Jack Daniel’s Gillman Solo Championship - February 2016

February 3, 2016 by Gillman Media

The best riders from Western Australia’s Pinjar Park Speedway are heading east this weekend to contest the Jack Daniels Gillman 500cc Solo Championship at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway on Saturday night.

Leading the troupe are WA 1 and 2 from this season’s state championship, Daniel Winchester and Frank Smart.

Winchester and Smart tied on points in the championship, which was held over two rounds, and Winchester then narrowly won a run-off against Smart to decide the 2016 champion.

Joining them will be current WA Under 21 champion Blake Russell, and British Under 19 champion Josh Bates.

Bates has been based in Perth over the Australian summer and recently won the Rob Woffinden Classic meeting, so all four riders are in form and capable of taking the Gillman championship home.

They will face tough opposition, however, with the stars of this season’s Jack Young Cup, Ty Proctor and Robert Branford, also in the line-up.

Proctor and Branford figured in an epic race for the Jack Young Cup, with Branford leading for most of the race only to be beaten by Proctor on the run to the finish line.

Branford (2013) and Bates (2014) are also both former British Under 21 Champions.

This will be the last meeting for the international riders before they return to the United Kingdom for the 2016 British League season.

Mark Mitchell/Dale Knights, Arron Hartwig/Teagan Hartwig and Shane Rudloff/Tom Adams head the list of riders for the support Sidecar races.

Photos: top photo, Josh Bates; bottom photo Frank Smart and Daniel Winchester. Photos by Jon Gall. Bates, Smart, Winchester and Proctor are all supported by Fullock Racing WA, who have helped the riders make the road trip to SA this weekend.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 6 February 2016.

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

Gates open: at 5 pm.

Parking and entrance: Patrons can enter via two gates, at the western and eastern ends of the venue. There are free parking areas near both gates. The eastern gate will close at 8.30pm.

Racing starts: at 7.30 pm. Free spectator access to the pits for a close look at the bikes until approximately 6.30 pm.

Riders:

Gillman 500cc Solo Championship : Dakota Ballantyne (SA), Josh Bates (England), Robert Branford (SA), Arlo Bugeja (SA), James Davies (Vic), Gary Fischer (SA), Jake Mitchell (SA), Jack Morrison (Vic), Ty Proctor (Vic), Blake Ridley (SA), Blake Russell (WA), Frank Smart (WA), Daniel Winchester (WA).

Sidecars : Keith Bichard/Michael Bell, Tim Bichard/Anthony Schulz, Ricky Fechner/Cameron White, Arron Hartwig/Teagan Hartwig, Dean Hobbs/Andy Westover, Kym Menadue/Eric Melton, Mark Mitchell/Dale Knights, Luke Puddy/Damian Egan, Shane Rudloff/Tom Adams, Aaron Silvy/Adam Pascoe, Brian Silvy/Josh Knott, Mick Tucker/Corey Palmer.

250cc Solo Demonstrations: Mitchell Grech, Brayden McGuinness

125cc Junior Solos on infield track : Connor Bailey, Fraser Bowes, Patrick Bowes, Liam May, Jack Norman, Teagan Pedler, Nicholas Possingham, Jack Sadler, Angus Vandenberg

Admission prices: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20 (*), Children Under 16 $5 (aged 12-15 inclusive), Children Under 12 free. Family $55. Programme $5. Grandstand seating $5. Parking free.

(*) Concession is limited to Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and Student Concession Card holders only. A family ticket covers 2 adults and children under 16.

Weather Forecast: Sunny, maximum 35, minimum 17. [www.bom.gov.au/sa/forecasts/Adelaide]

Seating: 216 seat grandstand; terracing and large grassed viewing mounds 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. Any number from one up to fifty 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.

Sponsor: Jack Daniels — Drink Responsibly.

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, nachos, doughnuts, coffee, cold drinks, sweets. “Gillman has far and away the best speedway tucker” [Peter White’s Speedway World, February 2015]

Please note a condition of our liquor licence is no byo alcohol or glass can be brought into the venue. Also note no pets, other than guide dogs, are allowed into the venue.

Souvenirs: There is a well-stocked souvenir shop including the latest Blackchrome manufactured shirts and jackets. Eftpos available only in the souvenir shop.

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, 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 kilometres).

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; and the Mawson Lakes Hotel and Function Centre, Main Street, Mawson Lakes, offer a discount to speedway fans but you must ring the venues direct and ask for the Gillman Speedway discount. Full details are on the Gillman website under the information/accommodation tab.

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