Classic Speedway racing at Gillman this Saturday night

Gillman Media 23 October 2025

The Speedway season is back!

Fans will get their annual dose of nostalgia, with the chance to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the bikes of yesteryear, this Saturday night, 25 October, when Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway hosts its classic championships and speedway tribute meeting.

As always, the meeting will features multiple championship classes for Solos and Sidecars, including the popular British Sidecar class.

The Vincents of Dennis Nash, and his son, Darren, are back, along with those of Mark Mitchell and Rory McEnroe, but the class this year also includes George Atherton on Geoff Baran’s 850cc Norton Commando, Wayne Ware from Queensland on his twin Triumph, and Moz Pridham on his BSA/JAP. The Vincents put on a thrilling show last year but Atherton, Ware and Pridham are all former championship winners of various classes at previous Gillman Classic meetings, so the Vincents may not have it all their own way on Saturday night.

The Post Classic Sidecar class, for the Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup, this year looks to be the most open class for many years, and although Chris Rae is back to defend his title, a winner is too hard to predict with any confidence.

The other Sidecar classes are the Japanese class, which is also hard to pick a likely winner, and the Evolution class, which unfortunately is low on numbers this time around.

For the two-wheel brigade there are two championship classes — the two valve class for riders aged 40 or over, who are also competing for the Jeff Fisher Perpetual Trophy, and the upright 4 valve class.

Steven Graetz will be the favourite in the two valve class, with his main opposition coming from Roy Stout, Darryl Christopher and Kevin Webb, while Teagan Pedler will be attempting her fifth win in a row in the four valve class. There will also be events for the Laydown class (non-championship) and the Classic Flat Trackers, for the Greg Nestor Perpetual Trophy, but both of those classes only have low numbers this year.

The meeting also doubles as a tribute meeting to a past rider, and this year it is former Sidecar rider David Adams, who is forever etched in history as the winner of the last SA Sidecar Championship at Rowley Park Speedway, but he also won many other events which are covered in an extensive look at his career in the 32-page souvenir programme. A limited number of meeting shirts will also be available at the souvenir shop.

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 before the pits are closed to the public. Spectators can also go into the pits after the meeting for the trophy presentations.

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.

This meeting will not be livestreamed so please ignore any internet postings that claim to be links to a livestream as they are scams.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 25 October 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 4.00pm.

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

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Classes and Riders:

Classic Solo Jap/Eso 2 valve, rider aged 40 or over (Jeff Fisher Perpetual Trophy) = 7: Richard Bunting (SA, ESO), Darryl Christopher (SA, Jawa), Steven Graetz (SA, ESO), Denis Hall (Vic, Jawa), Trevor Henderson (SA, ESO), Roy Stout (SA, bike tba), Kevin Webb (WA, ESO)

Classic Solo Evolution upright, 4 valve = 6: John Doolan (Vic, Jawa), Brett Drust (Vic, Godden), Jody McCreanor (SA, GM), Teagan Pedler (SA, Jawa), Shaun Sampson (SA, bike tba), Peter Wilson (NSW, GM)

Classic Solo Laydown, rider aged 40 or over — non-championship event = 2: Steven Graetz (SA, GM), Shaun Sampson (SA, bike tba)

Classic Solo Flat Track (Greg Nestor Perpetual Trophy) = 3:  Anthony Stevens (SA-Yamaha 500TT), Mark Stevens (SA-Yamaha 500XT), Con Twist (SA, Yamaha 250MX)

Classic Sidecar British/European/American = 7: George Atherton/Sean Chapman (SA, Norton), Rory McEnroe/to be advised (Vic, Vincent), Mark Mitchell/Simon Cohrs (SA/Vic, Vincent), Darren Nash/Cameron Diwell (WA/Vic, Vincent), Dennis Nash/Jaron Silvy (WA/SA, Vincent), Moz Pridham/Jan Pridham (SA, BSA/JAP), Wayne Ware/Geoff Bourke (Qld, Twin Triumph)

Classic Sidecar Japanese = 5: Peter Engels/Angela Macfarlane (SA, Suzuki 500), Pieter Hoogland/Michael Bell (SA, Yamaha 650), Moz Pridham/Jana Pridham (SA, Honda 750), Aaron Silvy/John Atherton (SA-Honda 750), Rodney Wall/Rob Telfer (SA, Honda 1000)

Classic Sidecar Post Classic (Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup) = 8: Chris Abriani/Rodney Higgins (Vic, Kawasaki 1000), George Atherton/Sean Chapman (SA, Kawasaki 1000), Lee Banks/Adam Lange (SA, Suzuki 1000), Simon Cohrs/Cameron Diwell (Vic, Kawasaki 1000), Kane Golding/Jaron Silvy (SA, Yamaha), Glen Hollis/Raymond Willcock (Vic, Yamaha 1000), Chris Rae/Jamie Flood (SA/Vic, Kawasaki 1000), Liam Squire/David Lindsay (NSW/SA, Kawasaki 900)

Classic Sidecar Evolution = 2 : Simon Cohrs/Cameron Diwell (Vic, Honda), Chris Rae/Jamie Flood (SA/Vic, Kawasaki 1000)

Championship formats: All championships decided over three heat rides for each rider, with the top four point scorers qualifying for the finals. Finishing order in the finals will determine 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. Parking free. Souvenir 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 not be livestreamed. Livestreaming will resume on 8 November with the opening meeting of the summer season. [https://www.spacequakesports.com/ppv]. 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. Also by Government legislation, no smoking or vaping allowed inside 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 23 October: Maximum 25, minimum 14. Showers, chance of a storm. [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.