Allard — a former New Zealand champion and multiple King of California — will be out to grab opening night bragging rights for the 30-lap main event.
Pickens was only too happy to help Allard out.
"Jonathan is largely responsible for why I'm racing a sprint car today," Pickens said. "He offered the use of his spare car to get me started along with an engine from Warwick McKenzie, so to have Jonathan drive the car is pretty special, and no doubt he will have it running up front."
Racing will be fierce all night with sprint cars racing to gain starting positions for the feature event, as well as the Kiwi locals racing for the chance to represent New Zealand in the test races.
Aaron Hodgson and Hayden Williams will continue their midget battle — the pair have taken a feature race win apiece so far this season. The chasing pack of Brock Maskovich, Shayne Alach, Zach Daum and company will be fighting hard to get into the mix as well.
"The rivalry with Hayden goes back about 15 years," Hodgson told the Herald. "I used to race karts with him and I was actually good mates with him long before I came to work here at Buckley Racing.
"He is a teammate and one of my good mates — we have a bit of an on-track rivalry going on but when the helmets come off we sit down and have a beer and talk about the race.
"It is cool to race wheel to wheel with him. He's always raced me clean on tarmac and now on dirt as well."
Hodgson's success last week has been a massive shot in the arm for the relatively inexperienced midget driver and f his team.
"It has given me and Scott Buckley — he designed the chassis which is pretty unique and different to anything else — a bit of confidence.
"It is different to any other midget chassis in the world.
"There have been a few people that have had a bit of a giggle and doubted it so it is pretty cool to be working and he has built a hell of a hot rod."
A full field of TQs and F2s will also be in action on Saturday night. Gates open at 4pm with racing starting around 5.45pm.
