One of the first Motorsport Australia state events for 2021 gets underway this weekend as the Motorsport Australia Tasmanian Motorkhana Championship hosts its first event of a five-round season.
Taking place on Sunday, 16 of the state’s best motorkhana competitors are expected to turn up to the season opener at Baskerville Raceway and complete between four to six tests.
Headlining the field will be 2020 champion Stephen Turner who is confirmed to begin his title defence, but the reigning champion is no certainty to take out the event as a number of highly skilled drivers could offer a serious challenge.
The biggest name from the challengers comes in the form of previous two-time state championship winner Nick Yaxley, with his last title coming in only 2019, while a few dark horses in Tim Craig and Tony Sutcliffe are also expected to be up towards the top end of the timesheets.
Ahead of the first round of the year, event Clerk of Course Craig Twining was looking forward to the return of the championship.
“It’s a great way to start off the year and a lot of the drivers are really looking forward to getting back into it, especially with such a lack of motorsport last year,” Twining said.
“We have a really solid entry list and while Stephen and Nick are both be expected to battle it out for the win, the likes of Tim, who has been competing for many years, and Tony in his Hyundai Excel will be certainly ones to watch out for.
“There are also a few young guns on the entry list to keep an eye on such as Cameron Howie and Katie Figil, who are both very quick and have come leaps and bounds over the past 12 months.
“It’s my first event as Clerk of Course in a while so I am a bit nervous, but my main focus is to make sure everyone is happy because at the end of the day, it’s grassroots motorsport and we want people to enjoy competing.”
Unfortunately the club will be unable to hold spectators for the season opener, however fans should be able to attend the remaining four events of the season.
The 2021 Motorsport Australia Tasmanian Motorkhana Championship takes place at Baskerville Raceway on 17 January.
Events around Australia this weekend
Maserati Club Summer Track Day
Maserati Club Of Australia
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
15 January
2021 Motorsport Round 2
Impreza WRX Club Inc – Vic
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Phillip Island VIC
16 January
Driver Dynamics High Performance Track Days
Driver Dynamics
Sandown International Raceway, Springvale VIC
16 January
Phillip Island Sprint
Porsche Club Of Victoria Inc
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Phillip Island VIC
17 January
Tasmanian Motorkhana Championship
MG Car Club Of Tasmania Inc
Baskerville Raceway, Old Beach TAS
17 January
Round 1 2021 Club Championship
Douglas Shire Motor Sport Association Inc
Reef and Rainforest Track, Mossman QLD
17 January
2021 January Come & Try Motorkhana
Ford Four Car Club Inc
TCCA Grounds – McGrath Rd, Werribee VIC
17 January
Junior Driver Experience
Junior Driver Experience Pty. Ltd.
Sandown International Raceway, Springvale VIC
17 January
Come and Try
Ipswich West Moreton Auto Club Inc
Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich QLD
17 January
Club Social
MG Car Club of Qld Inc
Hervey Bay, QLD
17 January
Driver Dynamics High Performance Track Days
Driver Dynamics
Sandown International Raceway, Springvale VIC
17 January
Watershed Cafe
Ford Owners Car Club Of SA Inc
Watershed Cafe – Mawson Lakes, SA
17 January
Run to the Centennial Winery
Aston Martin Owners Club (NSW) Incorporated
Bowral, NSW
17 January
Victorian Hillclimb Championship 2021 Round 1
MG Car Club Victoria
375 Clintons Road Smiths Gully, VIC
17 January
Summer Autocross Series Rd 3
WA Car Club Inc
Perth Motorplex, WA
20 January
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