Darrin Treloar returns to the winner’s circle at Gillman - March 2016

March 6, 2016 by Gillman Media

After two previous meetings this season were blighted by machinery problems, star rider Darrin Treloar returned to the winner’s circle at Gillman Speedway last night (5 March) when he won his fourth Gillman Sidecar Championship, a new record for the most number of wins in the event.

Treloar previously shared the highest number of wins (3) with Mark Plaisted who missed last night’s meeting as he was on his way back from a holiday in England. The win was the first, however, for Treloar’s passenger, Blake Cox.

Top scorers in the 20 heats were in-form South Australians Damien Niesche and Mitchell Spear, with 14 points. Their only loss was to Aussie #2 Warren Monson/Matt Morgan in heat 8. Joining Niesche/Spear as the direct qualifiers for the Final were Treloar/Cox and Mark Mitchell/Dale Knights with 13 points. Treloar, who was running a new motor which he only finished building in Sydney the night before, was beaten by Arron Hartwig/Teagan Hartwig in his first ride, and Niesche/Spear in heat 10, but got quicker as the night went on and beat Monson/Morgan and Mitchell/Knights in his last two heats before scoring a convincing win in the final ahead of Niesche/Spear and Mitchell/Knights. Mitchell had dropped his heat points to Niesche and Treloar.

The fourth starters, and finishers, in the final were Arron Hartwig/Teagan Hartwig, who were the early pacesetters, winning their first three rides, before an exclusion after a clash with fellow unbeaten rider Mark Mitchell in heat 15 which resulted in a fall for Mitchell’s passenger Dale Knights. A second place to Monson in his last heat left them on 11 points and relegated them to the last chance semi-final along with Monson/Morgan (12), Luke Puddy/Damian Egan (9) and Kiwi Andrew Buchanan, with Jesse Headland as passenger (8).

Despite losing to Monson in heat 17, Hartwig led Monson throughout the semi-final to earn the last place in the final, with Buchanan pinching second place from Monson on the line.

Just missing a start in the semi-final were Shane Rudloff/Tom Adams, Aaron Silvy/Adam Pascoe and Klae Hobbs/Liam Cox on 7 points.

Defending champion Mick Headland had a terrible night, not what he would have wanted just three weeks before the World Cup. He started well enough with a close second to Mark Mitchell in heat two but it was all downhill from that point. In his next heat, against Treloar, he was excluded for touching the tapes, but worse was to come when he crashed heavily when dicing for the lead with Hartwig in his third ride. He then witdrew from the meeting although passenger Jesse Headlland continued on, replacing Denny Cox as passenger for Buchanan.

The next meeting is The Rise Littlehampton SRA President’s Trophy night (for Solos and Sidecars) on 19 March. With full fields of Solos and Sidecars expected, including all the overseas Sidecar riders here for the World Cup, the starting time will not be known until later in the week, but it will be announced on the Gllman Speedway website as soon as it has been decided.

Top photo: Victory lap by Darrin Treloar and Blake Cox. Photo by Judy Mackay.