Lightning Sprints national title at Nyora to shine spotlight on the next big national class
This Saturday night at Nyora Raceway, we finally get to see the running of the Australian Lightning Sprint national title that was scheduled to occur last year before Covid, and weather intervened. With the weather in the high twenties this weekend, there will be no such trouble crowning a national champion this weekend in the locally supported R & K Alignment and Exhaust Australian Lightning Sprint title, the fortieth such time the title will have been run under one name or another.
This marks the first time the title will be run in Victoria with the Victorian Club in recent years having aligned with the national Lightning Sprints body. Ten campaigners from New South Wales, three from Queensland and four local competitors will compete this Saturday with all cars still running after the heats, able to start the feature event.
Defending champion AJ McTaggart leads the field of nominations that includes a handful of New South Wales competitors that have competed already at Nyora Raceway with the Victorians. Danny Stone, Harley Graham and Pete Styles have competed on this week’s venue, a small elbows up bullring that has a unique upwards front straight and downwards back straight layout.
Michael Conway from the local Victorian contingent won at Nyora this year already lapping the venue on that occasion in the low fourteen second bracket. Committee members of the Victorian club Andrew Burleigh, Maureen Sell and Ally Moore will all be behind the wheel of their race cars keen on all cars finishing, with a Victorian in a podium position.
Some of the local contingent of racers in Victoria for one reason or another have not been able to nominate this weekend, one such racer is event sponsor Rahmon Rivero. Rahmon runs the Kyabram based, R & K Alignments and Exhaust business. Rivero and his wife Karen have been undertaking exhaust fabrication and mechanical Repairs and Servicing since from R & K since 2018. A mechanic with 32 years of experience, R & K specialise in front end repairs, wheel alignments, custom exhaust fabrication, bolt on exhaust systems for cars and 4×4, suspension upgrades and custom headers for racing applications.
Maureen Sell the President of the Victorian club is proud of her committee’s efforts in putting together the title event. She shared, “We have all pitched in with responsibilities behind the scenes to make this event memorable for those that are coming and competing. I usually do not like to single people out, however a special thanks to Ally for all her work assisting myself the President of the host club. Thank you to Rahmon and Karen for their unwavering support of the title financially. This means so very much to us Victorians. I hope all our friends from NSW and QLD have a wonderful time, and we wish them well with their personal goals this weekend.
The club has a list of contingency supporters that have also contributed to this weekend.
Star West Drilling – supporting heat race results
Cakes and Bakes by Netti – supporting the Top qualifier award
Superior Concrete – supporting a first B Grade driver to finish trophy
Ultimate Awards – Hard charger award being supplied
Vinyl Leo – first diff drive car to finish the title race award
Napier Photography – Best Presented award
Other club supporters partnering with us and our title
Highline Racewear – our title merchandise supplier
Napier Photography – Event Photographer
DMT Sports Media – our Victorian club media provider
40th ANNUAL AUSTRALIAN LIGHTNING SPRINT TITLE supported by R & K Alignment & Exhaust
Nominations
AJ McTaggart – Australia 1 – (ZX10 powered XXX) supported by MAC 1 Metal Shop
Jordan Binskin – NSW 6 – (ZX12 powered Henchcraft) supported by Bridgestone Select of Mt Druitt
Sean Iacono – QLD 7 – (ZX12 powered Henchcraft) supported by Toowoomba Mobile Welding
Scott Moir – NSW 11 – (GSXR 1000 powered Henchcraft) supported by Allform Fire & Electrical
Scot Withers – NSW 14 – (ZX12 powered Henchcraft) supported Purcell Performance
Andrew Burleigh – VIC 17 – (R1 Yamaha powered Stealth) supported by Ultimate Awards
Jack Selmes – NSW 18 – (ZX12 powered FOZ) supported by Black Label Marine
Ally Moore – VIC 26 – (R1 Yamaha powered Henchcraft) supported by Star West Drilling
Harley Graham – NSW 27 – (ZX12 powered Henchcraft) supported by East Coast Clear Pools
Andrew Kimm – QLD 29 – (GSXR powered XXX) supported by Piping Solutions
Pete Styles – NSW 45 – (R1M Yamaha powered Hyper) supported by Formula Kart Events
Matt Reed – NSW 46 – (GSXR 1000 powered CSR) supported by Scorpion Racewear
Danny Stone – NSW 47 – (ZX10 powered Henchcraft) supported by Stones Windscreens
Maureen Sell – VIC 72 – (ZX10 powered Henchcraft) supported by Cyclo Products)
Keith Blatch – QLD 77 – (ZX10 powered Razor) supported by Toowoomba Steering and Suspensions)
Kyle Thomas – NSW 77 – (ZX10 powered XXX) supported by Racing Spares
Michael Conway – VIC 77 – (ZX10 powered Henchcraft) supported by Dulux
Ends Release.
Media written by Speedcafe contributor DMT Sports Media – Dean ThoMpsON