This Saturday marks twenty years of motor racing at Kalkee’s Blue Ribbon Raceway. Horsham Motorsports Club have plenty to celebrate when looking back on how the venue has been developed since the inaugural meeting.

In 1996 the club held its first race meeting at the newly built track. Facilities for the opening meeting were fairly basic, with hired portable toilets and a tent for a canteen. The complex now has some of the best facilities in Victoria.

Celebrations will begin at 12noon this Saturday where past and present members will reunite and reminisce about ‘all things speedway’ at the Kalkee Track. A light luncheon will be served to those attending.

A range of old race-cars and memorabilia will also be on display.

The festivities will continue later in the evening when the track lights are lit and a full featured race meeting will take place which will include Modified Sedans, Vintage Heavy Hot Rods, Limited Sportsman, V8 Trucks and Street Stocks.

Twenty-two Modified Sedan drivers will compete for the prestigious ‘Di Watson Memorial Trophy’, which is held annually to honour the work of the late former Horsham resident and administrator of Victorian Modified Production Association, Dianne Watson.

Horsham Driver Daniel Simpson is expected to do well on his home track with his newly built Commodore proving very competitive of recent. Former Horsham driver Neil Watson, will also return to Blue Ribbon Raceway to compete along with Bendigo driver Graham West in his crowd favourite Torana.

Limited Sportsman drivers will contest the Les McMaster Memorial. A healthy field of twelve have nominated which will guarantee a fast field of drivers including the recently crowned Victorian Champion Jock Baker of Pimpinio. Adam McKenzie of Minyip who placed third at the recent Victorian Title, returns to the Kalkee track where he won this memorial race last year.

The mighty V8 Trucks will race three heats on Saturday night. A few of the drivers have been tinkering with their race trucks since last race meeting, which should result in some fast and close racing.

Local Street Stock drivers, Kathryn Wilken and Luke James are eager to get some practice in before representing the club at the Australian Street Stock Title, which will be held the following weekend at Ballarat. The last chance heat races before the title has also attracted current Australia ASCF Junior Champion Brock Atkins from Hamilton. Atkins will be busy as he not only tries out his new Street Stock, but will also be racing with the Modified Production Sedans.

A class that is very appropriate for a speedway anniversary is the ‘Vintage Heavy Hotrods’. A strong field of eleven cars of yester-year will compete in some spirited demonstrations. The vintage race-cars are quite a spectacle to see with so many different kinds of cars on display. They will give spectators a taste of what speedway was like in days gone by.

Gates will open at 5.30pm with the action to start at 6.30pm