Sidecar legends to ride at Gillman Speedway Classic meeting

Gillman Media 26 October 2022

Two of Australia’s Speedway Sidecar legends, Phil McCurtayne and Dennis Nash, will be amongst the competitors at this year’s annual Gillman Speedway Classic Championships in Adelaide on Saturday night (29 October).

The Classic meeting gives fans the chance to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the bikes of yesteryear before the modern-day summer season starts (on 12 November), and admission prices are an affordable $20 for adults and $15 for age pensioners and student concession. Children under 16 are free.

Racing starts at 7pm but the gates will open at 4pm so spectators have plenty of time to have a close look at the bikes before the pits are closed to the public at around 6.30pm.

As well as the championship racing, the Classic meeting always has a special guest of honour and Phil McCurtayne is this year’s tribute rider.

The former Australian Champion earned his status as a legend by becoming just the second rider, and still one of only four riders, to win three consecutive Australian Sidecar Championships, with his victories at Liverpool in 1984, Alice Springs in 85, and Cairns in 86. A fourth title only just eluded him when he finished third at Archerfield in 87, just one point behind Andrew Cleave and Martien Hurkmans, who had a run-off for first place.

McCurtayne won’t just be a special guest, however, as he’ll also be competing in the Sidecar Evolution class on the restored Kawasaki lowliner bike he won his three titles on.

Five-time Australian Champion Dennis Nash, a past recipient of a tribute meeting on the Classic night, is travelling from Perth to ride a restored Vincent powered bike in the British Sidecar class against Victoria’s Rory McEnroe/Darren Turner, who will be on the Vincent raced by his father Kevin McEnroe, and before that Australian Champion Bruce Kelley, at Rowley Park Speedway, and local duo Clinton Crabb/Michael Bell on a 750 Triumph.

As well as the Evolution and British classes, Sidecars will also contest the Japanese and Post Classic classes. The Japanese class includes the past three winners Steven Lewis, Aaron Silvy and Wayne Lethbridge, while Dean Hobbs will be going for his third successive championship in the Post Classics.

The Solos will have two Championship classes this year, the 2 valve class for riders aged 40 or over, and the Evolution Upright 4 valve class, with riders from South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, while the Classic Flat Track riders will compete for the Greg Nestor Cup, in memory of one of the regular Gillman riders who passed away during the off-season.

Please note the grandstand is not available for this meeting due to refurbishment.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 29 October 2022.

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 pm.

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits for a close look at the bikes until approximately 6.30 pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Formats, riders and passengers:

Formats: All classes will be decided over three heat rides for each rider, with a final for the highest four point scorers (6 in Flat Track). The finishing order in the finals will determine the championship placegetters.

Awards: Sashes for the placegetters in the final for each championship class, with presentations in the pits after the meeting.

Classes and Nominations:

Solo 2 valve (Riders aged 40 or over for the Jeff Fisher Perpetual Trophy): Darryl Christopher (SA-Jawa), John Doolan (Vic-Jawa), Steven Graetz (SA-ESO), Trevor Henderson (SA-ESO), John Howell (WA-Jawa), Kevin Webb (WA-ESO)

Solo Evolution Upright 4 valve: John Doolan (SA-Jawa), Richard Hill (WA-GM), Brendan Liddle (Vic-Weslake), Teagan Pedler (SA-tba), Gavin Sedgmen (Vic-Weslake), Martin Williams (Vic-GM)

Sidecar British/American/European: Clinton Crabb/Michael Bell (SA-Triumph 750), Rory McEnroe/Darren Turner (Vic-Vincent 1000), Dennis Nash/Jaron Silvy (WA/SA-Vincent 1000)

Sidecar Japanese: Peter Engels/Angela Macfarlane (SA-Suzuki 500), Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low (SA-Suzuki 500), Hanno Kohn/Richard Bunting (SA-Datsun 1000), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (SA-Yamaha 650), Steven Lewis/Nick O’Brien (SA-Suzuki 750), Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy (SA-tba), Paul Snadden/Greg Black (Suzuki 750), Chris Wakefield/Kate Barnes (Vic-Honda 750)

Sidecar Post Classic (for the Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup): Keith Bichard/Kane Golding (SA-Yamaha 1000), Tim Bichard/Josh Pascoe (SA-Yamaha 1100), Matthew Crundwell/James Crundwell (Vic-OUT, floods), Stephen Fowler/Ben Goodridge (SA-Kawasaki 1000), Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low (Suzuki 1000), Darren Pascoe/Michael Potts (SA-Kawasaki 900)

Sidecar Evolution: Brenten Dwyer/Jamie Flood (Vic-Kawasaki 1000), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (SA-Kawasaki 1000), Phil McCurtayne/Natural Stone (NSW-Kawasaki 1045), Gavin Sedgmen/tba (Vic-Kawasaki 1000), Chris Wakefield/Kate Barnes (Vic-Suzuki 1000)

Pre 1980 Flat Track Solos (non-championship, for the Greg Nestor Perpetual Cup): Seane Chapman (SA-Yamaha 500), Hannah Conradi (SA-Rotax 600), Graeme Eberhard (SA-Suzuki 125), David Footner (SA-Yamaha 250), Mathew Kennedy (SA-Yamaha 175), Wayne Lethbridge (SA-Suzuki 500), Matt Sheppard (SA-Suzuki 250), Mark Stevens (SA-tba), Con Twist (SA-Kawasaki 250), Robert Tumes (NSW-Kawasaki 250), John White (Suzuki 465)

Livestreaming: This meeting will be livestreamed on the Gillman Speedway Facebook site (cost $25).

Admission: Adults $20, Age Pension and Student Concession $15, 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.

Seating: There are large grassed viewing mounds and terracing suitable for deck chairs. The Grandstand is not available for this meeting due to 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.

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 26 October: maximum 19, minimum 10. Partly cloudy. Slight (20%) chance of a shower. Light winds. [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 new 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.

Contact for this meeting: Ivan Golding 0417 138 378 or email contact@gillmanspeedway.com