Confidence is everything in Sprintcar racing and that is something Tasmanian Jamie Bricknell is full of when he heads over to the mainland for what will be his first of the 09/10 season this Australia Day Long Weekend.
Contesting the Presidents Cup at Avalon Raceway (Geelong, VIC) this Wednesday night, followed by the Kings Challenge on Friday night at Borderline Speedway (Mt. Gambier, SA), the prestigious Grand Annual Classic at Premier Speedway (Warrnambool, VIC) on Saturday and Sunday night – the 20-year-old from Launceston is looking forward to re-acquainting himself with the tracks.
Despite being in solid form down in his home state, Bricknell, who is currently leading the Farmers Union Sprintcar Series and has three feature race victories to his credit this season, knows that tackling the mainland opposition is a totally different ball game.
“It’s going to be mighty tough, especially with just on 80 cars nominated for the Grand Annual Classic, but the main goal I have set myself is that if I can make the feature race on each night I’m over here then that will be an achievement in itself,” explained Bricknell. “Although I’m feeling confident, it’s not because I’ve been running strongly in my home state but the fact that I now know the tracks on the mainland having competed over there twice last season.”
Bricknell’s last mainland trip resulted in impressive results with a top five finish overall in the annual Easter Sprintcar Trail point score and also at the third and final round of the Easter Trail at Premier Speedway he finished inside the top five of the feature race.
The TAS # 55 Montile Tile Boutique supported Maxim driver will after the Grand Annual Classic contest the 12th round of the World Series Sprintcar (WSS) Championship at Premier Speedway on Tuesday night (January 26) and that will be followed up by the Australian Nationals that is to be held at Speedway City (Adelaide, SA) on Saturday night, January 30.
Last Saturday night (January 16) at Latrobe’s Bendigo Bank Arena Bricknell contested the second and final round of the TAS VS USA Challenge. Not helped by rear of grid starts Bricknell was unable to come out on top for the locals against the USA stars. In the feature race at the conclusion of the night Bricknell was quickly able to move from his 14th starting position up to sixth before he was forced to retire with a sticking throttle. This was Bricknell’s first DNF of the 09/10 season and it robbed him of yet another potential podium finish.