Gillman Speedway Classic Championships this Saturday night

October 27, 2020 by Gillman Media

After all the Covid turmoil of the past six months, which included the cancellation of the final meetings of last season, the tapes go up at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway this Saturday night with the annual Gillman Speedway Classic Championships being held on the traditional “last Saturday in October” date.

The Classic meeting gives fans the chance to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the bikes of yesteryear before the modern-day summer season starts (on 14 November), and admission prices are an affordable $20 for adults and $15 for age pensioners and student concession. Children under 16, grandstand seating and parking are all free.

Racing starts at 7pm but the gates will open at 4pm so spectators have plenty of time to have a close look at the old bikes and cars before the pits are closed to the public.

With the absence of the regular Western Australian and Victorian riders this year, because of the border closures, there will be several new champions crowned as only two defending champions will be riding, Steve Graetz in the two valve Solo class, and Steven Lewis/Shane Rudloff in the Japanese Sidecar class.

The closest racing is likely to be in the Sidecar Post Classic class where all five riders, George Atherton, Chris Bichard, Dean Hobbs, Chris Rae and Aaron Silvy are capable of taking the title. This year the Post Classic riders will also be competing for the Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup for the first time.

As well as the championship events there will be several support classes including classic flat track solos, modern-day speedway solos, and three quarter midget demonstrations with replicas of some well-known cars from the Rowley Park era.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 31 October 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 4 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:

Solo 2 valve (Riders aged 40 or over; Jeff Fisher Perpetual Trophy): Darryl Christopher (Jawa), Steven Graetz, Trevor Henderson (ESO)

Solo Evolution Upright 4 valve: Darryl Christopher (GM), Gary Fischer (GM), Teagan Pedler, Blake Ridley (GM)

Solo Laydown (Riders aged 40 or over, non-championship): Steven Graetz, Shaun Sampson, Roy Stout

Classic Flat Track Solos (non-championship): Steve Batchelor (Honda 250), Robert Hayden (Honda CR250M), Jake Mitchell, Paul Neighbour (Bultaco 360), Mark Stevens (Yamaha 500), John White (Suzuki 465)

Sidecar British/American/European: George Atherton/Sharyn Kelly (Norton 850)

Sidecar Japanese: Peter Engels/Greg Black (Suzuki 500), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (Yamaha XS650), Steven Lewis/Shane Rudloff (Suzuki GT750), Pieter Hoogland/Michael Bell (Yamaha XS650), Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy, Rocky Warren/Adam Lange (Yamaha XS650)

Sidecar Post Classic (Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup): George Atherton/Sharyn Kelly (Kawasaki GPZ900), Chris Bichard/Michael Bell (Yamaha xs1100), Dean Hobbs/Justin Richards (Suzuki GS1000), Chris Rae/Corey Palmer (Kawasaki 1000), Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy

Sidecar Evolution: Rodney Dyer/Chris Basham (NSW-Suzuki 1000), Keith Bichard/Adam Possingham (Suzuki 1000), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (Kawasaki 1000), Brian Metcalfe/Darran Hyman (Suzuki 1000),

Three Quarter Midget Demonstrations: NSW4-John Catford (ESO), SA5-Peter Glassenbury (B33 BSA), MB19-Bob Holland (JAP), 55-Moss Bray (JAP), 88-Wayne Hamilton (AJS)

Modern day 500cc Solo Demonstrations: Dakota Ballantyne, Fraser Bowes, Jake Mitchell, Blake Ridley

Championship formats: All championships decided over four heat rides for each rider, with the points scored determining the championship placegetters.

Awards: Sashes for the placegetters in the final for each championship class. Presentations in the pits after the meeting.

Admission: Adults $20, Age Pension and Student Concession $15, 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].

Weather Forecast: Maximum 20, minimum 11. Partly cloudy. Forecast as at 27 October. [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