Experience wins at Gillman Speedway - November 2017

November 20, 2017 by Gillman Media

There were no surprises at Gillman Speedway on Saturday as the most experienced riders on the programme — Robert Branford (Solos) and Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (Sidecars) — were the major winners.

Branford had one minor blip in the Solos when he slid off while leading his second ride, but the Mildura stars Gates and O’Loughlin went through the card unbeaten, and won every race with ease, in the Justin Plaisted Farewell Sidecar races.

The writing was on the wall for Gates right from the first heat when he easily beat Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris who were one of his biggest threats on paper, along with fellow Mildura rider Neale Hancock and local fill-in passenger Michael Bell.

That was the only point Rudloff dropped in the heats but again it was no contest in the final with Gates again too good for Rudloff, with Tim Bichard/Derick Thomas third and Kym Menadue/Eric Melton fourth.

While Gates enjoyed a successful night it was the opposite for his Mildura rival Hancock. He was looking the goods when he led heat two in the early stages but half way down the back straight on lap two he hit the fence and lost control with passenger Bell thrown heavily and knocked out. With Bell off to hospital for checks, which fortunately showed no serious injuries, Hancock was out for the night.

Other alarming incidents were a roll over by Chris Bichard/Brett Lewis after they lost control leaving the tapes in heat seven, and a bike fire for Tom Adams/Katelyn Silvy in the last corner of the last heat after a good race with Tim Bichard. Again there were no serious injuries in either incident.

While Robert Branford, with his British League racing experience, dominated the Solo events, there was some close and exciting racing amongst some of the other riders, particularly Robert Medson and Dakota Ballantyne, and Medson and Brayden McGuinness.

With Branford’s fall in heat two, Branford, Medson and Ballantyne all finished on 9, with McGuinness on 8 gaining a start in the final by winning the semi-final.

The final was almost a direct copy of heat three which also featured Branford, Ballantyne and Medson. In both races Branford led all the way to win while Medson held second with Ballantyne trying for an outside pass before switching to the inside in turn two to pass Medson down the back straight on lap three in the heat, and lap four in the final.

The next meeting is the Littlehampton Clay Bricks and Pavers South Australian Solo Championship on December 2.

Top photo: Unbeaten Sidecar duo Byren Gates and Michael O’Loughlin. Photo by Judy Mackay.