Sydney V8 Experience

So I see a Facebook post about winning a ride in a Mercedes V8 Supercar at Sydney's Eastern Creek – who wouldn't want to win that, right?

I fill out the details and submit the entry, not expecting to hear back. I can't recall ever winning anything in the past, apart from the occasional 20 bucks in lotto.

Surprise, surprise, I win!

Having been recently retrenched from work it seemed like a nice change of pace, and with a birthday a few days before the ride, it was perfect timing.

Driving to Sydney I began to think about the ride. I'd been in similar race cars before, but nothing of the calibre of a real V8 Supercar, and Eastern Creek is certainly enough to get the blood pumping.

Staying in a motel across the road from the track gave me plenty of time to walk around, look across the track and ponder the ride. I was pumped!

Looking across from the motel room to Sydney Motorsport Park.

I arrived at the track early to check out the cars, and those stunning Western Star transporters.

 Love those Western Stars.

I watched the reaction of others in the pits waiting for and returning from their rides. A broad grin from all was the telling factor. I was tingling with nervous anticipation.

 Just hanging around in the pits.

 A quick snap from the roof.

After snapping a few photos with the iPhone I bumped into Betty and managed a quick chat.

Then it was my turn.

I sat in the hot seat, race suit and helmet on, waiting for the Irwin Racing AMG to roll up.

Seat belts were fastened, Lee Holdsworth looked across and said, “let's do it”, and so it began.

It's time.

On exiting pit lane it was immediately apparent this was going to be no stroll in the park. I could feel the car twitching on the edge of grip and wondered how we were going to navigate the same corner at race speed, on the race line. But of course there was the twisty section around the back of the course to contend with first.

Lee wasn't holding back, throwing the car wide and cutting across the curbs, providing a real race experience. I was being jolted around the tight confines of the cabin, and my grin grew wider with each turn.

Hammering down the main straight and turn one beckoned fast. A dab of the brakes, a lower gear and we powered on through. Absolutely amazing!

The G-forces around the track left a real impression of what these blokes go through on a regular basis. Their bodies must take a beating and it really gave me a renewed appreciation for the sport.

A quick chat after the ride.

And of course Lee was more than happy to have a chat after the ride, casually noting that 220 kph through turn one is one of the fastest sections in the country, comparable to Phillip Island.

“Were we doing 220 through there?” I quizzed.

“Yeah about that,” he said.

Wow!

Thanks have to go to sponsor ihear for the opportunity, and of course Betty Klimenko and the Erebus racing team for making it all possible.

I've always been a Ford man, and I doubt that will ever really change, but I've been an avid follower of the AMGs since they joined the Supercar ranks.

While speaking to Lee he suggested more people were following drivers rather than particular marques these days. I've followed Brad Jones Racing since working for a weekly paper in Albury, more on a professional basis, and enjoyed it, but I've never really strayed from the Blue Oval personally.

Having said that, the sport itself is what excites me. Being track-side at an event, wandering around the pits, or walking around the track taking photos adds another dimension to what we all watch on TV. I remember taking a previous editor to Winton a few years back, not an avid race fan, and he was instantly hooked.

Whatever brand you follow, it's all about the spectacle, and I reckon it doesn't get much better than V8 Supercars.

But these AMGs – I just love the look of them, the sound of them – I guess you could say Erebus has become my new V8 race team.

Come Winton this weekend, I know who I'll be cheering for.

Reflections

Reflecting on four years of work on a local weekly paper, it occurred to me I'd actually achieved quite a bit.

In that time I've managed to speak to quite a few people I never would have expected to see in person, let alone sit down and have a chat with.

Of course my passion is sport. Having a V8 Supercar team here in town certainly helped that cause, and created some sporting memories I'll never forget.

I remember following the Brad Jones Racing team - back in the Ford days - (I've always been a Ford man) and Jason Bright was one of my favourite drivers when he was punting the Blue Oval around the track.

Then all of a sudden there I was, sitting in the Brad Jones Racing board room having a chat to Brighty. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but I had only been in the media industry for five minutes really, so to me, it was huge!

I also managed to catch up with Jason Richards a couple of times over the phone, before his sad, untimely death.

I could feel the passion in his voice, the desire to take the team as high as he physically could, and I have no doubt, given the chance, he certainly would have succeeded.

I watched at Winton from the Jones garage as Bright sliced his way through the field to finish top of the podium, and noted the pride displayed by a then ailing Richards, seeing his car take the honours. 

After the race I managed to sneak up the track with the team to catch an amazing moment close up of Richards and Bright, and proudly ran it front page.

While I've spoken to many people over the years, that was certainly one moment that will always stand out.

The Dunk

Everyone loves a dunk.
And every basketball photographer wants to catch the moment.
It doesn't matter that I know this bloke is going to throw one down, he always seems to catch me out.
But I have managed to snap a few of him going to work!

Lauren

Sometimes I really love this job!
Through NewsWeekly I get the chance to chat to a few high profile sports-persons that have connections to Albury Wodonga or are visiting the area.
I've chatted to AFL stars, V8 drivers, Olympians, Australian cricket players and so on.
Lauren Jackson would have to be my favourite so far.
Being a basketball nut it's something I've been wanting for a while.
The fact that she hails from Albury meant it was only a matter of time really.
I was lucky enough at this junior tournament to have been given five minutes to speak with her.
After she'd just spent quite some time with fans seeking autographs and photos I was happy to have that chance.
And while five minutes doesn't go a long way it was still an opportunity I wasn't going to miss.

Trevor.

Lots of Sport

I've been shooting lots of sport lately for a local newspaper which has kept me very busy, from table tennis to motor racing and a lot of other stuff in between.

Alex Duck wins again.

For the second consecutive season Lady Bandit Alex Duck has received the SEABL Women Australian Youth Player of the Year Award.

At 18 years of age it's a great effort.

She's been an outstanding player for the local Albury Wodonga team and the accolades are well deserved.

The name Alex Duck will no doubt be one to watch in Australian Womens basketball for years to come.

Congratulations Alex!

Lady Bandits bow out.

It's been a great season for the Albury Wodonga Lady Bandits making the playoffs for the first time.
I wasn't at the game against Dandenong but going on the box scores it appears to have been a cracker!
On a head to head basis the teams have been separated by a matter of 2 points on each occasion leading up to the elimination final with Dandenong holding on both times.
And so it continued with with Dandenong getting out to an early advantage only to see it pulled back and then overtaken by the Lady Bandits, who went on to lead at the final break.
In typical fashion Dandenong regained the upper hand taking the game by, you guessed it, 2 points!
Despite the loss the girls can hold their heads high having achieved some great things this season.
Support has been strong from the local crowds and should hold them in good stead for the next season.
Well done girls.

Guest Blog Spot

Here's a link to a guest blog spot I had on Peter Robert Casey's hoops blog just recently.

Guest Blog

Trevor.

Cool Hoops Video.

I found this looking through Peter Robert Casey's blog.
Peter had mentioned Rucker Park to me in an email so I Googled the name, discovered some history and ended up finding this going through his older blogs.
Some great stuff on that blog!
Go check it out.
Peter Robert Casey

Vince Carter at Rucker Park.

Lady Bandits looking good!

I finally managed to get along to another home game and snap a few shots of a couple of great games.
The men went down to a strong Geelong outfit but all the same made the Supercats earn their victory.
With some bad luck during the season via the loss of two imports, the latest being Fernandez Lockett with a knee injury, the boys have been doing it tough.
First replacement in the form of Jermaine Williams has been doing a great job and slotted in quite well.
The latest replacement in Miles Pearce is a mountain of a man and with only a couple of games to fit in has been given a huge pair of shoes to fill.
The season hasn't looked too impressive on paper but the action and effort throughout cannot be denied.
Going down in some close games and with the younger players stepping up as they have good things could be on the horizon for the embattled team.
The women on the other hand have had a great season.
It's a young team with a new coach and a couple of imports from 'across the ditch'.
Lisa Wallbutton and Toni Edmondson have been brilliant for the team but then so have the local youth.
I've previously posted a pic of the young bench and what these girls have achieved this season is nothing short of amazing!
Under the guidance of 'supercoach' Ken Kereama they've taken the game to the stronger regional teams and come out looking the goods.
Satruday night was the perfect example, hosting Sandringham.
Down by 13 at the long break they soon closed the gap and finished the game with an 8 point victory.
Without having made a playoff series in their short history they currently sit 5th with a game to go.
They'll have the whole of Albury and Wodonga behind them and should they manage to host a final the roof would surely be lifted off the 'Hideout'!
Good luck girls!

Personally it's been a great season of shooting with plenty of action captured and while it's no NBL this league definitely provides a great night's entertainment.
With names like Gruber, Crosswell and Herbert, just to name a few, and the imports from the US, and of course NZ, no wonder it's become our premier winter league.
To have access to this level of basketball in regional areas is a huge boost to the game.

Aussie hoops is alive and well and our SEABL is helping to show the way.

Trevor.

T-Bone hits a Hundred!

Local sportsman Tony 'T-Bone' Ferris joined the hundred club last night at Albury Stadium when his Bandits faced Sandringham Sabres.

With the Sabres coming off a spate of victories the home side were always going to be up against it.

However with T-Bone knotching up his hundred there was something special to play for.

Early in the game the Bandits were looking the goods and it was only after the first break that Sandringham started to apply the pressure.

With Nathan Crosswell calling the shots on court the experienced Sabres began to wear down the Bandits and take control of the game in the second term.

Having said that the boys from the Border weren't about to let them have it all their own way and put in some big efforts to keep pace with their more fancied opponents in the last half.

Young Jack Duck took the court to the pleasure of the crowd and immediately set about getting hold of the ball, showing he's a player to watch in the future.

Although a dissapointment to go down on T-Bones big night it still shows Albury/Wodonga has some great young players who'll benefit from playing against the likes of Crosswell.

It can only be a good thing for basketball in the region.

Trevor.

Half Time Entertainment

While the NBL teams have their own dancers we've been treated to some of the same in recent weeks.

The DMB Dancers were at Albury Stadium again last night for the Bandits v Sandringham game.

Once again they put on a high energy set keeping the crowd entertained at the long break.

Some great colours and sounds helped showcase the young up and coming talent this region has to offer, not just on the court but off of it as well!

Trevor.

Bandit's at Home...

Friday night saw another big night of basketball on the Border with the men and women facing a Tassie challenge.
The women were first up taking on Launceston and as has been the case so many times this season set the pace from the word go.
Launceston weren't about to waste a road trip and fought well but the girls held on for a good win.

The men had it tough from the outset but put in a determined effort throughout the game.
They couldn't however send their Tassie challengers, Hobart, packing and despite some big efforts went down by a narrow margin.

The big excitement for the game was the half time shoot out with a young local player hitting the shot from the centre and taking home the big dollars.

All in all another entertaining night of basketball.
The fans here on the Border can certainly not complain about the level of competition they've been witness to this season.
A few more wins would be nice but hey, it's been anything but dull!

Trevor.

In Pink!

Well the Men and Women of the Border Bandits have had a tough couple of weeks here in Albury with defeats at the hands of Knox Raiders and Brisbane Spartans.
Regardless of win or loss the teams are still putting in big efforts, the opposition has simply been too strong.
Jermaine Williams has settled in to his new role with the club and the younger players for the women are getting court time.

Of course tough games of basketball are one thing.
Life can be a lot harder for many.

Friday night helped to reinforce such an issue with the Brisbane Spartans turning up... in pink!

Of course they are raising money for breast cancer and their uniforms certainly make a big statement!
So for a good cause I'm simply adding some images to this page to document the plight of those suffering this affliction via the generosity of others in the community.

Good on ya' Spartans!
Keep up the good work.

Enjoy.

Trevor.

The Real Snowwombat!

A mate of mine from work was kind enough to create a new logo for me.
I thought it was a ripper!
Keaton Ferguson is a very talented artist from Wodonga who can breathe life into an idea, not only with a mouse and PC but with pen and paper.
Within minutes of my request he had a number of ideas running around his head, committed them to paper and went from there.
This is the final cut we both felt best represented my current photographic efforts.

Trevor.

Albury Cougars

With all the training and a big trip away last weekend I haven't had the chance to blog lately.

The big trip was up to Illawarra for round 2 of the Southern Junior League basketball comp.
I took the Albury Cougars 16 women 2's away aiming at a perfect 4 from 4 result.
Up against teams like Illawarra and Canberra the weekend was looking tough.
The weather had closed in on us, with some wild winds overnight almost putting a hold on our beach plans, however a small group headed down Saturday morning for some fresh sea air prior to heading off to Berkley Stadium.
Then it was time for business!
With the first win taking place in overtime it was obvious this was going to be a tough slog.
A solid second game helped us on the way to that elusive spot in the second round of state.
However, Sunday came and things changed.
A 3 point loss saw our plans fall to the wayside and a big defeat in the final game relegated us to just the SJL rounds only.
While disappointing, overall the girls played some of their best basketball this season.
The team began working well together and we can take some positives into the next comp which happens to be the Country Championships held in Maitland on the upcoming long weekend.
We're hoping for something special at Country, with the aim of bringing back the title as we did last year.
Time will tell.
With the job of coaching taking much of my time I wasn't able to do a lot of shooting.
The chances I had weren't helped by the darkness of Berkley Stadium, as can be seen on the back wall in the final image.

PS: Don't forget to click on the images to view them larger.

Trevor.

The Boys (and Girls) are back in town!

What a big night of basketball on the Border!
The Lady Bandits faced off against Frankston Lady Blues Saturday night with the opportunity to take yet another win for the season.
The Albury girls are becoming quite a formidable opponent for any team in the league and with stars such as Toni Edmondson and Lisa Wallbutton it's no surprise!
Toni had a big night again with 26 points and 10 rebounds topped only by Lisa who hit 28 and 10.
Of course the young local girls are stepping up to the plate as well with Alex Duck finishing on 14 and 5 while Ellie Gleeson, with some good court time chipped in with 5 and 4.
The home side took the points with a strong 75-51 score.

The men faced a tall outfit from North West Tasmania and from the first buzzer it was apparent we were in for a physical game.
Tempers flared many times with Fernandez providing some light entertainment via skipping, dancing and even sitting on the edge of a corporate box after a number of these skirmishes.
The Bandits were on top throughout the game and weren't about to be upstaged by their female counterparts finishing with a good solid victory 106-96.
Once again the local boys stood up and kept the score ticking over, Matt Gange with another solid game, 26 and 4, Matt De Koeyer on 17 and 4 and big Tony Ferris chipping in with 6 and 2.
All eyes have been on the latest addition to the team in Jermaine Williams.
He managed a game high 27 points with 8 rebounds for good measure!
And as for Fernandez, another top all round game finishing with 20 and 20.
No doubt about it, Fernandez can jump!
His rebounding at both ends of the court are giving the Bandits the opportunities to take the ball away from opponents and score via several quality outlets such as Gange, De Koeyer and now Williams, just to name a few.
Once again another great night of basketball on the Border and with our own Lauren Jackson watching from the sidelines, a very apt result.

Trevor.

Bandits' Road Trip

While I was unable to make the trip down the Hume on the weekend to see either of the two games the Bandits faced I was compelled to write something considering the outcomes.
Now, according to the box scores from the games the boys had a hard time against Bendigo, going down by 14 points.
Of course there are positives in any defeat, Broady Mills getting some more court time and scoring a few points, Matt Gange with another solid 15 point game and, although probably quiet by his standards, Fernandez Lockett chipping in with 18.
All eyes would have been on new import Jermaine Williams who hit a big 26 points in his first game for his new club.
Overall not a bad effort by the Bandits considering their position on the ladder compared to that of Bendigo.

Sunday they faced Ballarat and while the Miners have had a hard time of it lately they appeared not to show that form, leading at all but the first break.
The Bandits had a big final term however hitting 38 points to take the game by 7.
It was another strong effort by Matt Gange, who's proving to be quite a handful for opposition teams, with 18 points.
De Koeyer added 12 and Williams had another solid start to his term on the Border with 26 points but Lockett once again stole the show with a massive 42 points and 22 rebounds!
How I would have loved to have seen that!
The boys are showing they are a capable team with many players notching up solid scores.
With the disappointment of Smith behind them and the new injection of firepower via Williams hopefully they can go on and provide some quality entertainment for their many fans here on the Border.

Down the road a bit further the Lady Bandits faced one of the top teams in Dandenong and by all accounts it appears to have been a tight game all the way, the girls going down by 2 points.
This is a young team who are achieving some great things this season.
With some good coaching from Ken Kereema they should go on to bigger and better things by season's end.

Trevor.

Fernandez Lockett Slide

Fernandez Lockett has been a revelation for the Albury Wodonga Bandits this SEABL season.
He's an excitement machine providing athletic entertainment to Border fans.
Here's a few images to showcase his efforts this season thus far.