Sidecar Super Series returns to Gillman Speedway on Saturday night

February 21, 2018 by Gillman Media

The nation’s Sidecar stars return to Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway again this Saturday night (24 February) for round three of the $35,000 Nankang Tyres/Mitch Chassis Sidecar Super Series.

One of the highlights of the first two rounds has been the form of Sydney’s Darrin Treloar who won both rounds and only dropped three points, and those through a time limit exclusion. He only leads the series by four points however, with former Oceania Champion Mark Plaisted second on 31 points, to Treloar’s 35. Current Australian Champions Trent Headland/Darryl Whetstone are only a further two points behind, on 29. These three are in the box seats for overall victory, but all riders only count their best three point scores in the four round series so other riders can’t be discounted just yet.

For Saturday night’s meeting, eight riders have been seeded, six from last season’s Australian Championship — Trent Headland, Andrew Buchanan, Darrin Treloar, Mark Mitchell, Damien Niesche and Mark Plaisted — plus the top scoring qualifiers from each of the previous two rounds, Neale Hancock from round one, and Mick Headland from round two.

The remaining eight riders will be decided by nine pre-meeting races, which will run between 5pm and 5.45pm, before the main event starts at 7.30pm.

Riders in the qualifying events include New South Wales’ rider Shane Hudson, who was unbeaten at the opening Gillman meeting this season; former Victorian champion Byren Gates, who was unbeaten in the second meeting; and New Zealanders Jamie Moohan and Dylan Moohan.

The 500cc Solos are also back on the programme after some exciting racing in their Gillman track championship at the last meeting.

Admission prices have been kept at the normal cost of $25 for Adults, Age Pension & Student Concession $20, Children aged 12-15 $5, Under 12 free and Family $55, with grandstand seating free for this meeting.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 24 February 2018.

Venue: Gillman Speedway Stadium, 65 Wilkins Road, Gillman – near the Port Adelaide area.

Gates open: Eastern gate (near pits) open from 3pm; Western (main) gate from 5 pm. The Eastern gate will close at 8pm. Off-street parking areas near both gates.

Racing starts: Qualifying events (9) at 5pm; Super Series heats at 7.30 pm. Free spectator access to the pits before Qualifying, and between Qualifying and the Super Series.

Sidecar Riders/Passengers:

Seeded: Aust 1-Trent Headland/Darryl Whetstone (SA), Aust 2-Andrew Buchanan/Denny Cox (NZ/NSW), Aust 4-Darrin Treloar/Jesse Headland (NSW/SA), Aust 5-Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter (SA/NZ), Aust 7-Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear (SA), Aust 8-Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt (SA/Vic), 68-Neale Hancock/Brock Gates (Vic), 107-Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr (SA/Vic).

Format: 16 riders x 20 heats plus a last chance semi-final and a final. The 4th to 7th highest scorers go into the semi-final; and the winner of the semi-final and the three highest scorers from the 20 heats go into the final.

Qualifying (5pm): 11-Thomas Adams/Katelyn Silvy, 12-Brian Silvy/Cameron White, 14-Kym Menadue/Eric Melton, 14p-Jamie Moohan/Bayley Ogilvie (NZ), 17 Andrew Gault/Jack Spear (NSW/SA), 21-Adon Pearce/Eli Bock (Vic), 27a-Dylan Moohan/Tyler Berger (NZ), 50-Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (Vic), 61-Chris Dess/Cameron Diwell (Vic), 71-Shane Hudson/Jackson Gilbert-Dunn (NSW), 89-Nathan Fleet/Glen Zaworski, 111-Ricky Adams/Alice Cox, 970-Dean Hobbs/Justin Richards

Format: Nine races, riders with the fastest eight times go into the Super Series heats; the others go into reserves’ races.

Solos 500cc: 9-Robert Medson, 19-Brayden McGuinness, 42-Seth Hickey, 51-Fraser Bowes, 56-Arlo Bugeja, 69-Tom Dixon, 82-Dakota Ballantyne, 121-Robert Branford.

Solos 125cc Under 16 on infield track : 28-Clay Burnett, 41-Jackson Milner (Vic), 47-Nicholas Possingham, 80-Patrick Bowes, 211-Teagn Pedler, 524-Harry Sadler.

Sidecar 250cc Under 16 on infield track : 13-Nate Headland/tba, 14-Liam May/tba, 15-Mike Sheather/Kayden Gates (Vic), 28-Clay Burnett/Kaidyn Silvy, 41-Jackson Milner/Adam Niesche (Vic/SA), 84-Jake Treloar/Keegan Caldwell (NSW).

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension & Student Concession $20, Children aged 12-15 $5, Under 12 free, Family $55. Parking free. Programme $5. Grandstand $FREE.

Concession is limited to holders of the Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and Student Concession card holders only. A family ticket covers 2 adults and children under 16.

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

VIP Area: The V.I.P. area is available to anyone who would like to treat their business colleagues, family or friends to the best view of motorcycle speedway action in Australia. Spectators can enjoy the elevated view overlooking the track, either from inside the temperature controlled room, on the timber decks, or the enclosed lawn area, for a very reasonable price per person. A fully stocked bar and a variety of food to suit all budgets is available and you can book the whole room or part thereof. Ring Gillman Speedway Manager David Parker on 0403 364 658 or e-mail dave@gillmanspeedway.com 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]

Bar facilities available but please note a condition of our liquor licence is no byo alcohol or glass can be brought into the venue.

Pets: No pets, other than guide dogs, are allowed into the venue.

Souvenirs: There is a well-stocked souvenir shop. Eftpos available in the souvenir shop. Souvenirs can also be purchased online (see the Shop tab on the Gillman Speedway website).

Weather Forecast (as at 21/2/18): Maximum 25, minimum 18. Cloudy, possible shower. [www.bom.gov.au/sa/forecasts/Adelaide]

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.

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. Once you are on Tapleys Hill Road you can’t really go wrong. You only have to make three or four turns and most of those are simple. Just 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, so pretty easy to this point). Continue down Port Road for about 1 km to the first intersection which is Grand Junction road and turn right. You only 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 (you can’t go straight ahead) onto Bedford Street. Just keep going on that road until you get to the speedway. About 2 kms.

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. The Pavlos Motel on Main North Road, Pooraka offers a discount to speedway fans but you must ring the motel direct and ask for the Gillman Speedway discount. Full details are on the Gillman website under the information/accommodation tab.

Live results: download the MYLAPS Speedhive app to your phone or tablet. Free to view. Gillman programme also available to download from the Gillman Speedway website (under the Shop tab) for $5.50 payable by credit card or PayPal.

Contact for this meeting: Speedway Manager, David Parker 0403 364 658

Photos: Top photo, Sidecar action from round two of the Nankang Tyres/Mitch Chassis Sidecar Super Series – Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt (blue), Andrew Buchanan/Denny Cox (white), Jamie Moohan/Bayley Ogilvie (red). Photo by Judy Mackay. Below: Gillman Solo Championship action – Robert Branford (red), Dakota Ballantyne (blue), Robert Medson (white). Photo by Judy Mackay.