Mildura’s leading driver Shayne Cramp along with in-form local reinsman Luke Watson will contest the three-race series with fellow Victorian representatives Greg Sugars and Nathan Jack.

Hall has fared well in the barrier draws as two of his three drives will begin from barrier one in Northerly Rain and Duminy, while his other drive of the series is Trishez Angel for local trainer Jason McGinty, which is also a leading hope in the second leg of the championship.

“I have done well with the draws and it will be a great night as the club has done a top job to get the big names there,” Hall said.

Hall has driven at the Mildura circuit previously at the Mildura Pacing Cup Carnival last year and he drove the former Shayne Cramp trained pacer Visigoth to victory during his visit to Sunraysia.

“We have tight tracks over here (in WA) so it was good to get a win at Mildura during the cup carnival which I really enjoyed. The crowd gets right into it as they are so close to the action which makes it exciting and even Dad (Gary Snr) was here at the time as well and he even said it created for a real good atmosphere,” Hall said.

Hall contested a Drivers Invitational series at Horsham last year where he won a heat of the championship and finished fourth overall.

South Mildura trainer-driver Shayne Cramp is on track for his best season as he is fourth on the state training premiership and is currently ninth for the driving title with 27 wins so far this season and he is looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Drivers Invitational series tonight.

“It should be a bit of fun and it is a great opportunity to drive against the best,” Cramp said.

Local driver Luke Watson received a late call-up to replace leading Victorian reinsman Daryl Douglas who could not get out of his driving commitments at the Bendigo meeting this afternoon.

Champion New Zealand driver Anthony Butt will need a bit of luck go his way in the series as his horses have drawn barriers 10 and 11 in the first two heats and he has a wide front row draw in barrier five with Panamaris in the final event of the series.

This article appeared in Friday's Sunraysia Daily 3-2-2012.