Holder and Treloar head the line-up at Gillman for Darcy Ward Benefit Meeting - October 2015

October 19, 2015 by Gillman Media

Former World Speedway Champion Chris Holder, and legendary Sidecar rider Darrin Treloar head the line-up of riders who will compete in the Darcy Ward Benefit Meeting at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway Stadium on Saturday night, 7 November.

Holder will be one three riders from this Saturday night’s Australian Speedway Grand Prix at Etihad Stadium in the Gillman line-up. The other two are fellow Aussies Troy Batchelor and the wildcard Sam Masters. The two reserves from Etihad, Victorians Justin Sedgmen and three-times Australian Under 21 Champion Max Fricke will also be a part of the 16 rider field at Gillman. This will be one of only two Australian meetings Holder will ride in this season apart from the GP.

They will be joined by overseas riders Adam Skórnicki (Poland), Emil Grøndal (Denmark), Anders Thomsen (Denmark), Richie Worrall (England), Kai Huckenbeck (Germany) and Australians Kevin Doolan, Brodie Waters, Tyron Proctor (Vic), Nick Morris (Qld), Brady Kurtz (NSW) and Arlo Bugeja (SA).

The Sidecar line-up is Australian Championship standard with six of the seven riders from last season’s championship final and semi-final competing. They are Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox, current Australian Champions Justin Plaisted/Sam Harrison, Mick Headland/Jesse Headland, Damien Niesche/Jack Spear, Trent Headland/Darryl Whetstone and Mark Plaisted/Darcy Risstrom, with former Australian Champion Mark Mitchell (new passenger Dale Knights) and Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin completing the eight rider line-up.

The attractive line-up should ensure a bumper crowd and Speedway manager David Parker said when announcing the line-up: “We’ve had wonderful support from the riders and also from sponsors, but now it is up to the supporters to show their support for Darcy. He’s receiving the very best care and treatment in hospital in England but that comes at a considerable price and I really hope that we can boost the fund by a significant amount. We have kept the admission prices at an affordable level and all the gate money will go to the Darcy Ward Rehabilitation Fund. I think a similar meeting in England attracted over 2,000 spectators so we’d love to beat that number if we could.”

Admission prices for this meeting will be Adults $25, Age Pens & Student Concession $20, Children 12-15 $5, Under 12 free, Family $55, Grandstand $5, Souvenir Programme $5, Parking free. Due to the amount of interest shown in the meeting so far the gates will open an hour earlier than normal, at 4pm, with racing starting at 7.30pm.