Sport
1 August, 2025
Speedway amidst the cane
AS national tensions simmer between 360 and LS sprintcar classes, Cairns Speedway is holding firm to its LS-only roots, even as both engine types line up for Thunder in the Canefields tonight.
The rift comes after Speedway Australia opted to combine 360 and LS sprintcars into a single class, requiring both to race together in sanctioned events despite a significant power and cost gap.
LS engines, found in high-performance Commodores, can cost as little as $20,000 second-hand and produce around 550 horsepower, while a 360 engine starts at approximately $60,000 and delivers up to 750 horsepower.
While the Cairns Speedway promotes LS-only racing at a local level, Thunder in the Canefields is a sanctioned event that includes both 360 and LS sprintcars on the same grid.
Unlike many other regions where 360-powered sprintcars dominate the grid, the Cairns club has built its foundation on the more accessible LS class to keep racing affordable and competitive for local drivers.
Sprintcar racing’s global benchmark is the 410 engine, used in top-tier teams and starting at $100,000 for the engine alone. It remains the domain of metro-based outfits with deep pockets.
NQ65 sprintcar driver Gwesyn Dalliston said the club’s approach had helped grow local participation without sacrificing quality.
“This club runs LS. It’s what we’ve built this club and this whole region on, and the simple reason is that people with a reasonable budget can run these cars,” he said.
“They’re not cheap to run by any means. They’re not clunkers and these are not wrecker motors.”
While some LS drivers are refusing to compete against 360s, others are rising to the challenge. Last year, Cairns local Brodie Davis piloted his LS-powered NQ51 car to third place in the Thunder in the Canefields final.
With more than 20 sprintcars expected and national heavyweights like Ryan Farrell, Brendan Guerin and Kye Jensen returning, the 2025 event promises a lot of action.
Thunder in the Canefields runs across two big weekends: August 1-2 and 8-9.
Tickets are available online at
https://bit.ly/3U0vZ4I or at the gate.
