This weekend's event is a deliberate change from the usual February date (which was late in the Victorian track season) in the hope of attracting strong fields, and with the inclusion of the Masters Track Championship it should prove a strong draw for competitors.

Alice Culling and Natalie Wemyss are locals with excellent results this year and will carry big expectations for race wins, while Jordie Argall has made great strides in the road season and will acquit himself well at the track.

Murray Culling will be using the experience of competition from across Victoria in J13, while several other local riders are entered.

The Ararat and District Cycling Club is encouraging all interested spectators to come and support the event.

The Club ran a shortened track program last Friday night to allow for the 2014 road season presentations.

Minda Denham is proving tenacious with wins in the opening two lap scratch race and later in the D grade two lap handicap.

Izaiyah Turner also had a handicap win from a midfield start, while Murray Culling finished four lengths away from Natalie Wemyss in the C grade eight lap scratch race.

Wemyss later caught Bailey Turner in the third of the four lap handicap, commencing the bell lap with a 50-metre lead, but by the finish line the relentless Culling had reduced this to a metre to gain second place.

Dylan Woods used his 180-metre front mark in the B grade three lap handicap to hold off second place getter Brian Howlett.

Woods held the front mark again in the four lap handicap, while Howlett and Eric Van Opstal were right on his heels in the final 50 metres, however scratch rider Alice Culling swooped past them all to take the race right on the line.

Jordie Argall took the 12 lap A grade scratch race from Crystal Wemyss and Matt Denham, but Wemyss was good for the three lap handicap, with Luke Pretlove and Matt Denham second and third.

In the five lap handicap Wemyss found herself caught by Denham in the bell lap, leaving visiting rider Todd Lamb in third and Argall fourth, while Pretlove, unable to close the gap from scratch, had fallen back by lap three.

See Tuesday's edition of The Ararat Advertiser for results from the Ararat and District Cycling Club's road presentations.

The article on Alice Culling receiving Local Sporting Champions Grant in Tuesday's paper contained an error.

The Victorian Junior State Road Cycling Championship, which Culling competed in, was during August and held in Wangaratta not Towoomba as printed, while the Track Nationals were held in February.

Culling is currently in the Victorian squad, training for the 2015 Track Nationals this coming February, with teams not announced until after state titles.