Christopher Bell is happy with being on the outside looking in as he plots a course to winning tonight’s President’s Cup sprintcar epic and $10.000 at Avalon Raceway.

 

Most of tonight’s US combatants have either been in town either relaxing or interstate racing up a storm.

 

Bell, 21, arrived in town yesterday after two weeks of solid competition in the Arizona Heat sprintcar series and the Chili Bowl indoor speedcar classic at Tulsa, Oklahoma.

 

Being touted as the ‘next big thing’ in American motorsport, the Norman, Oklahoma driver is following close in the footsteps of Kyle Larson who has gone from speedcars and sprinters in one season to replacing former F1 champion Juan Pablo Montoya in the Target NASCAR team.

 

Bell did it all last year in the US, but he prefers to duck his head and slip under the radar.

 

He faces a tough initiation tonight against fellow countrymen Jac Haudenschild, Daryn Pittman, Kyle Hirst, Randy Hannagan, Terry McCarl, Kyle Hirst and Danny Holtgraver, to say nothing of the toughest Australian challenge he has encountered.

 

The Essendon Ford sponsored President’s Cup classic has attracted 60 confirmed entries.

 

“We couldn’t be happier,” said Avalon Raceway spokesman Jeff Drew last night.

 

“Our entry list is as we had hoped, it didn’t need to stretch to 70 or 80 teams as there would have been more disappointed teams than happy ones because we can only tale the best 18 to the main event,” Jeff confirmed.

 

Local fans will be supporting Victorian aces Jamie Veal and David Murcott  (pictured) who have been in rock solid form this summer at Avalon.

Gates open this afternoon at 3.00 p m. while the pit walk commences at 3.00 p.m. and racing starts at 7.00 p.m. sharp.

 

Adult admission is $30, juniors 12-16 $10 and kids 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free.