SA SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIP FEBRUARY 25

The premier Sidecar event of the season in the state, the Safe Fire Electrical South Australian Sidecar Championship, is the highlight at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway Saturday night ,February 25.

The championship is always one of the hardest fought events on the Australian motorcycle speedway calendar, and this year will be no different with leading riders from interstate once again taking on local stars for the first place trophy.

This year there will be a difference however, as Motorcycling South Australia has seeded eight South Australian riders into the championship, while all other competitors, including the interstate stars, will be required to qualify for the other eight positions.

This means there will be a star-studded line-up in the qualifying including seven-time SA Champion Darrin Treloar (passenger Blake Cox), current Queensland champion Tyler Moon, and current New South Wales numbers two and three, Max Howse/Riley Commons and Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien. Treloar, Moon and Stephens were all finalists in last meeting’s Bob White Cup, while Howse was runner-up.

Other riders in the qualifying who have reached the semi-final stage of the major Gillman Sidecar events this season are Melbourne’s Chris Walker (passenger Eric Melton), Port Pirie’s Stephen Fowler (Megan Cane), Adelaide teenager Nate Headland (Jaxon Rayner), and Sydney teenager Jake Treloar.

Qualifying will be time trials, with each rider having two runs, with the fastest eight qualifying and the others going into support races.

The seeded riders awaiting them in the championship heats will be four-time winners Mark Plaisted (passenger Ben Pitt) and Mick Headland (Brenton Kerr), current SA #2 Kane Golding/Isaac Amos, SA #3 Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter, Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, Brian Silvy/Dean Cottrell, Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low and Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell.

Plaisted/Pitt and Headland/Kerr have won the last four titles between them and will again be the favourites, along with Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox if they qualify as expected.

Although Golding and Mitchell finished second and third in last year’s event, the best of the other local riders this season has been Shane Rudloff, who was a finalist in both the Gillman Championship and the Bob White Cup. Based only on this season’s form Moon, Howse, Rudloff and Stephens appear the most likely to challenge the top three of Plaisted, Headland and Treloar for a place in the final. Most of the other riders, however, are capable of taking points from these riders, which could well determine the make-up of the last chance semi-final.

To allow for the qualifying time trials, gates will open at the earlier time of 3.30pm. Qualifying will be at 5pm, and the championship heats at the normal starting time of 7pm.

The meeting will be livestreamed through the website link below. Please note this is the only official livestreaming link, any others touted on facebook sites are scams and should be ignored.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 25 February 2023

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 3.30pm.

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits until approximately 4.30pm.

Qualifying time trials start: at 5 pm.

Championship heats start: at 7 pm.

Riders:

Safe Fire Electrical South Australian Sidecar Championship seeded riders/passengers: 1-Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, 12-Brian Silvy/Dean Cottrell, 15-Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, 35-Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter, 89-Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell, 107-Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr, 115-Kane Golding/Isaac Amos, 970-Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low

Safe Fire Electrical South Australian Sidecar Championship qualifying riders/passengers: 08-Chris Walker/Eric Melton (Vic/SA), 19-Josh Pascoe/Matt Crawford, 27-Stephen Fowler/Megan Cane, 43-Daniel Puddy/Byron Mordaunt, 69-Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien (NSW/SA), 77-Tim Bichard/Seth Pascoe, 84-Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox (NSW), 120-Tyler Moon/TBA (Qld), 128-Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner, 194-Max Howse/Riley Commons (NSW), 272-Adam Pascoe/Axel Brereton, 684-Jake Treloar/TBA (NSW), 922-Willy Walker/Jarrad Nash

Solo Flat Track: Richard Bunting, Sean Curtis, David Footner, Troy Knights, Kyle Machin, Greg Laanekorb, Matt Paterson, Kristy Schultz, Roy Stout, Con Twist, Brent Webley.

125cc Junior (Under 16) Solos (infield track): Ruby Chapman, Connor Machin, Ryleigh McGregor

250cc Junior (Under 16) Sidecars (infield track): Lachlan Coppen/Hayden Kuchel, Sam Horton/Riley Edson

6 p.m. pre-meeting junior riders (infield track) — 125cc Novice Junior Solos: Owen Chapman, Cooper Coats, Tanner Kenyon, Jett Plaisted, Nate Sadler, Axel Smith, Riley Stout.  50cc Junior Solos: Chase Maul-Dunn, Jett Plaisted, Kolby Schultz. Pee Wee Junior Solos: Hope Coats, Oliver Coats, Chase Maul-Dunn, Jett Plaisted, Nate Sadler, Kolby Schultz.

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, 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/ direct link not created yet (the cost is $25 Australian). Any other claimed links to livestreaming are scams and should be ignored.

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.