Gillman Speedway’s sizzling summer of Sidecar action, which culminates with the World Cup on 1 April, starts this Saturday (6 January) with the first round of the Nankang Tyres/Mitch Chassis Sidecar Super Prix, a new event with over $35,000 in prize money over four rounds, making it the World’s richest Sidecar event.
A massive cash injection from major sponsor Nankang Tyres has enabled the promoters to attract the top eight riders from last season’s Australian Championship, and they will be seeded into each of the four rounds.
Those riders are Trent Headland, Andrew Buchanan, Warren Monson, Darrin Treloar, Dave Bottrell, Mark Mitchell, Damien Niesche and Mark Plaisted.
The format for each round will be the favoured format at Gillman of 20 heats, a last chance semi-final and a final, with series points allocated as the standard 3, 2, 1 for the 20 heats plus 4, 3, 2, 1 for the final.
With 29 nominations, Saturday’s meeting will start at 3pm with several elimination races and a qualifying meeting to give every rider a chance to qualify. The formats will be four cut throat elimination heats with just one rider going forward to the qualifying group which will be the traditional 16 riders over 20 heats.
The highest eight point scorers in the qualifying races will join the eight seeded riders in the Super Prix heats which will start at 7.30pm.
With eight of sixteen qualifying it sounds easy enough, but with a very even spread of riders, racing will be close and there will be some disappointed riders.
Barring mishaps, Mick Headland, Neale Hancock and Byren Gates should have no trouble qualifying, and Kiwi Jamie Moohan and Shane Rudloff should also get through without too many dramas.
For the remaining three places, Kym Menadue and Tim Bichard would be on most people’s lists. They have both been in good form this season and both qualified for the finals on the opening night and the Justin Plaisted Farewell meeting, and Menadue won the Group 1 final at the last meeting.
If they were all to get through that would leave just one place and it is impossible to confidently predict who that place would go to.
All of the remaining riders have had good moments at various tracks this season, and could not only qualify but possibly out score some of the previously mentioned riders, but with their good performances they have also had some disappointing races, so the deciding factor is who can be consistently good enough to get the required points, which is likely to be around 8, or 9 to be on the safe side.
Despite there being 46 top class events throughout the afternoon and evening, admission prices have been kept at the normal cost of $25 for Adults, Age Pension & Student Concession $20, Children aged 12-15 $5, Under 12 free and Family $55.
Everything You Need To Know:
Meeting Date: Saturday, 6 January 2018.
Venue: Gillman Speedway Stadium, 65 Wilkins Road, Gillman – near the Port Adelaide area.
Gates open: Eastern gate open from 1 pm; Western (main) gate from 3 pm. The Eastern gate will close at 8pm. Off-street parking areas near both gates.
Racing starts: Qualifying meeting at 3pm; Super Prix heats at 7.30 pm. Free spectator access to the pits before Qualifying, and between Qualifying and the Super Prix.
Riders/Passengers:
Super Prix seeded riders, Australia 1-8 : Aust 1-Trent Headland/Darryl Whetstone (SA), Aust 2-Andrew Buchanan/Denny Cox (NZ), Aust 3-Warren Monson/Andrew Summerhayes (Vic), Aust 4-Darrin Treloar/Jesse Headland (NSW), Aust 5-Mark Mitchell/Dale Knights (SA), Aust 6-Dave Bottrell/Chris Bottrell (Qld), Aust 7-Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear (SA), Aust 8-Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt (SA).
Super Prix Format: 16 riders x 20 heats plus a last chance semi-final and a final. The 4th to 7th highest scorers go into the semi-final; and the winner of the semi-final and the three highest scorers from the 20 heats go into the final.
Qualifying (starts a 3pm) : Peter Adams/Belinda Silvy, Ricky Adams/Alice Cox, Thomas Adams/Katelyn Silvy, Tim Bichard/Derick Thomas, Chris Bichard/Brett Lewis, Steve Browne/Colby Higgins, Nathan Cock/Jack Wilson (NSW), Chris Dess/Cameron Diwell (Vic), Nathan Fleet/Glen Zaworski, Stephen Fowler/Benny Goodridge, Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (NSW), Neale Hancock/Brock Gates (Vic), Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr, Dean Hobbs/Ayrton Canning, Kym Menadue/Eric Melton, Jamie Moohan/Bayley Ogilvie (NZ), Adam Pascoe/Tim Wegner, Shane Rudloff/Scott Morris, Aaron Silvy/Jaron Speyer-Silvy, Brian Silvy/Cameron White, Darryll Woods/Will Walker.
Qualifying Format: Elimination races plus 16 riders x 20 heats. Highest 8 scorers go into the Super Prix heats.
Solo 125cc Under 16 on infield track : Angas van den Berg, Hugh Evans, Jackson Milner (Vic), Nicholas Possingham, Harry Sadler.
Sidecar 250cc Under 16 on infield track : Clay Burnett/Kaidyn Silvy, Harry Hearne/Nate Headland (Vic), Jackson Milner/Adam Niesche (Vic),
Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension & Student Concession $20, Children aged 12-15 $5, Under 12 free, Family $55. Parking free. Programme $5. Grandstand $5.
Concession is limited to holders of the Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card and Student Concession card holders only. A family ticket covers 2 adults and children under 16.
Seating: Grandstand seating, large grassed viewing mounds and terracing suitable for deck chairs.
VIP Area: The V.I.P. area is available to anyone who would like to treat their business colleagues, family or friends to the best view of motorcycle speedway action in Australia. Spectators can enjoy the elevated view overlooking the track, either from inside the temperature controlled room, on the timber decks, or the enclosed lawn area, for a very reasonable price per person. A fully stocked bar and a variety of food to suit all budgets is available and you can book the whole room or part thereof. Ring Gillman Speedway Manager David Parker on 0403 364 658 or e-mail dave@gillmanspeedway.com 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]
Bar facilities available but 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. Eftpos available in the souvenir shop. Souvenirs can also be purchased online (see the Shop tab on the Gillman Speedway website).
Weather Forecast (as at 31/12/17): Maximum 41, minimum 24. Very hot and sunny. [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.
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. Once you are on Tapleys Hill Road you can’t really go wrong. You only have to make three or four turns and most of those are simple. Just 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, so pretty easy to this point). Continue down Port Road for about 1 km to the first intersection which is Grand Junction road and turn right. You only 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 (you can’t go straight ahead) onto Bedford Street. Just keep going on that road until you get to the speedway. About 2 kms.
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. The Pavlos Motel on Main North Road, Pooraka offers a discount to speedway fans but you must ring the motel direct and ask for the Gillman Speedway discount. Full details are on the Gillman website under the information/accommodation tab.
Live results: download the MYLAPS Speedhive app to your phone or tablet. Free to view. Gillman programme also available to download from the Gillman Speedway website (under the Shop tab) for $5.50 payable by credit card or PayPal.
Contact for this meeting: Speedway Manager, David Parker 0403 364 658