Rider Joel Coyne tests out the Carina Speedway track during a test day.
Rider Joel Coyne tests out the Carina Speedway track during a test day. Contributed - Tony Scriven

Bikes back at Carina

NO brakes, no gears, no brains.

That is the way Carina Speedway promoter Pete Basmadjian jokingly described the riders who compete in the solos and sidecar bikes on speedways around Australia.

Using nothing more than tyres and angles, riders are able to reduce their speed without brakes before they enter a corner.

Now, after a wait of more than ten years, they return to Bundaberg this weekend at Carina on Saturday night.

In the past year the organisers have prepared the track using decomposed granite to set up a surface suitable for racing.

With a few practice runs and no dramas so far, Basmadjian said it was now ready to race.

"We've been working on the bike track while we've been racing with the big track."

"It's been a full reconstruction [and] we've changed the shape [and] added more material."

Despite all three tracks being in action now for the first time Basmadjian said the transformation wasn't completed yet.

"Nowhere near it in my opinion," he said.

"We've still got a lot of work to do here [and] there are still a lot of facilities to upgrade."

The addition of a new track also allows local riders an opportunity to improve at home.

Seth Hill, 15, is one of those who believes the track will allow him to compete with the best in the state.

He said his family doesn't need to travel far away anymore.

"We used to have a track in our backyard [and my] father used to take us over there and we would ride there every weekend," he said.

"This track is good. We can ride here more often and train more, practice more, and then go everywhere else which will be easier."

Competing in the 350cc solos class Hill said he was a good chance of winning this weekend.

The 350cc solos is one of six classes of bike racing with the 500cc solos the pick of the action.

Local competitor in the class Dalton Nilsen said it would be good to race at home.

"I've lived here all my life and I've always wanted to ride here," he said.

"I'm hoping it is really good racing, very close, and all out fun."

Bikes won't be the only thing that is racing with the Modified Sedans and AMCAs cars also on track.

All the action starts at 3pm on Saturday with adults $25, students $15 and children under 12 free.


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