The 2010 championship sees an exciting addition to the competition with the introduction of the National Championship Formula Ford Fiesta class. The Fiesta class competitors will be vying for class honours in the inaugural year of state competition, and this will no doubt be a hard fought chase till the end of the season in October.

Amongst the 20 plus entries for the NSW Championship opener are regular front running teams  Anglo Australian Motorsport, Icon Motorsport and Listec Racing who will be hard pushed by National Championship winning team Synergy Motorsport.

A regular on the Australian Championship scene for the past three years that has included a championship victory, the Synergy Motorsport team, which is owned by former NSW Championship front runner Justin Cotter, are going to field three cars in this year’s NSW Championship which includes Daniel Cotton, Chris Goodman and Stefan Borsato. Both Cotton and Goodman are returning to the NSW Championship after brief stints in the Australian Championship. The NSW Championship was where both Cotton and Goodman cut their teeth in Formula Ford. As one would expect Synergy Motorsport will be one of the many leading contenders in the Formula Ford Fiesta Class throughout the year.

However, a hard blow has hit Chris Goodman, who is now recovering from a broken collarbone after an accident earlier this week. Goodman will miss this weekend, but is desperate to get back out after putting in some good pre-season testing times.

With Synergy Motorsport concentrating on the Fiesta Class, it’s hard to go by the formidable team of Anglo Australian Motorsport as the favourites for the outright championship and they too are fielding three drivers. Last year’s impressive rookie Adam Leung returns to the NSW Championship and this time is hoping to build his debut year and become a genuine front running contender on a consistent basis. After only contesting the final two rounds of last year’s NSW Championship Richard Goddard will make his full-time debut this year and he is no doubt going to be amongst the front runners.  The third member of the Anglo Australian Motorsport team is going to be Steve Charman and he will drive a Van Diemen RF95.

Russell Newell has joined Listec Racing and has formed a two car team with regular driver Alan Price. It was at the opening round of last year’s NSW Championship where Newell had a career best result and he is no doubt looking to duplicate that, while Price showed towards the end of last year that he is capable of being a Top 5 contender. Price will compete in the Fiesta Class Listec for this year.

Although they may not be linked up with any multi cars teams, the likes of Derryn Harrison, Ryan Campbell and John Pereira are aiming for solid starts to their 2010 NSW Championship campaigns.

Both Tom Tweedie (Van Diemen RF86) and Greg Watson (Mawer 004) run two of the oldest cars in the NSW Championship field and despite the age of their machinery there is certainly no discounting them as outright Top 5 chances. On numerous occasions last year in the NSW Championship Tweedie and Watson were right up there mixing it with the leaders who were running the latest machinery. Other historic and Pre 90 class competitors are going to be Doug Matley, Ross Firth and Stephen Weller.

Former leading V8 Supercar privateer Peter Doulman is set to make a cameo return to Formula Ford and he will do it steering a Spirit WL06 in the Fiesta class.

The lone female competitor in this year’s NSW Championship is Emma Brown. The ex Karter heads into her debut year with plenty of enthusiasm and she will be one to watch out for as her confidence grows. Brown made her Formula Ford debut at last year’s NSW Championship finale at Oran Park Raceway.

Aside from Brown, other rookies are James Garley, John Collins and Daryl Hall and they are looking to make their mark throughout this year’s NSW Championship.

The opening round of the NSW Championship is going to kick off on Saturday with a qualifying session and the opening race, and on Sunday both race two and three will be fought out.

2010 NSW Formula Ford Championship Calendar:
Round 1 – Eastern Creek Raceway – March 13 and 14
Round 2 – Wakefield Park Raceway – April 10 and 11
Round 3 – Eastern Creek Raceway – June 19 and 20
Round 4 – Wakefield Park Raceway – August 28 and 29
Round 5 (Finale) – Eastern Creek Raceway – October 23 and 24

-ENDS RELEASE-