Summer speedway season starts Saturday night at Gillman

Gillman Media 6 November 2024

The 2024/25 summer season starts this Saturday night (9 November) at Gillman Speedway, the 28th season at the Adelaide venue.

Of course we have already seen some serious track action since last season with a rare Spring meeting, the Gillman Speedway Sidecar Masters, which was run on 5 October and won by Justin Plaisted and Damian Egan.

Plaisted, and Egan swept all before them on that occasion to win their five heat rides and then the final. Since then they’ve been on the road to win the Mildura Sidecar Spectacular, and finish second, behind Darrin Treloar and Blake Cox, in the 23/24 Australian Championship at Tamworth, but they are back home for Saturday night’s meeting and there’s no doubt they will be the favourites to win the Sidecar class.

There should be some close racing for the other berths in the final however, with Gillman riders Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan, Josh Pascoe/Greg Black and Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski, and visiting Victorians Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin and Malcolm German, with local passenger Cameron White, the most likely to qualify.

The 500cc Solos will see Gillman’s 16-year-old first season riders Ashley Jansen-Batchelor and Harry Sadler facing some experienced interstate riders in Jack Morrison from Bendigo, Patrick Hamilton and Dayle Wood from Mildura, and Matthew Marson from WA. Hard to pick the finalists there although Morrison, as a finalist in the last two SA championships, should be the favourite to take the win.

With most of the Aussie international riders not home yet Gillman is taking the opportunity to run the track championship for the Flat Trackers and, in Melbourne Cup parlance, it could be a one-horse race if 16-year-old Victorian Riley Plum shows the same form he did on 5 October when he went through the card unbeaten despite giving the others a 30 metre start. Dale Knights, Dylan McKenzie, Andrew Rost and Brent Webley look like his biggest threats.

Gates will open at 4pm, and racing will start at 7pm.

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. As always this is the only official livestreaming link. Any other links touted on facebook sites are scams and should be ignored.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 9 November 2024

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 until approximately 6.15 pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Competitors:

Sidecars: Simon Cohrs/Cameron Diwell (Vic), Nathan Fleet/Jason Mordaunt, Stephen Fowler/Jeremy Sherwood, Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (Vic), Malcolm German/Cameron White (Vic/SA), Joshua Kerr/Kate Barnes (Vic), Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan, Adam Pascoe/Mark-John Papastamatis, Josh Pascoe/Greg Black, Justin Plaisted/Damian Egan, Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski, Willy Walker/Liam Sherwood, Darcy Risstrom/Jake Doyle (Vic). Kerr out 9/11 illness.

Solos 500cc: Division 1- Patrick Hamilton (Vic), Ashley Jansen-Batchelor, Matthew Marson (WA), Jack Morrison (Vic), Harry Sadler, Dayle Wood. Division 2- Teagan Pedler, Riley Plum (Vic), Mitchell Spear. Jansen-Batchelor out 9/11 illness.

Flat Track Solo Championship: Chloe Ackerley, Dale Knights, Troy Knights, Greg Laanekorb, Dylan McKenzie, Matthew Paterson, Riley Plum, Andrew Rost, Kristy Schultz, Bailey Tippins, Con Twist, Brent Webley

Under 16 250cc Solos: Kobi Canning, Ruby Chapman, Nate Shortt (Vic)

Juniors (on the infield track during the main track grades): 125cc Solos: Owen Chapman, Ryleigh McGregor, William Nicol, Jett Plaisted, Nate Sadler, Blake Schlein (Vic), Riley Stout. 250cc Junior Sidecars: Tilo Schultz/Riley Edson

Pre-Meeting Juniors (6pm, non-competitive): 125cc Junior Solo Novices: Hope Coats, Oliver Coats, Cooper Karpinski, Izabelle Murtagh, Kolby Schultz, Koby Smith; 50cc Junior Solos: Oskar Karpinski; Pee Wees: Flynn O'Loughlin, Zara Plaisted, Kolby Schultz.

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, Children Under 16 free. Parking free. Programme $5-includes two 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, terracing suitable for deck chairs, and large grassed viewing mounds.

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.

Smoking, Vaping: by Government legislation, no smoking or vaping allowed at this 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 6 November: Maximum 23, minimum 9. Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. [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.