Sports

GRAFTON SPEEDWAY’S EASTER TRIPLE TREAT

There is going to be no shortage of Easter joy at Hessions Auto Parts Grafton Speedway this Easter Long Weekend, with not one, not two, but three race nights of speedway action in a row.

Headlining the three nights of Easter Long Weekend action are going to be the hotly contested V8 Dirt NSW Titles fought out – Friday night for the Sportsman category and Saturday night for the Open category.

Five-time Australian Champion Kevin Britten, from Brisbane in Queensland, is primed to compete in all three nights, and he goes into the NSW Title for the Open category as the defending champion, which he managed to win last season at Grafton Speedway.

The likes of locals Joshua Rose, Andrew Firth and Luke Dunn, along with Mitchell Randall, David Clark, Chris Corbett, Ray Klarich and Geoff Phillips are expected to be right up there challenging at the pointy Britten.

When it comes to the NSW Title for the Sportsman category, youngster Blake Eveleigh is the defending champion, which like Britten was won at Grafton Speedway, and he is hoping to make it back-to-back wins. The biggest threat to Eveleigh’s defence is this season’s form driver in Brock Gardiner.

With the NSW Titles on Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday night will also feature the V8 Dirt Open and Sportsman categories coming together as one.

Saturday night’s NSW Title for the Open category doubles as the opening 5 Star Dirt Series round for the 2021-22 season.

Apart from the V8 over the three nights, the RSA Street Stockers will be featured over of over 30 competitors will converge to battle it out for 50 Lappers on Friday and Saturday out for the Stocksville 100 on the Sunday night. The front-runners in the RSA Street Stockers action are likely to be out-of-towners Brendan Wakeman and Shane Carlson, as well as locals Adrian Williams, Chris Corbett, Greg Dickinson, Gavin Wade and Brock Armstrong.

The support classes over the three nights are going to be AMCA Nationals, RSA Four Cylinder Sedans and RSA Junior Sedans. On Sunday night, the Stock Cars will be making the journey from their home base of Queensland.

Grafton Speedway

would like to thank Hessions Auto Parts for their 2021-22 season support, which is their third season in a row as the track’s namingright’s sponsor. Based in Grafton, along with their second store location in nearby Coffs Harbour, Hessions Auto Parts stock a wide range of parts and accessories at competitive prices.

For more information about Hessions Auto Parts, contact them on 0266 423 085 (Grafton) and 0256 456 361 (Coffs Harbour) or visit their website at www. hessionsautoparts.com. au.

NIGHTLY EVENT INFORMATION:

Adults: $30 Pensioners (age and TPI): $25 High School Children (with student card): $20 Children (Under 12): $10 Children (Under 5): FREE Family (two adults and two children): $70 three nights will begin at 5pm and the gates will open at 3pm.

Grafton Speedway, which is part of the Grafton Showground,

is located at 208 Prince Street, Grafton, NSW.

For more information about Grafton Speedway, contact track promoter Mick Corbett on 0427 310 009. You can also visit their website at www.graftonspeedway. com.au or LIKE them on Facebook by searching Grafton Speedway.

Lismore lad places second at Grand Prix

LARA LEAHY

Nathan Herne, from Lismore, took second place in the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, driving in the Nulon S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship in Melbourne on Sunday.

At the start of the race, Mawson won the drag to turn 1 from pole position Herne managed to snatch second place from Aaron Cameron.

Nathan held second position while there was

Mawson pulled away to put a 4.4s gap between himself and before Macrow, Cameron and Golding. Purdie by Webster, Goddard, Bargwanna and Ngatoa.

Stuart Herne, Nathan’s father said, “It’s good that he has the opportunity through Garry Rogers Motorsports and Valvoline to give him the opportunity to race the S5000, Trans Am’s and Sprintcars. He is proud to represent local businesses Lickiss Fabrications and North Coast Petroleum with the help of Southside Agency.” the #1 Ford Mustang in the Trans Am Australia Race, but he takes the opportunity to race the S5000 and Sprintcars when the timetables don’t clash.

Nathan, the speed machine, placed second in the Sprintcars in Tasmanian on Saturday, the night before his S5000 second placing at the F1 last Sunday.

Next weekend, he will be back behind the Trans Am wheel racing at Bathurst (televised via Stan). He won the Trans Am series last year and leads the board with his #1 Ford Mustang on 356 points. Tim Brook is right behind him with 349 points. Cudgen Surf

The Australian Titles were competed last Sunday.

There were several changes in venues with the Surf Boats transferred from Kurrawa and Water Events at Broadbeach to North Kirra.

Our Youth team did well collecting six medals and in the Senior Two and making

Gold: 13 yr. Board Riding Male, – Lachlan Arghyros: Silver: 14 yr. Board Riding Female – Ava Arghyros: 13 yr. Beach Flags Male – Cooper Bird: 50-54 Beach Flags Male – Adam Mills: Bronze: Open Female Board Female Board Ride – Molly Tex Milroy: 13 yr. 2 K Swim Male – Jake Tickle.

A busy time ahead for patrols with Easter holidays and school. Council Lifeguards will patrol on weekdays.

Our Old Boys Association will conduct their A.G.M. on Saturday 23rd April at the Riverview Hotel. They are currently donating the the Tweed Mayoral Flood Relief.

Ballina Women’s Bowling Club

Congratulations to J. Rhodes, E.Bosworth, L.Morton, B.DeRe who were runners-up to a team from St.Johns Park in the State Championship Fours recently played at Tamworth.

Cherry Street Croquet Club

ASSOCIATION CROQUET: B.Reddy 13 d G.Drew, R.Allen 8 H.Young, P.Hume 18 d S.Hume S.Keen 16 G.Drew 17 d C.Woodlands 12 S.Hume 8 d H.Young 8 R.Chapman 19 d M.Gidding 13 RICOCHET CROQUET: C.Edlund 6 d C.Lane J.Hannigan 3 M.Russell D.Scott 7 d N.Poynting 5 N.Watts P. Bolte 7 d J.Doust P.Scott 4 J.Hannigan C.Edlund 14 d P.Bolte N.Barnes 14 N.Watts P.Scott 11 d J.Doust A.Du Preez 8 M.Russell D.Scott 13 d D.Jones R.Chapman 12 Club Handicap Championship games H.Young 16 d R.Allen 12 G.Porter 17 d D.Jones 15 N.Watts d B.Wellings F P.Scott d N.Poynting F N.Barnes d R.Poynting F TWILIGHT CROQUET: Finals : 2021 / 2022. Winners : J.Saunders, E.Astley, L.Wesely, C.Edlund Runners up : D.Jones, J.Huxley, M.Rennie, L.Whiteman. Hoop to hoop : M.Rennie, G.McDonahugh. Jump shots : C.Edlund, R.Poynting. Twilight Champions 2021/ 2022 D.Jones, J.Huxley, M.Rennie, L.Whiteman, J.Saunders, E.Astley, C.Edlund, L.Wesely.

Ballina Mahjong

Lorna Simpson 1, Pauline Bolte 2, Pam Farrell 3, Susan Allan 4, Jan Small 5, Ronda Taylor 6, Shirley Atkinson, Wendy Thornton 7, Janene Jarvis 9, Valda McLerie 10, Sally Lowry 11, Jan Boardman 12, Gail McDonagh 13, Coral Lavelle 14, Kath Hubbard 15, Joy Lowien 16, Lisa Wong 17, Shirley Coleman 18, Gladys D’Anna 19, Shirley Henry 20, June Grebert 22, Jan Henley 22, June Greenaway 23.

Mahjong is played on Friday at 12:30pm at the Ballina Bridge Club North Creek Road. Enquiries for new players phone Vanessa on 66874181.

Local AFL season in doubt as legends visit Lismore

FROM BACK PAGE

“This is going straight to the pool room,” he joked.

Mr Clarkson said it was heartbreaking to see what had happened to the community.

“But the resilience is amazing,” he said.

“It is going to take some time to rebuild this community as people band together.

“We are here to provide support in the background.”

Lismore Swan senior vice president Ken McPherson said he was amazed to have two legends of the AFL modern era here to rejuvenate the mental status of local players.

“Everyone in the Lismore Swans and Casino Lions has been talking about (their visit),” he said. devastated the Lismore Swan as we have lost a lot of players.

“Understandably football is not a priority right now although we hope to go ahead with the season, even if it is with the bare minimum.”

Mr McPherson said the support of the AFL and other clubs in the North Coast competition have been amazing.

“They all got together and compromised on the draw so we (Lismore and Casino) could have more home games,” he said.

“The Port Macquarie club even offered to come up to Coffs Harbour for us.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to them.”

Mr McPherson said he nail to keep the local competition alive. hopeful to keep the season going,” he said.

A meeting was held on Monday to decide the fate of the competition this year.

RESULTS

Kyogle Bowls

Wednesday April 6 - P Crewe S Darragh J Watts d W Farrell B Ryan S Colley + 9, P Coston B Hyde d G Knapp K Hayes + 6, J Arnold J Coston d R Felton G Currie + 1. Championships - A grade singles G Miller d T Holder 31 to 14. B grade singles P Anderson d L Condon 31 to 25. B grade pairs D Warren N Parker d J Roughsedge N Bodycote 23 to 9.