Final hit-out at Gillman Speedway before the Sidecar World Cup - March 2017

March 30, 2017 by Gillman Media

The action returns to Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway this Saturday night (1 April) in the final meeting for many competitors before the biggest fortnight in Australian motorcycle speedway history.

With the FIM Sidecar World Cup, Oceania Championship and the Australian Championship all being held at Gillman over the next 17 days, Saturday night will be the last appearance this season of the Solos, Flat Track bikes and many of the Sidecar riders.

The meeting will, however, also be the last chance of any track time for those Sidecar riders who have been selected for the two Australian Championship meetings on April 15 and 16.

“We’re expecting another exciting night’s racing on Saturday night” said Gillman Speedway manager David Parker.

“We’ve got eight of the riders from this season’s Australian Championship meetings, including Queenslanders Tyler Moon, Hamish Golding and Dave Bottrell, and local star Mick Headland, who has missed most of the season after being injured in a workshop accident, all wanting to fine tune themselves and their bikes before the national title so racing should be fierce in that grade, while in other divisions the riders will be having their last rides of the season so will want to go out on a high with bragging rides over the winter.

“In the Sidecars that will include season-long rivals Dean Hobbs and Aaron Silvy, who will also have interstate riders Stephen Saunders, Nathan Cock (NSW) and Clint Mayes to deal with, while in the Solos Robert Medson, Dakota Ballantyne and Brayden McGuinness, who have been swapping wins all season are sure to put on a close show again.”

As usual, gates open at 5pm, with free access to the pits until the riders’ briefing at about 6.30pm, and racing starts at 7.30pm.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 1 April 2017.

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

Gates open: 5 pm. The Eastern gate will close at 8pm. Off-street parking areas near both gates.

Racing starts: 7.30 pm. Free spectator access to the pits until around 6.30pm.

Riders/Passengers:

Sidecars : 11 Thomas Adams/Katelyn Silvy, 12 Brian Silvy/Josh Knott, 15 Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, 21 Aaron Silvy/Ayrton Canning, 25 Clinton Crabb/Michael Bell, 28 Nathan Cock/Jack Wilson (NSW), 31 Darryll Woods/Will Walker, 36 Dave Bottrell/Ant Diener (Qld/SA), 40 Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear, 55 Clint Mayes/Sean Coleby (Vic), 57 Chris Bichard/Brett Lewis, 75 Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt), 107 Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr, 120 Tyler Moon/Adam Lovell (Qld), 707 Stephen Saunders/Clarissa Saunders (NSW), 888 Hamish Golding/Bayley Ogilvie (Qld), 970 Dean Hobbs/Justin Richards, 272 Adam Pascoe/Danny Rodgers, 05 Jesse Headland/Jesse Irwin (reserve)

Solos 500cc : 9 Robert Medson, 19 Brayden McGuinness, 42 Seth Hickey, 82 Dakota Ballantyne.

Solos Flat Track Pro Open : 18 Jake Mitchell, 65 Jack Spear, 72 Adam Pascoe, 74 Ian Andrews, 79 Dylan Irwin, 96 Anthony Stevens, 111 Jesse Headland, 191 Jesse Irwin, 273 Dale Knights, 312 Dylan McKenzie, 511 Mitchell Spear, – Joel Paynter

Solos 125cc (Under 16) (infield track) : 04 Angus Vandenberg, 17 Hugh Evans, 41 Jackson Milner (Vic), 47 Nicholas Possingham, 51 Fraser Bowes, 80 Patrick Bowes, 211 Teagan Pedler

Sidecars 250cc (Under 16) (infield track) : 25 Mark-John Papastamatis/Teagan Pedler, 28 Jaron Speyer-Silvy/Kaidyn Silvy, 41 Jackson Milner/Adam Niesche (Vic/SA)

Admission prices: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20 (*), Children Under 16 $5, Under 12 free. Family $55. Grandstand seating free. Programme $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: maximum 21, minimum 13, slight chance of afternoon shower. [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. 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]

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 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. An exciting new accommodation venue, Quest Port Adelaide, has recently opened only five minutes from the track. Quest Port Adelaide has modern studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments.

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