AMERICAN Kyle Hirst is hoping he receives a belated 27th birthday present at Allansford’s Premier Speedway tonight.
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Hirst, whose birthday was on Thursday, is keen to extend the celebrations with victory in the sprintcar twin feature.
“We are going to go for it,” Hirst said.
“We’ve been running around good out west but there are a lot of good cars entered so the competition will be tough.”
Hirst, who joined the Monte Motorsports Team a month ago, has already had three races in Western Australia, including a second placing in the state championship two weeks ago. He is using tonight’s event as preparation for the start of World Series Sprintcars, which has a round at Premier Speedway on January 1 as part of the lucrative Speedweek series.
“It’s one of my favourite race tracks in Australia.”
Hirst will spend Christmas with Kyneton-based Michael Cunningham, who he drove with last season, before flying to Adelaide for the start of Speedweek on Boxing Day.
The Californian is excited about his stint Down Under. Instead of making a hit and a run mission, he will be based in Australia until March, when he returns home.
That means he will contest about 25 shows, including next month’s Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, also at Premier. Teaming up with Monte Motorsport, one of the country’s most professional outfits, sits well with Hirst, the reigning Victorian titleholder.
“Everything has been great,” he said.
The Maxim chassis he and the team are running is working well and he has developed a good relationship with crew chief Kim Buswell.
“I’ve been working well with everyone and I’ve been helping in the (work) shop every day.”
Hirst will be joined by countryman Danny Holgraver in his maiden race at Premier Speedway with 63 drivers entered for the Sprintcar Racing Association of Victoria series round.
The field includes two-time national champion James McFadden, dual Classic champion, Mount Gambier’s Steven Lines, another former classic champ, Sydneysider Ian Loudon and former Australian titleholder Robbie Farr.
Warrnambool’s Jamie Veal, who is gunning for his seventh feature-race win from eight events this season, headlines the south-west contingent. Former SRA series champ Darren Mollenoyux, former state titleholder Stephen Bell and a crop of youngsters including Corey McCullagh, Jye O’Keefe, Daniel Newnham, Tim Van Ginneken and rookie Dale Walsh are competing. Warrnambool’s Will Carroll, fresh from a successful stint in Nascars in America, opens his season on his home track, looking for a quick start.
The program also includes the Jack Willsher Cup for formula 500s, with a class field entered. Racing begins at 5pm with the formula 500 heats, followed by the sprintcar action.