The USA’s Chance Lykens will be one of the drivers vying for $15,000 in the Gulf Western Oils Mega Race on Saturday at Sydney Dragway.
Lykens will be driving one of Shane Wynd’s Dial Before You Dig team dragsters. Lykens has driven for Wynd before, last competing at an ANDRA Summit Series event in Portland, Victoria.
“Chance and I met at the Spring Fling race in Bristol, Tennessee in 2016,” Wynd said. “He was pivotal in helping putting our USA racing operating together in 2017, picking up the RV from Ohio and also driving to Bristol to pick up our dragster and trailer.
“When Chance picked up our USA dragster he raced at his local track and took the win for $5000. (My wife) Kerrie and I then went over and raced it for our four week vacation.
“Chance also stored our operation for two years, for which we were very thankful.”
Lykens found the funds to go flying to Australia the first time in an unusual way.
“On the flight to Ohio the connecting plane was full and people were asked to get off in return for flight money,” Wynd explained. “Chance jumped at the opportunity when the offer got to $1500. This allowed him to come down to Australia to race for free, which he did at Portland.”
With Lykens starting a new position at TCI soon, he had the time to come back to Australia and hopefully take the big money. He will also race at the third round of the Atura NSW series.
As for Wynd, he will be heading to the USA soon to do some more racing.
“Kerrie and I are heading over after the Nitro Thunder for four weeks of racing there. We have Nitro Thunder, then USA and then back home for the Winternationals – six weeks of racing!”
