Kurri Kurri trio Ryan Smith, Harrison Ryan and Cameron Dunker set themselves up for tilts at titles before rain halted racing at the Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships at Kurri Kurri on the weekend.
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Smith was unbeaten in eight races in Saturday’s day one action to qualify for three finals and leads the five-round under-13-16 85cc two-stroke/150cc four-stroke championships.
The finals, which were to be held on Sunday, will be rescheduled at a date to be decided after officials ruled the track was too wet for racing.
Smith, 13, is in his first year in the 13-16 age category and faces his stiffest opposition from fellow Kurri Kurri Junior Motorcycle Club member Harrison Ryan.
Both are poised to qualify for the 2-stroke 100-150cc, four-stroke 200-250cc and combined class finals.
Cameron Dunker also had a great opening day and is on track to qualify for multiple finals in the 9-13 and 10-14 age groups.
Smith and Ryan’s stiffest competition in the 13-16 year group is likely to come from Queenslander Cyshan Weele who also went through undefeated in the qualifying races on Saturday.
The success in Saturday’s qualifying rounds continues Smith’s outstanding start to the season. He claimed the Casey Stoner Cup earlier this year and won the big double-header meeting at West Wyalong.
“There were some outstanding performances by local riders, but Ryan Smith, Harrison Ryan and Cameron Dunker were probably the stand outs,” championship public relations spokesman Peter Baker said.
“Young Ryan (Smith) has made a huge impact in his first year in the 13-16 year age group. He has taken on the best in the group and regularly outclassed older riders.
“Ryan and Harrison have a real great rivalry on the track and no doubt will be right in the mix in the rescheduled finals.
“Cameron Dunker was Kurri Kurri’s sole title winner last year and he is back and doing very well again. He won all but one of his qualifying races.”
Baker said a date for the rescheduled finals was yet to be finalised but was likely to be during a school-holiday or long-weekend break to cater for visiting riders and their families to make the event.
He said the event had attracted a strong field of Victorian, Queensland and South Australian riders.
One of the Queenslanders was Harrison Voight who is just back from the US where he contested the four-day American Amateur Grand National event.
Baker said Voight won the title and was beaten by only one rider in that event, Tom Drane from Forbes and the clashes between that duo were one of the highlights of racing on Saturday.
