With the 2017 Rod Bowen Prestige Smash Repairs Australian Sprintcar Championship at the Valvoline Raceway in Sydney fast approaching with the three-night event kicking off on Australia Day Sprintcarworld will be looking at some of the leading contenders from each state. With the official nomination list now standing at 103 entries it is time to focus on the drivers who will head south into New South Wales from Queensland.

Queensland will be well resented at the Valvoline Raceway with a total of 13 drivers set to contest the 2017 Australian Sprintcar Title. They are Allan Woods, Ben Hilder, Brodie Tulloch, Bryan Mann, Darren Jensen, James Grady, Kevin Titman, Kristy Bonsey, Lachlan McHugh, Luke Oldfield, Mitchell Gee, Richard Morgan and Steve Greer.

Of the Queensland representatives on paper you would expect the likes of Luke Oldfield, talented youngster Lachlan McHugh, Bryan Mann and Mitchell Gee to be the drivers to keep an eye on.

Over the years this race hasn’t been all that kind to the Queenslanders as only one Queensland born driver has ever won this race, that being Todd Wanless way back in 1996 with a home track Archerfield victory.

If anyone was to join that small and illustrious group, you would have to say it would be Luke Oldfield. Already this season he has a National scene leading 6 A-Main victories, including a break through World Series Sprintcars round win along with a total of 9 podium results. The former Queensland Sprintcar Champion is by far the leading contender from the Sunshine State.

Youngsters Mitchell Gee and Lachlan McHugh have both been gaining some great experience this season racing around the country with Gee representing his State in the Origin of Speed at Valvoline Raceway recently while McHugh has been competing at events right across the country including Murray Bridge, Adelaide Motorsport Park, Warrnambool, Toowoomba, Brisbane and Valvoline Raceway. This additional track time can only be a benefit and this was shown as he sat on the front row of a recent A-Main in Sydney.

The 2017 Rod Bowen Prestige Smash Repairs Australian Sprintcar Championship at the Valvoline Raceway will be held between January 26 and 28, 2017.