A FOURTH generation speedcar driver will join his father on track at the Victorian title at Premier Speedway on Sunday. Teenage racer Kaidon Brown and his father Mark are among the 30-strong field for the 72nd running of the state championship. Mark, a speedcar veteran with 33 years’ experience, is relishing the chance to compete alongside his son. The Allansford meeting will be their third time going head-to-head. “I’ve been a bit nervous watching him,” Mark said. “He’s way smoother than me. He is doing well – he finished seventh two nights ago at Parramatta. “He’s done eight races and had two podiums.” Mark, 47, is unsure of his long-term speedcar future. The chance to compete against Kaidon encouraged him to hop back into the driver’s seat recently after a serious crash 12 months ago. A New Year’s Day meeting was cancelled when the seriousness of the incident became evident. “I fractured my neck and broke my collarbone and it took an hour and a half to get me out of the car,” Mark said. “I didn’t think I’d come back but my car owner is Victorian and wanted us to finish something we’d started.” Mark is slowly readjusting to life behind the wheel and is excited to return to Premier Speedway on Sunday night. He’s experienced highs and lows at the renowned track and has strong memories of his “very first rollover” which happened in the late 1980s at Premier. “I won a race there, in a pink car, when I came from the rear and won it,” he said. “It’s probably my favourite race. I do like Warrnambool.” The Brown father-and-son duo has high hopes for the Victorian title battle. “I think we’ll be around the top five, both of us,” Mark said. Victorian Speedcar Drivers Association president Tim Fisher said a new champion would be crowned with 2016 winner Domain Ramsay racing in America. Fisher rated Mark Brown, Matt Jackson, Paul Farrell, Travis Mills and Troy Jenkins as the main contenders. Meanwhile, in-form Victorian Grant Stansfield will be among the Victorian formula 500 contenders at Laang on Saturday night. Stansfield fell a point short of speedweek winner, Australian number one Liam Williams, on Monday night after the series went down-to-the-wire. Williams, defending champion James Aranyosi and Allansford up-and-comer Jack Bell will also push for top honours.
