Speedway shuffles Max's Race format as supply issues hit competitors

The club has switched the famous program, which honours Warrnambool-raised sprintcar legend Max Dumesny, to a one-heat format on the back of lagging tyre and part supplies due to the worldwide pandemic.

While stock is currently being freighted by air and sea at a large cost where possible, the quantity of tyres available is lower than usual.

A Premier Speedway statement said the program, which is the Allansford club's sprintcar season-opener, would now consist of time trials, one heat per car, a gold-silver-bronze shoot-out, twin 20-lap B-mains and a 35-lap A-main final.

Points will be allocated from qualifying and heat races to seed the main events later in the evening.

The night will now commence with sprintcar engine starts from 5.45pm.

"We apologise to those competitors and race fans who were expecting to come along and see eight heat races, but we feel in the current climate that this is the right call," Premier Speedway general manager David Mills said.

"We would all like to see as much racing as we can, but from the public's point of view, we are fortunate to have such strong car counts, that we still get five heats, two B-mains, a dash and a 35-lap A-main.

"For the competitors, the guys looking for laps, they will basically get the same as they usually would if they ran two heats and a C or B main, so I think, like the parts and tyre suppliers we all need to take our little hit with this one."

Mills said starting later would give competitors the chance to come to grips with the new track surface, which was laid in the off-season.

"By starting later we can also hopefully get a handle on our new surface, which is largely an unknown to us at this stage, which in one sense is exciting as well," he said.

"We encourage all race fans to get along on Saturday night."

It said the club was determined to give competitors the chance to compete right through to April's Easter Trail without the stress of equipment shortages.

Changes to the Victorian government's COVID restrictions will allow patrons under 18 to enter without showing vaccination status. Those over 18 will still be required to prove their double vaccination status.

All interstate visitors - both competitors and fans - are required to download the Service Victoria smartphone app for ease of access to the venue.

Under the new Trybooking online ticket booking system, public admission tickets can be purchased online up until and after gate opening. Walk-up sales are available on the Warrnambool side and from the pit ticket box from 4pm.

Pit entry ticket sales will commence at 1pm from the pit ticket box.

Tickets and more information can be found at www.premierspeedway.com.au.

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