Justin Plaisted returns to defend the Bob White Cup

Gillman Media 12 March 2025

Former Australian Champion Justin Plaisted returns to Gillman Speedway this Saturday night (15 March) and despite a lengthy lay-off with a leg injury, he will start as the favourite to win the annual Bob White Sidecar Cup.

Plaisted is the current Cup holder after he and passenger Damian Egan came from behind to win a thrilling final last season, but he will have Brian Anthony on the Sidecar for his Cup defence as Egan will be riding with Shane Rudloff.

Plaisted’s main challenges are likely to come from current FIM Oceania Championship #4 Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan, Rick Stephens/Nick O'Brien and Max Howse/Riley Commons, who finished second and third respectively in the NSW Championship a fortnight ago, former Victorian Champion Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin and Shane Rudloff/Damian Egan.

Although they all seem to have equal status as likely finalists, this is an event Stephens and O’Brien have done particularly well in, having reached the final in four of the six Cup events held so far. Rudloff, Gates and Howse are also former finalists, while Howse and Commons have been one of the form teams, reaching the final in four of the trophy events at Gillman this season.

Josh Pascoe is also back this week with Ayrton Canning as passenger, replacing the injured Greg Black.

Malcolm German/Cameron White and Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy have also shown some decent form recently reaching the final (along with Rudloff/Egan) in the Bowes Family Cup last month.

As well as the Bob White Cup, the meeting is also the last of the selected meetings for the season long point score, which is being led by Brian Silvy and Glen Zaworski. A decent showing by them should seal the pointscore bonus money. Eight points will be enough but that won’t be easy against Saturday night’s line-up, so the meeting promises some close racing for every point, not just the wins.

There will also be support events for 500cc Solos, Flat Track Solos, Classic Sidecars, 250cc and 125cc Junior Solos. This will be the last appearance for the 500cc and Flat Track Solos this season as regulations don’t allow them to be support events for the FIM Oceania Sidecar Championship which will be the final meeting of the season on March 29.

Gates open at 4pm and racing starts at 7pm.

For those that can’t attend, the meeting will be livestreamed through the website link [https://www.spacequakesports.com/ppv] for a cost of $25. As always this is the only official livestreaming link. Any others touted on facebook sites are scams and should be ignored.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 15 March 2025

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.

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits until approximately 6.15 pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Competitors:

Bob White Sidecar Cup:  Stephen Fowler/Jeremy Sherwood . . . Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (Vic) . . . Malcolm German/Cameron White (Vic/SA) ... Kane Golding/pass tba … Max Howse/Riley Commons (NSW) . . . Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan ...  Byron Mordaunt/Kate Barnes (SA/Vic) ... Adam Pascoe/Mark-John Papastamatis ... Josh Pascoe/Ayrton Canning . . . Justin Plaisted/Brian Anthony . . . Darcy Risstrom/Jake Doyle (Vic) . . . Shane Rudloff/Damian Egan ... Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy ... Brian Silvy/Glen Zaworski ... Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien (NSW/SA) . . . William Walker/Liam Sherwood, Joshua Kerr/Scott Cameron (Vic, first reserve) ... Peter Adams/Brenton Marsh (second reserve)

500cc Solos: Isaiah Hartley (Vic), Sam Martin, Jack Norman, Riley Plum (Vic)

Flat Track Solos: Dale Knights, Matt Paterson, Riley Plum (Vic), Con Twist

Classic Sidecars: Lee Banks/Damian Egan, Glen Hollis/Brenton Marsh (Vic/SA), Joshua Kerr/Scott Cameron (Vic), David Lindsay/Nick Johns, Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy, William Walker/Liam Sherwood

250cc Solos: Kobi Canning, Ruby Chapman

Juniors (on the infield track during the main track grades): 125cc Solos: Owen Chapman, Cooper Karpinski, William Nicol, Nate Sadler, Koby Smith, Riley Stout. 250cc Sidecars: Tilo Schultz/Riley Edson. 50cc Solos: Oskar Karpinski.

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, Children Under 16 free. Parking free. Programme $5-includes two chances to win $50 fuel vouchers. EFTPOS available at both entrances, the canteen, bar and souvenir shop.

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

Livestreaming: This meeting will be livestreamed on [https://www.spacequakesports.com/ppv]. The cost is $25 Australian. Any other claimed links to livestreaming are scams and should be ignored.

Seating: Free grandstand seating, terracing suitable for deck chairs, and large grassed viewing mounds.

VIP Area: The Bob White 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 rooms, 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]

Please note a condition of our liquor licence is no byo alcohol or glass can be brought into the venue.

Smoking, Vaping: by Government legislation, no smoking or vaping allowed at this venue.

Souvenirs: There is a well-stocked souvenir shop. See the “A Night At Gillman” tab.

Pets: No animals are allowed into the venue except assistance animals, eg guide dogs.

Weather Forecast as at 12 March: Maximum 38, minimum 23. Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. [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 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. 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). Continue down Port Road for about 1 km to the first intersection which is Grand Junction road and turn right. 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 onto Bedford Street. Keep going on that road until you get to the speedway. About 2km.

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.

Contact for this meeting: Ivan Golding 0417 138 378.