SA SIDECAR TITLE AT GILLMAN FEBRUARY 24

Feature photo by: Judy Mackay

One of the premier events on the speedway calendar, the South Australian Sidecar Championship, (sponsored by Safe Fire Electrical) is the feature event at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway this Saturday night, February 24.

And with 27 nominations, there will be a bonus event with an SA Division 2 Championship for the riders who do not qualify for the main event.

For this year’s championship Motorcycling South Australia has seeded just four riders — the highest four finishers available from last season’s championship — and all other riders will have to qualify via one lap time trials.

To allow programming space for the time trials (over two rounds), gates will open at 2pm, and the time trials will start at 4pm, with the championship heats to start at the normal time of 7pm.

The seeded riders and passengers are current, and three-time, Australian Champions Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner, Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter and Mick Headland/Jesse Headland.

Riders in the qualifying include former Australian Champions Justin Plaisted (passenger Damian Egan) and Trent Headland (April Cottrell), former two-time South Australian Champion David Bottrell (Darcy Risstrom), last season’s SA Championship semi-finalists Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris and Max Howse/Riley Commons, former Gillman champions Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien, Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan, Damien Niesche/Adam Niesche, Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low, Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski, Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy, Chris Walker/Jamie Flood, Josh Pascoe/Greg Black, Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell, Stephen Fowler/Jeremy Sherwood and Kane Golding/Cameron White,

Support events will be Flat Track Solos and 125cc Junior Solos.

For those that can’t attend, the meeting will be livestreamed through the website link [https://www.spacequakesports.com/ppv] for a cost of $25. 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, 24 February 2024

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 2pm.

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits until approximately 3.30pm.

Qualifying starts: at 4 pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Sidecars — Seeded riders/passengers: Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner, Mick Headland/Jesse Headland, Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter. Qualifying (fastest 12 qualify for SA Championship, others for Div 2 Championship): Matt Binns/Jarrad Katzorke, Tim Bichard/Seth Pascoe, David Bottrell/Darcy Risstrom, Matt Crundwell/James Crundwell, Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell, Stephen Fowler/Jeremy Sherwood, Kane Golding/Cameron White, Trent Headland/April Cottrell, Dean Hobbs/Danial Low, Max Howse/Riley Commons, Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds, Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan, Byron Mordaunt/William Lepoidevin, Damien Niesche/Adam Niesche, Josh Pascoe/Greg Black, Justin Plaisted/Damian Egan, Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy, Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski, Paul Snadden/Nick Johns, Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien, Chris Walker/Jamie Flood, Darryll Woods/tba.

Flat Track Solos: Group 1: Seane Chapman, David Footner, Dale Knights, Kyle Machin, Roy Stout, Robert Tumes. Group 2: Greg Laanekorb, Stuart McKenzie, Matt Paterson, Kristy Schultz, Troy Knights, Julian Timmis, Con Twist.

Juniors (on infield track during main track grades):

Under 16 125cc Junior Solos: Kobi Canning, Owen Chapman, Ruby Chapman, Hayden Kuchel, Connor Machin, William Nicol, Hayden Pascoe, Riley Stout.

6 p.m. pre-meeting junior riders (infield track) — 125cc Novice Junior Solos: Cooper Coats, Izabelle Murtagh, Jett Plaisted, Nate Sadler, Axel Smith.  50cc Junior Solos: Hope Coats, Oliver Coats, Kolby Schultz. Pee Wee Junior Solos: Zara Plaisted, Kolby Schultz.

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, Children Under 16 free. Parking free. Programme $5-includes two chances to win $50 fuel vouchers. EFTPOS available at both entrances, the 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://www.spacequakesports.com/ppv]. The cost is $25 Australian. Any other claimed links to livestreaming are scams and should be ignored.

Seating: Free grandstand seating, terracing suitable for deck chairs, and large grassed viewing mounds.

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.

Weather Forecast as at 21 February: Maximum 28, minimum 13. Cloud clearing.

[www.bom.gov.au/sa/forecasts/adelaide.shtml]

Directions:

The best way to get to Gillman Speedway is off Hanson Road.

If you are coming from the eastern and southern suburbs, get on to Hanson road off Torrens Road or Grand Junction Road, travel north on Hanson road over the train line then take the first road on the left, which is Wilkins road.

From the northern suburbs, travel down the Port Adelaide expressway and take the Hanson Road exit. Once on Hanson Road, take the first exit on your right, this is Wilkins road.

From the western suburbs, Wilkins Road is the continuation of Bedford Street, north of Eastern Parade.

For interstate visitors flying into Adelaide and getting a hire car, Gillman is about 20kms, and 30 minutes’ drive (depending on traffic lights) from the airport.

The easiest and most direct way from the airport, if not going to your accommodation first is:

On leaving the airport, turn left onto Sir Donald Bradman Drive. Continue along Sir Donald Bradman Drive until you reach the end of the airport grounds and turn right onto Tapleys Hill Road. Keep going on Tapleys Hill Road until you can’t go any further. That’s Port Road. Turn left onto Port Road (you can only turn left). Continue down Port Road for about 1 km to the first intersection which is Grand Junction road and turn right. Go 700 metres along Grand Junction Road, over a bridge over a railway line. Stay in the left lane because at the bottom of the bridge you turn left into Gray Terrace. Go to the end of Gray Terrace and turn right onto Bedford Street. Keep going on that road until you get to the speedway. About 2km.

Accommodation: There is plenty of accommodation in Adelaide and suburbs, within 20-30 minutes of the Speedway, ranging from five star hotels to caravan parks and backpacker hostels.