Entertaining meeting promised for Gillman opening Saturday night

November 11, 2020 by Gillman Media

After an abrupt end to last season because of the Covid-19 restrictions, the 24th summer season at Gillman Speedway in Adelaide starts on Saturday night, 14 November, with the Gillman Solo and Sidecar Championships.

And despite the challenges presented because of the border restrictions, the meeting has attracted a good line-up of riders which will ensure an exciting and entertaining night’s racing.

Last season’s 1-2, Shane Rudloff and Rick Stephens, headline the riders in the sidecar championship, but there are any number of serious challengers who will be attempting to prevent them going 1-2 again including Kym Menadue and Mitchell Spear, who finished second and third behind Rudloff in last season’s Sidecar Super Series.

Last season’s other Gillman Championship finalists, Aaron Silvy and Nathan Fleet are also in the line-up, as are two other previous finalists, Brian Silvy (runner-up in 2019) and Dean Hobbs (third in 2018), while Stephen Fowler is another who could be in the mix for a semi-final berth.

Long term speedway fans are familiar with the “Howse and Commons” racing team from Broken Hill, and an interesting duo in the line-up is second generation racers Max Howse and Riley Commons who will be making their senior debuts after recently turning sixteen.

The Solos will contest two titles, for division one and division two riders, and like the sidecars there are no obvious winners.

Dakota Ballantyne will be going for a record fourth win in division one but the championship will be a cut-throat affair with local riders Robert Medson, Fraser Bowes and Ballantyne taking on NSW-based Connor Bailey and Mitchell Cluff, in a format which will see each rider meet each opposition rider three times during their heats, so there will be no easy rides and the winner will truly have earned the title.

Seven riders will contest the division two champioship with Jake Mitchell, Steven Graetz, Blake Ridley and Dayle Wood (NSW) sharing equal favouritism, while teenager Teagan Pedler will be hoping to score enough points to claim a place on the podium. Again it won’t be easy with each rider meeting each opponent twice.

The support events will be a number of Flat Track Solo events, and the State’s best under 16 riders competing on the newly widened infield track during the track grades.

Gates open at 5pm and racing starts at 7pm.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 14 November 2020.

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

Covid restrictions: COVID Plan in place. Family members that have the same address can sit together but others must adhere to social distancing rules and be 1.5 metres apart. Hand sanitiser placed at the gate, toilets and all sales areas. COVID Marshals will be in place.

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 5 pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm. Free spectator access to the pits for a close look at the bikes and cars until approximately 6.30 pm.

Nominations:

Solos 500cc : Division 1: 3-Mitchell Cluff (NSW), 9-Robert Medson, 11-Connor Bailey (NSW), 51-Fraser Bowes, 82-Dakota Ballantyne. Division 2: 12-Darryl Christopher, 18-Jake Mitchell, 23-Brian Johnson, 39-Steven Graetz, 88-Blake Ridley, 99-Dayle Wood (NSW), 211-Teagan Pedler.

Sidecars : 12-Brian Silvy/Damian Egan, 14-Kym Menadue/Eric Melton, 15-Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, 21-Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy, 22-Stephen Fowler/Corey Palmer, 31-Darryll Woods/Willy Walker, 40-Mitchell Spear/Jack Spear, 57-Chris Bichard/Adam Lange, 69-Shayne Melbourne/Timothy Green (NT), 69-Rick Stephens/Nick O'Brien (NSW/SA), 82-Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds, 89-Nathan Fleet/Ayrton Canning, 108-Max Howse/Riley Commons (NSW), 970-Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low,

Solo Flat Track : 11-Nigel Sadler, 40-Mitchell Spear, 42-Logan Coombe (NSW), 46-Seane Chapman, 50-John White, 55-Sean Curtis, 67-Dan Mitchell, 68-Sam O'Donoghue, 75-Steve Batchelor, 98-Evan Byles, 127-Jesse Headland, 141-Daniel Fraser, 641-Jack Spear, 672-Dale Knights

Junior Solo Under 16 250cc demonstrations :  131-Ashley Jansen Batchelor

Junior Solo Under 16 125cc (on the infield junior track during track grades) : 27-Travis Clarke, 33-Jake Fleet 131-Ashley K48-Kobi Canning, Jansen Batchelor, 524-Harry Sadler, + 6-Ryleigh McGregor (novice)

Junior Sidecar Under 16 250cc : 28-Kaidyn Silvy/Amelia Silvy

Junior Solo 50cc 6pm :  6-Ryleigh McGregor

Junior Solo Pee Wee 6pm : 1-Lila Canning, 4-Riley Stout, 46-Owen Chapman, 111-Hayden McGregor

Championship formats: Division 1 & 2 Solo Championships decided over four heat rides for each rider, with the points scored determining the championship placegetters. Sidecars 20 heats plus semi-final and final, the finishing order in the final will determine the championship placegetters.

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, Children Under 16 free. Souvenir programme $5. Grandstand seating free. Parking free.

Concession is limited to holders of the Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and Student Concession card holders only. Eftpos available at both gates and in the canteen.

Seating: Grandstand seating is free for this meeting but is limited to 216 people. There are large grassed viewing mounds and terracing suitable for deck chairs.

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] Eftpos available at the main canteen.

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, including the new season shirts, hoodies and caps [see A Night At Gillman tab on Gillman Speedway website].

Weather Forecast: Maximum 29, minimum 10. Sunny. Forecast as at 11 November. [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.

Contact for this meeting: Ivan Golding 0417 138 378 or email contact@gillmanspeedway.com