Australia’s best Sidecars at Gillman Speedway Saturday night

Gillman Media 10 February 2022

Nine riders from last season’s Australian Sidecar Championship including three of the four finalists, Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr and Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox, head to Adelaide this weekend to contest round one of the Sidecar Super Series at Gillman Speedway on Saturday night (12 February).

The other riders who qualified in the top 16 in the championship (some with different passengers this week) were Byren Gates/Michael O'Loughlin, Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear, Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien, Max Howse/Riley Commons, Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris and Kane Golding/Greg Black.

In total there were 24 nominations for the first round, which pays tribute to the long-history of the Bowes family in South Australian speedway, and although two have had to withdraw, the racing has been so even at Gillman this season that selectors were not willing to pick just 16 riders and have come up with a different format for the meeting which will see two different groups of riders competing, with the top scorer in each group going into the final along with the winners of two semi-finals for the next four highest scorers in each group.

As well as trying to reach the semi-finals, racing should again be intense right down the order in both groups as riders try to post their claims for a berth in the South Australian Championship which will be held at the following meeting (26 February).

Sidecars will be the major part of the programme with 27 events, with a limited support programme of 8 Flat Track Solo events. The 500cc Solos are not programmed this week due to a clashing Solo meeting in Mildura.

Late News: The Gillman Speedway meetings will be live streamed for the rest of the season. The live streaming will come from five cameras, with commentary from the regular track announcer, Trevor Scott. To access the 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

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 12 February 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 4 pm.

Covid requirements: COVID Plan in place. Everyone must sign-in to the contact tracing system at the entry gates. Social distancing inside the venue - 3 people per 4 square metres if seated; 1 person per 2 square metres if standing or mixed seated and standing. Masks required when getting food, drink or souvenirs, and if going into the pits. Hand sanitiser placed at the gate, toilets and all sales areas. COVID Marshals will be in place.

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

Classes and Nominations:

Sidecars: 1-Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt, 12-Brian Silvy/Damian Egan, 15-Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, 16-Mark Radford/Blake Halls (Vic), 21-Aaron Silvy/Kaidyn Silvy, 27-Stephen Fowler/Benny Goodridge, 40-Damien Niesche/Ayrton Canning, 43-Daniel Puddy/Byron Mordaunt, 46-Mitchell Spear/Glen Zaworski, 50-Byren Gates/Eli Bock (Vic), 69-Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien (NSW), 71-Shane Hudson/Adam Constable (NSW), 77-Tim Bichard/Brenton Marsh, 82-Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds, 84-Darrin Treloar/Blake Cox (NSW), 107-Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr, 108-Max Howse/Riley Commons (NSW), 115-Kane Golding/Isaac Amos, 272-Adam Pascoe/Josh Pascoe, 527-Brenten Dwyer/Jamie Flood (Vic), 684-Jake Treloar/Eli Wright (NSW), 970-Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low. Addition 12/2/2022: 13-Trent Headland/Jesse Headland

Solos Flat Track: 52-Simon Sweeney, 55-Sean Curtis, 57-Hannah Conradi, 70-Greg Nestor, 81-Rowan Clark, 181-John White, 196-Adam Conradi, 215-Matt Paterson, 273-Dale Knights, 602-Graeme Eberhard, 713-Con Twist, 911-Greg Laanekorb

125cc Junior Solos: 16-Hayden Pascoe, 128-Hayden Kuchel

250cc Junior Sidecars: 5-Kayden Gates/tba (Vic), 41-Adam Niesche/tba, 360-Lachlan Coppen/tba

125cc Novice Junior Solos: 4-Riley Stout, 13-Jackson McPherson, 37-William Nicol, 49-Blake Hocking, 112-Ruby Chapman

6 p.m. pre-meeting junior riders —50cc Junior Solos: 8-Tyler Holloway, 16-Riley Edson, 46-Owen Chapman. Pee Wee Junior Solo: 5-Hope Coats, 6-Zac Holloway, 14-James Menadue, 15-Mikayla Morris, 75-Jett Plaisted, 114-Koa McPherson, 417-Kolby Schultz, -Cooper Karpinski [Note: only 50cc and Pee Wees at 6pm this week. Novice Solos on during track grades]

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, Children Under 16 free. Souvenir programme $5. Grandstand seating free. Parking free. Programme includes chances to win $50 fuel vouchers.

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. See the “A Night At Gillman” tab.

Weather Forecast as at 10 February: Maximum 31, minimum 16. Sunny.

[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