Multi Australian Super Sedan Champions Matt Pascoe and Darren Kane head an impressive entry list for the annual running of the East Coast Grand National at Castrol Lismore Speedway, Saturday night, April 20.
Pascoe, the defending titleholder, enters the event facing not only tough opposition from Kane but a number of other contenders.
The ECGN has incredible history and heritage, a race that put the iconic Lismore Showground Speedway on the map back in the 'seventies, and continues to carry a wonderful tradition with its annual running.
"It's truly a very special event in the long and illustrious history of Castrol Lismore Speedway," co-promoter Kim Sauer said.
"We know how much this race means to Super Sedan drivers and it's also an event they all want to win. That will ensure the competition will be very tough on the night as some of the best in the country chase the honour and prestige that goes with winning this wonderful event."
Pascoe knows the pressure will be on right from the first heat. "It's a quality field of entries we have for the ECGN and the heats will be vital to determine starting positions in the main event."
Kane, a five time National Super Sedan Champion and twice Australian Late Model titleholder, has won the East Coast Grand National three times in an era when it was also known as The Grenville, held in memory of Lismore icon, the late, great Grenville Anderson.
The East Coast Grand National has a special meaning for Darren.
"When I was growing up I used to buy the speedway publications and I used to read about the East Coast Grand National race. It was an ambition of mine to win that race," Darren, 55, said.
Darren will drive the Dominator Ian Boettcher Race Parts Gen Five Super Sedan entry.
This event means a lot to many people and, another entry, Lismore's Tania Smith, has also very special memories following her emotional victory in 2010.
Tania was very close to the Anderson family and Grenville was one of her racing heroes when she started her career. This affinity continued after Tania, a registered nurse, cared for Grenville in the following years following his terrible crash at Brisbane's Archerfield Speedway in the early 1990s. The injuries he sustained in that accident claimed his life on May 31, 2004 aged just 52.
Other drivers in contention include son of a gun Brad Pascoe, David Nichols, Steve Jordan, Sean Black, Rodney Pammenter, Seiton Young, Zac and Hayden Brims.
