JAI Stephenson hopes to add another title to his CV in the opening round of the Mr Modified series Boxing Night.
Stephenson was winner of the NSW V8 Dirt Modified Championship at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway this year.
The series will be held over two rounds on a progressive point system, so he’ll be looking for a good performance in the series opener to secure a strong spot on the points ladder entering the final round on January 5.
“The first round of a series like this is very important because it really can be won and lost on the first night. I want to get to a spot where it’s well set up for a real chance at taking this season’s series,” Stephenson said.
Stephenson is accustomed to racing at the cutting edge of the sport against tough competition after he won the Australian V8 Dirt Modified Championship at Geelong’s Avalon Raceway in January 2015 and he will again face some of the top drivers in the country this evening.
The Boxing Night entry list is long and very impressive. Other Australian Champions in the field include Mark Robinson, Andrew Pezzutti and Scott Cannon.
Race officials report 32 entries in what is one of the biggest V8 Dirt Modified car counts in recent seasons at the Lismore circuit.
Promoter David Lander is very pleased with the nominations and expects this season’s V8 Dirt Modified series will be one of the most keenly contested in recent years.
“The V8 Dirt Modifieds are a very popular and prominent division in our ranks here largely because they’re factory built race cars that are very fast with wheel hiking racing and close competition which is very spectacular to watch. Any one of a number of drivers could win the main event on Boxing Night,” Lander said.
Wingless Sprintcars also will contest another round of their Lismore Workers Club Driver to America series which is currently led by Jacob Jolley (170 points), from Michael Butcher (160) and Brad Claridge (140).
V8 Dirt Modifieds and Wingless Sprints will be supported with racing for Modified Sedans, Street Stocks, Junior and Production Sedans.
Gates open at 4pm and racing starts at 5:30.
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