A NEW Australian late model champion will be crowned at Premier Speedway on Saturday night.
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Western Australian driver Kodee Brown did not make the trek across the Nullabor to defend his title.
Late Model Racing Victoria vice-president Brendan Hucker said Queenslander Darren Kane, Western Australian Jamie Oldfield and New South Welshman Ben Nicastri were among the 2017 edition’s top contenders.
“Darren has won multiple national championships in the past and is the only former Australian champion to be racing this weekend,” he said.
Hucker is among the 50-strong field for the championship, which started on Friday night and concludes on Saturday.
He said it was exciting to conduct the title, which will include a 24-car 40-lap finale, at a high-quality facility in Warrnambool.
“It’s the highest car count we’ve had for the Australian titles in the 16 years we’ve been running them,” Hucker said.
“Sponsors have come onboard and (the top tracks) we are running events at helps.
“It’s the first time Late Model Racing Victoria has done an Australian title; Warrnambool is the first one to hold an event for us.
“We’re really stoked they put their hand up to run the event here.”
Hucker said every Australian state and territory was represented at the championship, with New Zealander Kristin Vermeulen giving the event an international flavour.
Vermeulen is one of three females in the field, along with home-town chance, Warrnambool driver Fiona Verhoeven, and Western Australian Veronica McCann.