PORTLAND’S sole grand annual classic hope will enter the world-famous race with more confidence in his vehicle than ever before.
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Adam King will line up for his fifth consecutive Lucas Oil Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic tilt with races on Friday and Saturday evening at Premier Speedway.
The 30-year-old progressed to earn a berth in the C-Main of last year’s classic and is eyeing an improved performance on Sunday night.
“This race is recognised as one of the best races in the world and you see that in how the fans come out. It’s a great meeting,” King said.
“We’re going to take it as it comes this year. We didn’t start off the season really strong and we had some missed opportunities. We want to get to 100 per cent and we really want to get the car where we want it to be.”
The sign-writer said his crew had been working tirelessly to improve his sprintcar over the off-season.
“We’ve made a few changes to the car from what it was at the start of last year and we’ve got a bit more confidence now in what is underneath us, so we will see what happens,” King said.
“It’s definitely a big one. You’re racing against some of the best drivers in the world. It’s great to see where you’re at and compare for where you’d like to be.
“We’ll go in and race on Friday, have Saturday off and then back up again for Sunday.”
King will be join by a barrage of south-west hopefuls across the weekend, with Jack Lee, James McFadden, Tim Van Ginneken, Tim Rankin, John Vogels, Corey McCullagh, Jamie Veal, Darren Mollenoyux, Peter Doukas and Jake Smith all set to compete.
Of those drivers, just Lee, Rankin, Vogels and McCullagh will join King at Premier Speedway on Friday night, while the rest will gear up for Saturday night action.
Almost every south-west driver opted to race at either Avalon or Mount Gambier leading into the grand annual classic weekend.
King said he was continually more comfortable on the grand stage.
“I’ve been racing for five years now, but I didn’t do the first year. We thought we’d just tag along to watch,” he told The Standard.
“The more laps you do with the crowds around, the more comfortable you feel out there.
“You’re racing with guys that have been doing it for a long time to get on top so it’s always a good experience.”
More than 100 drivers are set to lock horns in the world-renowned race.