It’s the time of year when sidecars take over the domestic speedway spotlight in the lead-up to the Australian Championship at Tamworth held over 13-14 April.

A dramatic conclusion to the Victorian Championship at Mildura on 26 January saw Andrew Buchanan / Denny Cox run out of fuel but just get home ahead of Trent Headland / Dav Whetstone and Mark Plaisted / Ben Pitt; with Warren Monson / Andrew Summerhayes going infield as they tried to sneak past the ailing leaders.

The meeting was marred by a spill that left Broken Hill rider Rick Howse with a neck injury.

Darrin Treloar (pictured, above) won his 20th NSW Championship, taking the final at Tamworth on 10 February with passenger Jesse Headland ahead of Andrew Buchanan / Denny Cox, Hamish Golding / Liam Cox and Steve Saunders / Clarissa Saunders.

Meanwhile the Queensland Championship will not be staged, after being called off for a second time due to rain last month.

In other significant recent meetings, Mick Headland / Brenton Kerr won the Dudley Bradshaw Sidecar Shootout at Mildura, while the brother and sister duo of Arron and Teagan Hartwig won the Gillman Championship.

Australia’s longest established non-championship meeting, the Curley Carmes Sidecar Spectacular, is on at Mildura on 3 March, before South Australia and Western Australia both stage their State title meetings on 10 March – at Gillman and Pinjar Park respectively.

by Peter Baker