Star American driver Brad Sweet hoping to claim first South West Conveyancing Grand Annual Sprintcar title

The veteran driver has won the past four World of Outlaws series in the US but is yet to clinch Australia's South West Conveyancing Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic title from four attempts.

Beginning Friday, the 37-year-old will suit up in the 50th edition of the event, racing for WA team Landrigan Motorsport.

"You always want to win the big Australian race," he told The Standard.

"I've been racing in Australia and I've won a lot of races in Australia especially at the old Parramatta Speedway but I've never been able to win a classic.

"It's certainly been a little frustrating, I've had some frustrating nights there but I don't want to give up and a good opportunity presented itself so everything came together.

"It's a beautiful race car and obviously you've got to have some luck go your way but I'm just really excited."

Sweet's best finish in the classic came in 2017 - the last time he contested the race - when he placed fourth.

Since then the former NASCAR driver has claimed all four of his World of Outlaws championships (2019-22) and sits 11th on the series' all-time wins list.

Sweet said he was a more experienced and "well-rounded" driver than in 2017 which he hoped would pay off.

The Californian knows it will be difficult but believes he has what it takes to lift the trophy on Sunday night.

"I wouldn't be here if we didn't think we could win," he said.

"There's also 98 other guys that have the same philosophy.

"It's a tight little track and it's a tough format they've put together which it should be. It shouldn't be an easy race to win. I feel like it'll be a very tough race to win.

"But we absolutely feel like we can have a chance as long as things go our way and we can get the car handling good."

Blocking Sweet's path to victory is a field which he said had to be one of the "toughest" in classic history.

Sheldon Haudenschild and Carson Macedo are two of the big-name Americans competing while Warrnambool drivers and past winners James McFadden and Jamie Veal are expected to finish near the pointy end.

Sweet knows what he is talking about when it comes to competing in and winning big races.

Some of the iconic American races he has saluted in include the Knoxville Nationals (2018) and the Kings Royal (2013 and 2019).

It speaks to the magnitude of the classic that he values winning it so highly.

"We have some big events in America that are really high on the radar and really big races but if you're talking about Australian sprintcar racing, the classic's the biggest race," he said.

"Obviously you want to win all the biggest races in America then if you can put your name on the biggest race in Australia it would be super cool to have that on your resume.

"It certainly has the atmosphere and the fan base and everything that makes it feel extra big. Being the 50th annual paying $50,000 to win and all those things make it extra special this year."

Sweet will have his first run in his new car on Wednesday night when he races at Avalon in the President's Cup.

"We'll get to shake it down and see where we're at and hopefully that will give us a little momentum going towards Warrnambool," he said.

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