“The club has decided to give our fans a taste of British League speedway,”  Kurri Kurri Speedway Club president Peter Campton said.

“We have put together two very competitive teams, each of seven riders and they will compete in the standard 15 heat races, just as they do in the UK.

“The Tex Macdonald Cup will still be decided and it will go to the rider who scores the highest number of points on the night.”

Fittingly the Macdonald brothers, Alan and Josh, will captain the teams. It will be a new experience for the Cessnock siblings as they pay tribute to their father.

Alan Macdonald experienced his first team format competition last weekend at a meeting in Cowra and he is looking forward to this Saturday’s challenge.

“I’ve got two good heat leaders in Taylor Poole and Jye Ethridge who have both ridden in the British League,” Alan said, “and with young gun Matt Gilmore in our team, we will be pretty strong.”

Josh MacDonald will be having his first ever hit out in the team racing format.

“Both teams look pretty even,” Josh said. 

“I really want to thank my family, the Kurri Club and the riders for taking part in this year’s event. I am looking forward to it.”

Mason Campton will be lead rider in Josh’s team in his final hit-out before flying out for the UK Premier League season.

It will be a “team double header” this Saturday when the junior 125cc speedway solos compete for the very first time in the same format as the senior riders.

MACCAS MAULERS

1 Taylor Poole, 2 Matt Pickering, 3 Alan Macdonald ©, 4 Matthew Gilmore, 5 Jye Etheridge, 6 Josh Coyne, 7 Aaron Jackson.

REDS RAIDERS

1 Mason Campton, 2 Josh Macdonald ©, 3 Zane Kennedy, 4 Joel Coyne, 5 Kieran Sproule, 6 Kane Lawrence, 7 Jake Schnieders.

Gates open at 3pm and racing starts at 7pm.