Drivers sprint to PI for national championship
Saturday 16 November, 2019
Photo: Phillip Island Auto Racing Club
The CAMS Australian Supersprint Championship meets this weekend with more than 100 drivers taking on the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
In what is the final CAMS Speed and Auto test championship for the year, competitors will get multiple runs, made up of four flying laps, on the Victorian track with the best time to be awarded the title.
Interestingly, current champion Vikki Paxton has not been able to attend the event, leaving the event open for the taking and a new driver will be crowned the best in Australia.
With the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club being handed the honour of hosting the Championship for the first time in five years, Clerk of Course Warren Reid was thrilled to have such a large entry list.
“It’s quite encouraging that we have such a large entry list, so we’re really excited for the weekend,” Reid said.
“It’s a great opportunity for PIARC to run an event as prestigious as the CAMS Australian Supersprint Championship. It’s a great thing to do on the island and I am really glad it has come here again because it’s been here before.
“The preparation all went well. We have around 100 cars on the Saturday and even more on the Sunday.
“Lots of interstate people are coming along and groups too which is good, most of which are from New South Wales, Queensland and even Western Australia.
“It’s a good field so it should be a good weekend.”
As for why there is a lot of interest surrounding this year’s championship, Reid puts it down to the location of the event.
“We did around five years ago and it was a successful event,” Reid said.
“Competitors love coming here. It’s considered one of the special circuits in Australia for a reason and everyone wants to come down to the island and do a few laps here.
“This year has a bigger field than five years ago, which is shows the great direction the category is heading in.”
The CAMS Australian Supersprint Championship takes place at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 16-17 November.