Australian Sidecar Championship at Gillman Sunday night

Gillman Media 14 April 2022

The 2002 Australian Sidecar Championship, sponsored by the Blumberg Hotel Birdwood, is the final meeting of the Gillman Speedway season this Sunday night (17 April).

The line-up includes eight seeded riders and the eight highest point scorers from Saturday night’s qualifying meeting (see the previous story on the Gillman Speedway website).

The seeded riders were decided as the first four placegetters from last year’s championship — Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, Warren Monson/Andrew Summerhayes, Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr and Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox — plus the four other highest placed riders from various state championships — Brodie Cohen/Jesse Headland and Brendon Warke/Mitchell Danks-Firth, Queensland one and two; Shane Hudson/Adam Constable, NSW #2 behind Treloar, and Kane Golding/Isaac Amos, SA #2 (beind Plaisted). No riders from Western Australia nominated.

The sixteen teams will contest 20 heats with the highest three point scorers going into a final along with the winners of a last-chance semi-final for the fourth to seventh highest scorers.

Mark Plaisted and Ben Pitt are the defending champions and if they can successfully retain the championship Plaisted will be the only rider other than Darrin Treloar to do so in the past 20 years.

In that time Treloar has win the title nine times, and overall he has won eleven times, three with current passenger Blake Cox, and with wins in their three appearances at Gillman this season they will start as favourites to win once again.

Their biggest challengers should be Plaisted/Kerr, Monson/Summerhayes, Cohen/Headland, Hudson/Constable, and if they qualify, former Australian Champions Trent Headland/Darryl Whetstone and Mark Mitchell (passenger Tony Carter).

Treloar, Plaisted, Trent Headland and Mitchell are the only previous winners competing, but Monson/Summerhayes have twice won both the FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship, and the FIM Speedway Sidecar 1000cc World Cup, and Mick Headland, with various passengers, has won the FIM Track Racing Sidecar Gold Trophy, and twice won FIM Track Racing Sidecar World Championship.

The 250cc Junior (Under 16) Sidecars will also be contesting their own Australian Championship on the infield junior track during the track grades for the senior events.

The gates will open at 3pm, with racing at 7pm.

For interstate and overseas followers, or locals unable to attend because of Covid isolation, the meeting will be live streamed on http://speedwayaustralia.tv. Further meeting details below.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Sunday, 17 April 2022

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

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 3 pm.

Covid requirements: Covid QR code check-in, and masks are no longer compulsory, however people are encouraged to wear masks in busy areas like the canteen/bar areas if they feel safer doing so.

Live streaming: To access the live streaming viewers need to go to http://speedwayaustralia.tv and follow the instructions under the FAQ tab to create an account. The cost is $27.50 per meeting. If you have any issues with the livestream please contact https://support.inplayer.com

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits between 3pm and 6.30pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Formats, riders and passengers:

Sidecars: 20 heats, semi-final, final. 1-Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt (SA/Vic), 43-Warren Monson/Andrew Summerhayes (Vic), 64-Brodie Cohen/Jesse Headland (Qld/SA), 71-Shane Hudson/Adam Constable (NSW), 84-Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox (NSW), 107-Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr (SA/Vic), 115-Kane Golding/Isaac Amos (SA), 291-Brendon Warke/Mitchell Danks-Firth (Qld) plus the highest 8 point scorers from Saturday night’s qualifying meeting.

250cc Junior Sidecars: 12 heats, semi-final and final. 1-Adam Niesche/Kobi Canning (SA), 2-Amelia Silvy/Tayla Lucas (SA), 3-Nate Headland/Sam Horton, 4-Seth Puddy/Hannah Silvy (SA), 5-Kayden Gates/Harley Ackerley (Vic), 6-Brady Tickle/Isaac Mitchell (NSW), 7-Cooper Seaton/Tilo Schultz (SA), 8-Chloe Ackerley/Eva Whitworth (Vic), 9-Lachlan Coppen/Hayden Kuchel (SA). Reserve: 10-Remy O’Donnell/TBA (Vic)

Admission: Adults $30, Age Pension and Student Concession $25, Children Under 16 free. Souvenir programme $5. Grandstand seating free. Parking free. Programme includes chances to win $50 fuel vouchers. EFTPOS available at both entrances and in the canteen for contactless payments.

Concession is limited to holders of the Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and Student Concession card holders only.

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.

VIP Area: The Gillman VIP area is available to anyone who would like to treat their business colleagues, family or friends to the best view in the stadium. Enjoy the elevated view overlooking the track, either from inside the temperature controlled room, on the timber deck, or on the enclosed lawn area. The VIP area also has its own bar and toilet. Ring Ivan Golding on 0417 138 378 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] 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. See the “A Night At Gillman” tab.

Weather Forecast as at 14 April: maximum 27, minimum 18. Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Possible rainfall 0 to 1mm. [www.bom.gov.au/sa/forecasts/adelaide.shtml]

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