After strong racing throughout the heats at Gippsland’s Nyora Speedway, the Simpson driver was well in contention in the A-main, but a broken throttle linkage soon dashed his hopes.

“We were starting out of fourth, so we were right up the front,” Weel said.

The 23-year-old is hoping to turn his luck around this Saturday night with the 2016 Victorian Wingless Sprint title headed to his home track, Simpson Speedway.

He has had strong results so far this season – with a win at Mount Gambier in the state series, as well as a third placing at Warrnambool and a fourth at Avalon, to see him ranked second in the series – and said he and his crew were on top of the car’s maintenance.

“We’ve had a few decent results – I’ve been driving okay in the state series,” Weel said.

“(The field will be) pretty much the same as a series round, I’d say.”

Portland product and series leader Daniel Storer – who is just five points ahead of Weel – has also nominated for the meeting.

Fellow Simpson drivers Rhys Baxter, Matty Balcombe and Darcy McGlade are also among the hopefuls vying for the title.

Weel, who has been racing wingless sprints since he was 16, said after a few quiet years, he had ramped up his racing the past two seasons.

“The last couple of years we’ve been going pretty flat out,” he said.

“I don’t own the car, but me and Matty Balcombe just got together and decided we’d have a go, and now we’re both racing.”

Heading into the title, Weel is keeping his goals simple.

“I just hope to make the final – with about 50 cars, only 20 make the final (so it will be tough),” he said.

“Once we’re in the A-main, we’ll just see how it goes.

“I just hope to have a good run.”

Simpson Car Club president Alan Symons said 49 cars had entered from three states for the Victorian title.

The meeting will feature two other classes, with junior sedans drawing 34 nominations and between 15 and 20 cars expected for street stocks.

“There will be 95 cars in the pits,” Symons said.

Racing is from 6.30pm at Simpson Speedway on Saturday night.