mazda RX8 piloted with great success by American superstar Steve Francis. Also expected to challenge for victory is 2005/2006 championship runner-up Mark Pagel, along with Des Korn, Gary Pagel, Wayne Brims, Peter Warren and Lismore’s Tania Smith, who is making a return to competition after a year on the sidelines. McGeorge, Smith, Kane and Warren looked sharp in practice last weekend and the quartet has every reason to be confident of a strong start to the season. Brims, on the other hand, is yet to hit the track this season and will be unveiling his brand new car on Saturday night. However, the second-generation driver is a perennial threat in this series and he must be considered a genuine victory chance despite the lack of laps aboard his new mount.
This weekend will see the welcome addition of some new drivers to the Super Sedan ranks, with Steve Pearce, Alan Robinson, Hans Van Der Ryken and Cairns’ Wayne Miles making their first appearance in the category. Pearce and Miles, who is making the step up from the Modified Production ranks, were on-track last weekend during practice in preparation for their V8 debut and will be hoping for a solid result to launch their Super Sedan careers.
Also nominated for tonight’s show are Will Gould, Lee Noon, Greg Maher, David O’Keefe and former New South Welshman Frank Armstrong, an experienced racer who is making his first appearance since relocating to Queensland.
The format for the event will see each driver contest two qualifying heats in an effort to secure a place in the Top Six Shootout that determines the starting order for the first three rows of the grid in the feature. The remainder of the feature race field will start in accordance with points scored from the heat races. In addition to the use of one-way radio communication from the Chief Steward to drivers, the Super Sedan Association will also be using transponder timing and scoring for the first time on Saturday night. Furthermore, the SSA will use both technologies in all rounds of the A.S. Concrete Pumping Super Sedan Championship Series.
Drivers expected to join the fray in the weeks ahead include Randall, Michael Gee, Paul Geary, Steve Jordan, Geoff Phillips, Shayne Lau, Paul Carlish and New South Wales champion Ian Brims, so an even stronger field will be on hand for round two on October 14.
The Super Sedan Association is proudly supported by:
A.S. Concrete Pumping Services
AFCO Shock Doctor
Sport Engines
CP Pistons
Australian Garages and Carports
Ian Boettcher Nissan
Paul Geary Automotive
Ian Boettcher Race Parts
Racer Pro
tooltruck.com.au
Art by Mickey
Mercedes-Benz Trucks
