Premier Speedway Warrnambool has cancelled its season-opening event on November 5, citing widespread heavy rainfall and dangerous condition at the venue as the key reason.
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With ground conditions currently unsuitable for racing, focus will now turn quickly to the November 19 event which features the Victorian Sprintcar Title and Formula 500 Jack Willsher Cup.
The November 5 meeting was expected to draw in a strong crowd after months of preparation.
"We're definitely battling," Premier Speedway general manager Michael Parry told The Standard.
"With the state of the grounds and the venue, it would simply not dry out within the week.
"It was a common sense decision in the end, there was no point in delaying the announcement.
"In our mind there was no likelihood to continue.
"Take out the rain itself, but the ground temperature won't be high enough to dry it out. And there is extra rain to come."
With the state of the grounds and the venue, it would simply not dry out within the week
- Michael Parry
Parry said there was genuine concerns about conditions being "unsafe" for drivers and spectators.
"That was always the issue, the race track is something you can work around, but things like the in-field, it would be dangerous if a car went onto the grass area.
"We wouldn't be able to have cars in there on the Warrnambool end, our pit area would be compromised. It would just be unsafe.
"You don't want to have to make this decision, but it was common sense really in the end."
He added there was plans to hopefully re-schedule the November 5 race meeting but said there was a lot of water to go under the bridge.
"As soon as we made the decision, we got in touch with the Sprintcar Association, the SRA and they'll need to talk about it over the next few days," he said.
"I'd like to re-schedule it. Hopefully we can, but we'll see."
If the race meeting was to be re-scheduled it would most likely occur in the early part of next year.
"When you look state wide the calendar is pretty hectic and there's already been some re-shuffling," Parry said.
"It would be more likely it would be post-Christmas at this stage, but we should know more soon."
Parry said he was confident the November 19 race meeting - which will now become the season-opener - would go ahead but would monitor conditions over the next few weeks.
Online tickets purchased for the November 5 event will be refunded while online ticket sales for November 19 are available and can be purchased at www.premierspeedway.com.au
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Nick Creely
Sports reporter with The Standard
Sports reporter with The Standard
