Street Series: Wise words from the defending champs
The top eight in Street Sedan, Street Bike and Powder Puff (ladies only) are currently preparing to battle it out for Street Series glory on the 21st of October (Powder Puff) and the 31st of October (Street Sedan and Street Bike).
With the finals just around the corner, we caught up with our three reigning champions – all of who are in the top eight this year – to find out their secrets to success.
In the Powder Puff bracket reigning champ Belinda Brockhurst will take on Susanne Fletcher, Jody Wentworth, Natalie Stowers, Rhonda Larfield, Tammy Goldthorpe, Jennie Young and Nicole Doeblien.
“If you ask my husband what elements are required to win a Street Series title, he would say ‘to have a great mechanic’, because he is my mechanic!” laughed Brockhurst.
“I think it is to know your car, to be consistent, and to just enjoy the night. It is a given that you get a trophy in the finals, so what happens after that is sheer luck.
“If I was to go back-to-back it would mean complete astonishment for me – I never thought I would get it last year and to win it again would just blow my mind.”
For five-time Street Sedan champ Josh Fletcher, the 2015 final will provide the opportunity for the Cornubia resident to go ‘three in a row’. Fletcher will take on Ray Ross, Jason Stoodley, Andrew Stathis, Brett Paige, Steven Brown, Hank Bowles and Paul Doeblien.
“To be the champion, you have to win the shootout. What you did all season means nothing – on the night anything can happen and anyone can win,” said Fletcher.
“Three in a row is the plan, with five titles I believe I am the most successful and to have earned that label and have the trophies on the wall is very rewarding. But, a label is a label – it means nothing on the start line.
“I try to approach every run the same, qualifying, first round or a final. I am always looking to improve the car, drive better and have fun trying, and when it comes to another title – six is better than five!
“The Street Sedan bracket is a great bracket – I have run the series for a while now and it is always good to see new faces every year. Hopefully that will continue and maybe we can get some old faces back too.”
In Street Bike, Ken Rice will be hoping to make it ‘two from two’ after taking out the title in his debut Street Series season in 2014. This time around, he will be battling it out with Paul De Roo, Simon Stevens, Craig Banks, Denis Ryan, Colin Crang, Scott Mutch and Dean Stratford.
“The first requirement needed to win the Street Series is a good, reliable and consistent vehicle – whether that be a bike or a car,” said Rice.
“Secondly, the rider has to be able to ride consistently and be able to cut a good light. This is harder than having your bike set-up to be consistent as the human error factor comes into play.
“However, if you can do both on the night you will be hard to get past – and any of the top eight riders are capable of putting those two elements together.
“For me, it would be so great to be the first two-time winner for Street Bike – nobody in Street Bike has won it twice before. I most likely won’t be running the full Street Series next year as I will be concentrating on Modified Bike, so it would be good to go out a winner. With the quality of riders in the series though it will be a big ask to go back-to-back.
“It really is a great series to be a part of. Anybody who is thinking of giving it a go really should just do it. There were quite a few guys running for the first time this year and one of them – Scott Mutch – has made the top eight. From personal experience I know how Scott would feel if he takes out the series in his first year!
“I have really enjoyed running in the Street Bike series and one of the main reasons for that is the friends I have made – there is a real camaraderie amongst the competitors and so I wish everybody running for the Championship a safe night of racing and the best of luck.”
The Street Series finals will be held as part of the Test n Tune events of the 21st of October and the 31st of October. Spectator admission each day is just $20.00 for adults and $18.00 for students with ID, while children aged 13 and under gain FREE admission. Gates open on Wednesday the 21st of October at 5.30pm with on-track action from 6.00pm, while on the 31st the gates will open at 4.00pm with runs from 4.30pm. For further event information, please visit willowbankraceway.com.au