Revving engines hit Mareeba track
WHEN Tony Villella and Bill Stolzenberg did their final season 2019 lap of Mareeba Speedway back in October they never imagined it would be the start of a 10-month hiatus from racing.
But COVID-19 hit just as the drivers in the Mareeba Motor Racing Club’s super street sSedan category – as well as the Formula 500s, modified sedans and SKAA karts – were preparing to take to the track again in March, so their cars remained undercover.
But the sound of revving engines will echo across the Tablelands again this weekend when the four categories take to the dirt track at the speedway from 5pm on Saturday.
“It’s been a long off-season, so we are looking forward to getting back into it, and I’m hopeful we will all remember how to drive,” Mr Villella joked.
“We will have over 40 cars in this meet – mainly from around the Tablelands but also a few from Cairns and some coming up from Townsville – and there is a lot of racing in one night because we have heats and feature races in each category.
“We like to be finished by 10pm but that depends on the number of accidents, and while accidents aren’t good, we know people do like to see them and it always causes a bit of excitement.”
Mr Villella is looking forward to putting his neon yellow car through its paces on the weekend after doing considerable work during the extended break from racing.
“I only just got this car going,” he said. “I blew the engine out of this one and it took me a while to get the engine out of my other car.
“I just get a thrill out of driving. If we win, we win and if we don’t, we don’t.
“We go out there to make the public enjoy themselves and it’s a good night out that gives the crowd the chance to get out and about and get some dust on them.”