Easter action on the clay

THE 2026 Easter Sprintcar Trail is shaping as one of the biggest yet, with action set to return to Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway this Sunday night.

Last year’s 2024/25 Easter Sprintcar Trail overall winner Jamie Veal. Veal will be absent from this weekend’s event.

With $10,000 to win each night of the trail, and $5000 to the overall trail champion, this year’s event will be the richest trail in history.

More than 40 drivers have already locked in, including reigning Australian Sprintcar champion Jock Goodyer of Tasmania and Warrnambool’s James McFadden.

McFadden has recently returned from the USA where he grabbed a feature win in the tough High Limit series.

Brock Hallett, 2023 Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic champion, currently leads the track championship and will be eager to grab the chequered flag on the weekend.

Also set to race are Portland’s Luke Storer and American hard-charger Thomas Meseraull.

Other south west drivers who have entered include Warrnambool drivers Grant Stansfield, Peter Doukas, Jacob Smith, Ashley Cook, Dane Court, Will Carroll, Matthew Reed and Liam Russell; along with Camperdown’s Phil Micalleft and Hamilton’s Dane Court.

The Easter Sprintcar Trail has been a fixture on the Sprintcar calendar since 1980, with Mount Gambier and Warrnambool always part of it.

Races were initially held at Bendigo, Portland and Melbourne Speedbowl before Geelong/Avalon became a fixture in 1989.

All the big names have been successful in the Easter Sprintcar Trail, from Tasmanian Tim Moncreif (winning the inaugural race in 1980) and Garry Rush (who dominated the decade) through to Max Dumesny (winning regularly into the 2000s), Jamie Veal, James McFadden and Jock Goodyer.

While Veal won overall last year, he won’t be racing this weekend.

Super Rods will also be on the program across all three nights of the Easter trail.

Sunday’s event at Premier Speedway will be a family-friendly one, with a huge fireworks display, a motorbike raffle and free sno cones for kids, along with a special visit from the Easter Bunny.

Gates open at 3pm Sunday, with a pit walk until 4pm.

Cars on track from 5pm.