Western Australia is set to have a strong representation at the South Australian Sprintcar season opener on October 5 & 6 with dual Australian 360ci Sprintcar Champion Kaiden Manders and Daniel Harding both nominating for the weekend’s action. With nominations still open Manders and Harding will join a field that currently consists of drivers from three other mainland states therefore the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway Sprintcar season is set to kick off in the best possible fashion.

Last season Manders concentrated mainly on driving Speedcars in Perth while he prepared mfor the 2024 Australian Title at the Motorplex, but he still managed to secure a podium result on Boxing Day during the WA V USA Sprintcar Speedweek at the Perth Motorplex before going on to an impressive fifth overall in the Speedweek points. Manders would also finish fifth overall in the season long AHG Series including a win in the Super Speedway Grand Final.

Despite the Bill Wigzell Battle of the Bridge / Australian Sprintcar Stampede double being the opening night of the South Australian season Manders will head to Murray Bridge with more than 10 events already under his belt with starts at Darwin’s Northline Speedway, the Gladstone Speedway and Toowoomba, with his best results of his northern tour including a runner-up on Family Fun Night (Darwin), third in Round 1 of the Chariots of Thunder Series and fifth on Night 1 in Gladstone.

“I’m super excited to be racing a Sprintcar at Murray Bridge for the first time. The racing there always looks exciting, and I can’t wait to get amongst it” added Kaiden when we spoke in the lead up to the event.

Manders was last at Murray Bridge in 2023 when he contested the Australasian Speedcar Championship over the Easter Long Weekend where he finished fourth in the 50-lap event.

Like Manders, Harding’s last start at the Murray Machining and Sheds Murray Bridge Speedway was at the 2023 Australasian Speedcar Championship where he qualified on the front row but he has a long history of competing in Sprintcars at the venue. Harding was a regular starter during the World Series Sprintcars Speedweek days and it is often forgotten that he was the runner-up to Chad Ely in the 2014 Australian 360ci Sprintcar Championship at the riverside venue.

The Annual Bill Wigzell Battle of the Bridge will take place on Saturday October 5, 2024 while the Australian Sprintcar Stampede will follow on Sunday October 6, 2024.