SA Solo Championship this Saturday night
Gillman Media 14 December 2023
The first of this season’s state championships — the National Karate South Australian 500cc Solo Championship — takes place at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway this Saturday night, 16 December.
Only one former winner, Merbein’s Justin Sedgmen, is in the line-up and as a two-time winner, and after a couple of good season’s racing in the British League since he last won the title in December 2021, he’ll start as the favourite to win a third title.
However there are also five other finalists — Fraser Bowes, Jake Turner, Brayden McGuinness, Jack Morrison and Michael West — from the last two championships in the line-up, all looking to move up onto the top step of the podium if Sedgmen is not at his absolute best.
Bowes has been the in-form rider after returning home from a successful season in the Polish Under-24 League and in recent weeks has won the final at the opening Gillman meeting, won the Victorian Championship at Undera Park Speedway, and finished second in the Chum Taylor Foundation Cup in Western Australia. Bowes was only beaten by Sedgmen in the 21/22 SA Championship and will have high hopes of going one better this weekend.
McGuinness was third behind Sedgmen and Bowes in 21/22, while Turner, Morrison and West were second, third and fourth in last season’s title behind Rory Schlein, who is now back living in the UK. This season Morrison, from Bendigo, finished second behind Bowes in the recent Victorian Championship, while West won the Australian Under-21 Championship in Tamworth.
Other riders in the line-up are Mildura’s Patrick Hamilton who finished third in the Victorian Championship, Perth’s Matt Marson who was third in the Chum Taylor Cup, Dayle Wood who had a season with Edinburgh in the UK this year, Aden Clare (NSW), Arlo Bugeja, Roy Stout, Isaiah Hartley (Vic) and Shaun Sampson,
Support events will consist of an evenly matched line-up of Sidecars, plus Flat Track Solos, 250cc Junior Solos and 125cc Junior Solos.
After winning the Gillman Championship at the last meeting, Shane Hudson, back with regular passenger Adam Constable, will have to start as the favourite to take out the final but competition with be keen between Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner, Josh Pascoe/Greg Black, Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski, Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell, Stephen Fowler/Jeremy Sherwood and Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low to fill the other three places in the final.
The Under 16 250cc Solos were to be contesting the Gillman Championship but the rain-off last weekend has seen a number of riders no longer available, so with only three riders, Ashley Jansen-Batchelor, Harry Sadler and Angus Hume (Vic), still on the programme the championship will take place at a later date.
Jake Mitchell, Seane Chapman, Rohan Clark and Dale Knights standout as the favourites to make the six-rider Flat Track Solo final, but, as with the sidecars, there should be close racing between most of the other riders to earn one of the other two places in the final.
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.
This is the last Gillman meeting before Christmas. The following meeting will be the Gillman Solo Championship on Thursday night, 28 December.
Everything You Need To Know:
Meeting Date: Saturday, 16 December 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 4.00pm.
Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits until approximately 6.15pm.
Racing starts: at 7 pm.
Riders:
Solos 500cc National Karate South Australian Championship: Fraser Bowes, Arlo Bugeja, Aden Clare (NSW), Patrick Hamilton (Vic), Isaiah Hartley (Vic), Matt Marson (WA), Brayden McGuinness, Jack Morrison (Vic), Shaun Sampson, Justin Sedgmen (Vic), Roy Stout, Jake Turner, Michael West (NSW), Dayle Wood (Vic). Late change Aden Clare out.
Sidecars: Nathan Fleet/Cameron Diwell, Stephen Fowler/Jeremy Sherwood, Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner, Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low, Shane Hudson/Adam Constable, Josh Pascoe/Greg Black, Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski. Late change Shane Hudson out.
Solos Flat Track: Seane Chapman, Shane Church, Rohan Clark, Graeme Eberhard, Dale Knights, Troy Knights, Greg Laanekorb, Stuart McKenzie, Jake Mitchell, Matt Paterson, Kristy Schultz, Simon Sweeney, Con Twist, Mingyu Zhao. Late change Matt Paterson out, replaced by David Footner.
250cc Junior Solos: Angus Hume (Vic), Ashley Jansen-Batchelor, Harry Sadler
125cc Junior Solos: Kobi Canning, Owen Chapman, Ruby Chapman, Blake Hocking, Hayden Kuchel, Ryleigh McGregor, William Nicol, Hayden Pascoe, Blake Schlein, Riley Stout
6pm pre-meeting Junior Races: 125cc Junior Solo Novices: 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. Souvenir programme $5-includes 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, large grassed viewing mounds, and terracing suitable for deck chairs.
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 14 December: Maximum 22, minimum 13. Partly cloudy.
[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.
Contact for this meeting: Ivan Golding 0417 138 378.