The final stages of track preparation will be completed early this week, with the close-knit township of Newry set to expand to accommodate over a hundred riders contesting 13 individual classes in the 2007 Yamaha Australian Quad Motocross Championships.

The recent wet weather will do little to dampen the spirit of competitors and organisers, who are predicting a stronger showing from the ‘dark horses’ of the lineup with the changeable terrain and conditions set to create a thrillingly close and level playing-field.

This is the second staging of the event, which completed its inaugural weekend of competition in Perth last November.

The only national championship meeting for the rapidly-expanding and exciting form of motorsport, the entry list features a wealth of talent, headlined by previous winners and boosted by a number of wildcards, fresh from state event success.

West Australian rider Chris Brenton will make the long trip from coast-to-coast to defend his 2006 crown aboard his Honda.

The young gun carved through an experienced field in familiar home territory last November, but will have to contend with Victorian riders who have spent years growing accustomed to their local tracks and terrain.

Yamaha’s Ryan Lancaster, the current Victorian champion, is favourite to step up and challenge Brenton after a dominant performance at the same venue last month. He too is based in Western Australia, where the quad racing scene is well and truly on the rise.

Lancaster’s spectacular holeshot – the battle to the opening corner – at the Victorian championships, set the scene for a dominant performance, and he went on to win all 5 senior races.

He is confident of riding this race-winning momentum to a top finish at next weekend’s national championship event.

Local riders Paul Smith and Aaron Ovens will have the ‘home track advantage’, and will use their knowledge to capitalise on any mistakes from the frontrunners and challenge for a podium finish.

Along with the premier class, there are a number of other categories covering varying ages, experience and quad capacity. The growth of the sport has also led to a strong female representation and there will be a separate women’s class which is sure to produce high-quality action also.

The event is a chance for locals to come out at witness the spectacle of ATV racing and the skills required, along with the thrills and spills.

The popularity of ATVs has never been higher, according to figures recently released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), Australia’s peak organisation representing the entire national auto industry.

ATVs reflected the national average growth of motorcycle sales, rising almost 10% to this time last year. It is the fifth straight year that the industry has seen such exponential numbers, with the major manufacturers, such as Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki, blazing a trail for even bigger years to come.

With more and more models becoming readily available to consumers, the focus of the ATV market is steadily expanding in the area of recreational use, as well as the traditional agricultural and commercial sectors.

Residents of the Gippsland region are at the forefront of this growth, with ATVs playing a significant part in the agribusiness sector (agriculture, forestry, fishing and processing).

Gates will open at 9am on Saturday and Sunday for all spectators - $10 adults and $5 children/Pensioners

For further information, please contact:
Trudy Van Vliet

0418 596508
rob.trud@bigpond.com