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Tonight a new Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic champion will be crowned at Allansford’s Premier Speedway in front of about 10,000 race fans.
Whether speedway is your cup of tea is neither here nor there. The Classic is worth celebrating.
It helps make Warrnambool unique. It sits alongside the May Racing Carnival and the Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic as major tourism, economic and social drawcards.
The Classic is home grown. The venue has been built and funded by volunteers over the past 48 years, the meeting is largely run by volunteers and other sporting clubs share in its success with members working in canteens, parking cars and cleaning up with their ‘pay’ going back to their own organisations.
We should be proud of the Classic. It doesn’t receive government funding – it never has – yet from humble beginnings it has become an international event that brings our community together, gains exposure overseas and boosts our economy.
For those of us who have grown up with the Classic, it’s easy to take it for granted. We shouldn’t. The city council’s manager of visitor economy David McMahon pointed out its worth earlier this week and it goes beyond being a race.
Warrnambool and the south-west offers plenty to locals and tourists and we need to remember that without our many unique events and festivals, the region wouldn’t be what it is today.
Here’s a selection of stories that shaped the week.