CHAMPIONS AT GILLMAN SPEEDWAY

Feature photo: Tai Woffinden in action earlier this year.

Adelaide Speedway fans are in for a post-Christmas treat when former World, British and Australian Champions will compete in the FIM Oceania 500cc Solo Speedway Championship at Gillman Speedway next Wednesday night (28 December).

Headlining the 16 rider line-up are two former World Champions, Tai Woffinden and Jason Doyle, former Australian Champion Rohan Tungate, and former British Champion Adam Ellis. It is believed this will be the first time two former World Champions have raced at Gillman on the same night.

Woffinden, who began his career in junior speedway in Perth, where he won the 2006 Western Australian Under-16 title, before returning to his native England at age 15 to start his professional career at his original home-town track in Scunthorpe, won the World individual Championship in 2013, 2015 and 2018, and was runner-up in 2016 and 2020. He is also a three-time British Champion, and an eleven-time Speedway Grand Prix winner.

This will be Woffinden’s first racing appearance in Adelaide, but Jason Doyle is no stranger to the Gillman regulars. He’s been riding in the major events, such as the Australian Championship, every year since he was a teenager, apart from when he has been injured, and he made his first appearance as World Champion at Gillman the weekend after winning the title in Melbourne in 2017.

Despite their World Championship credentials neither Woffinden or Doyle can be considered a certainty to win, as 2018 Australian Champion Rohan Tungate, although being from the hamlet of Pelaw Main in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, is something of a Gillman track specialist, finishing in the first three in seven of his past eight appearances in rounds of the Australian Championship there. His only ‘blip’ was in 2017 when he just missed qualifying for the final after a heavy crash in his first ride.

Justin Sedgmen, the current Australia number two, is also a Gillman track specialist and has been on the podium four times in Australian Championship events, and is a ten-time finalist, and two-time winner, of the South Australian Championship.

On the other hand, 2021 British Champion Adam Ellis has only made one appearance at Gillman, which was earlier this month when he finished third in the Gillman Track Championship behind Jaimon Lidsey and Sedgmen.

It is hard to image anyone outside these five making the final but with the FIM format of two semi-finals, anything can happen and an engine failure or a few surprise dropped points could even see four of them all in the same semi-final and two facing elimination.

If that occurs, there are a number of riders who are capable of pouncing on any opportunity that may arise to give them a chance to qualify.

Local favourite Fraser Bowes has been in good form and only just missed a place in the recent Australian Championship final.

Rockhampton’s Zane Keleher and New South Wales rider Michael West also had some good rides in the same meeting, and another local rider, Brayden McGuinness, is certainly a chance of a semi-final berth but this is his first appearance for the season so he has no current form guide compared to the likes of Bowes, Keleher and West.

Ex-pat Kiwi Jake Turner could be a chance if he can return to his best form after a disappointing Australian Championship night and he and Jack Morrison did finish first and second in last season’s Gillman track championship. New South Wales rider, Josh Macdonald has British League experience, and Mildura’s Cooper Riordan, Dayle Wood and Patrick Hamilton, and local veteran Steven Graetz, will have plenty of local support as they are all Gillman regulars.

Gates open at 4pm, racing starts at 7pm. Livestreaming will be available only through the website link below.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Wednesday, 28 November 2022

Venue: Gillman Speedway Stadium, 65 Wilkins Road, Gillman – near the Port Adelaide area.

Parking and entrance: Patrons can enter via gates at the western and eastern ends of the venue. There are free off-street parking areas near both gates.

Gates open: at 4pm. Note this change, not 3 pm as previously advertised.

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits from 4pm to 5pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Riders:

FIM Oceania 500cc Speedway Solo Championship: Fraser Bowes (SA), Jason Doyle (NSW), Adam Ellis (Eng), Steven Graetz (SA), Patrick Hamilton (Vic), Zane Keleher (Qld), Joshua Macdonald (NSW), Brayden McGuinness (SA), Jack Morrison (Vic), Cooper Riordan (Vic), Justin Sedgmen (Vic), Rohan Tungate (NSW), Jake Turner (NZ/SA), Michael West (NSW), Tai Woffinden (Eng), Dayle Wood (Vic). Reserves: Liam May (SA), Jackson Milner (Vic).

500cc Solo Support Races: Declan Knowles (Vic), Liam May (SA), Jackson Milner (Vic), Teagan Pedler (SA).

125cc Junior (Under 16) Solos (on infield track during main track grades): Cooper Antone (NSW), Kobi Canning (SA), Ruby Chapman (SA), Lilly Cottrell (Vic), Ambrose Fraser (Vic), Jordan Hargreaves (SA), Blake Hocking (SA), Angus Hume (Vic), Ryleigh McGregor (SA), William Nicol (SA), Blake Schlein (Vic), Darcey Timmis (SA)

Admission: Adults $30, Age Pension and Student Concession $25, Children Under 16 free. Parking free. Souvenir programme $5- includes chances to win $50 fuel vouchers. EFTPOS available at both entrances, canteen, bar and souvenir shop.

Concession is limited to holders of the Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and Student Concession card holders only.

Livestreaming: This meeting will be livestreamed on https://spacequakesports.vhx.tv/products/fim-oceana-speedway-championship (cost $25, note the website shows the price as $16.99 in US dollars). Any other claimed links to livestreaming are scams.

Seating: There are large grassed viewing mounds and terracing suitable for deck chairs. The Grandstand only has 120 seats available for this meeting due to ongoing refurbishment.

VIP Area: The Bob White VIP area is available to anyone who would like to treat their business colleagues, family or friends to the best view in the stadium. Enjoy the elevated view overlooking the track, either from inside the temperature controlled rooms, on the timber deck, or on the enclosed lawn area. The VIP area also has its own bar and toilet. Ring Ivan Golding on 0417 138 378 for more details.

Food and drink: Full bar and catering available. Food includes hot chips, hamburgers, chicken burgers, pies, pasties, sausage rolls, Chiko Rolls, dim sims, hot dogs, doughnuts, coffee, cold drinks, sweets. “Gillman has far and away the best speedway tucker” [Peter White’s Speedway World]

Please note a condition of our liquor licence is no byo alcohol or glass can be brought into the venue.

Souvenirs: There is a well-stocked souvenir shop. See the “A Night At Gillman” tab.

Pets: No animals are allowed into the venue except assistance animals, eg guide dogs.