International riders at Gillman Speedway Saturday night

Gillman Media 30 November 2022

International Solo riders and some of Australia’s best Sidecar riders are amongst a big line-up of riders who will compete in four track championships at Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway on Saturday night (3 December).

The 500cc Solo Championship will be spearheaded by international riders Adam Ellis (England), Jaimon Lidsey and Justin Sedgmen (Vic), and a surprise entrant in four-time South Australian Champion Rory Schlein.

26-year-old Adam Ellis was the 2021 British Champion and is making his first appearance at Gillman. He is based in Mildura for the summer and was expecting to ride in a host of big meetings there, but with the floods disrupting their season he’s decided to ride in this meeting at Gillman.

Rory Schlein is also a former British Championship, winning in 2020, and while no stranger to Gillman this will be a rare racing appearance here for him, his first since 2011.

Lidsey is the current Victorian Champion, and a former World Under 21 Champion, and Sedgmen is the current South Australian Champion and a four-time Victorian Champion, winning three-in-a-row before finishing second to Lidsey this season.

Other riders favoured to reach the semi-final or final stage include the defending champion, former New Zealand Under 21 Champion Jake Turner, Mildura’s Cooper Riordan, local riders Fraser Bowes and Liam May, who both have racing experience in Denmark, Germany and Poland, and WA’s Matthew Marson, who has raced in the United Kingdom.

The Sidecar Championship will be headed by two of Australia’s leading pairs, Mark Plaisted and Ben Pitt, and Mick Headland and Brenton Kerr.

Plaisted/Pitt are the current Australian and South Australian champions, while Headland is a former FIM Gold Trophy and Track Racing World Championship winner. Both have been four-time winners of the SA Championship but while they are the obvious favourites, former Australia number 3, Shane Hudson, could be a serious challenger as he and passenger Adam Constable were in good form at the end of last season and have been impressive in recent Gillman practice days.

But they also face a host of other challengers with seven other riders from the most recent Australian Championship meetings — Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear, Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (Vic), Shane Rudloff/Damian Egan, Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan, Max Howse/Riley Commons (NSW), Kane Golding/tba, Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien (NSW/SA) — plus the three reserves from last season’s Australian Championship — Brian Silvy/Dean Cottrell, Chris Walker/April Cottrell (Vic), Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low — and former New Zealand Champion Mike Zachan (passenger Ben Franklin), who is making his first appearance at Gillman.

Rudloff and Stephens are also former winners of the track championship, as is Tim Bichard, while Brian Silvy, Nathan Fleet, Dean Hobbs and Aaron Silvy have all been placegetters in the track championship.

Five riders will contest the 250cc Junior (Under 16) Solo Championship including three of the semi-finalists in last week's Australian Championship, Ashley Jansen-Batchelor, Linkin Metcalf (WA) and Harry Sadler, which should result in some close and exciting racing. Unfortunately new Australian Champion Mitchell McDiarmid (WA) has had to withdraw with a broken finger.

The fourth title will be for the 125cc Junior (Under 16) Solos on the infield track during the track grades for the main events and the favourites are Cooper Antone (NSW) and Kobi Canning, who finished 1-2 in the Victorian Championship, and 1-3 in the NSW Championship.

Gates open at 4pm, racing starts at 7pm, and the meeting will be livestreamed (details below).

Please note the grandstand is not available for this meeting due to refurbishment.

Everything You Need To Know:

Meeting Date: Saturday, 3 December 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.

Pit access for spectators: Free spectator access to the pits until approximately 6.30 pm.

Racing starts: at 7 pm.

Classes and Nominations:

500cc Solos: Fraser Bowes, Adam Ellis (England), Steven Graetz, Patrick Hamilton, Jaimon Lidsey (Vic), Matthew Marson (WA), Liam May, Jack McDiarmid (WA), Jackson Milner (Vic), Teagan Pedler, Cooper Riordan (Vic), Shaun Sampson, Rory Schlein, Justin Sedgmen (Vic), Jake Turner, Dayle Wood (Vic)

Sidecars: Tim Bichard/Seth Pascoe, Chris Dess/Chloe Ackerley (Vic), Nathan Fleet/tba, Stephen Fowler/Ben Goodridge, Byren Gates/Michael O’Loughlin (Vic), Kane Golding/tba, Mick Headland/Brenton Kerr (SA/Vic), Nate Headland/Jaxon Rayner, Dean Hobbs/Daniel Low, Max Howse/Riley Commons (NSW), Shane Hudson/Adam Constable (SA/NSW), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds, Kym Menadue/Shane Dolan (OUT), Damien Niesche/Mitchell Spear, Adam Pascoe/Axel Brereton, Josh Pascoe/Matt Crawford, Mark Plaisted/Ben Pitt (SA/NSW), Shane Rudloff/Damian Egan, Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy, Brian Silvy/Dean Cottrell, Rick Stephens/Nick O’Brien (NSW/SA), Chris Walker/April Cottrell (Vic), Mike Zachan/Ben Franklin (NZ).

250cc Junior (Under 16) Solos: Ashley Jansen-Batchelor, Tyler Battams (Vic), Linkin Metcalf (WA), Harry Sadler, Darcey Timmis.

Solo Flat Track: Richard Bunting, Seane Chapman, David Footner, Brock Gates (Vic), Greg Laanekorb, Matt Paterson, Con Twist.

125cc Junior (Under 16) Solos (infield track): Cooper Antone (NSW), Kobi Canning, Ruby Chapman, Lilly Cottrell (Vic), Ambrose Fraser (Vic), Jordan Hargreaves, Blake Hocking, Angus Hume (Vic), Hayden Kuchel, Ryleigh McGregor, Jackson McPherson, William Nicol, Hayden Pascoe, Blake Schlein (Vic)

6 p.m. pre-meeting junior riders (infield track) — 250cc Junior Sidecars: Lachlan Coppen/Hayden Kuchel, Kayden Gates/Harley Ackerley (Vic), Amelia Silvy/Tayla Lucas.  125cc Novice Junior Solos: Cooper Coats, Owen Chapman, Riley Stout.  50cc Junior Solos: Mikayla Morris, Jett Plaisted. Pee Wee Junior Solos: Hope Coats, Oliver Coats, Koa McPherson, Jett Plaisted, Nate Sadler, Kolby Schultz.

Admission: Adults $25, Age Pension and Student Concession $20, Children Under 16 free. Parking free. Souvenir programme $5- includes chances to win $50 fuel vouchers. EFTPOS available at both entrances, 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://spacequakesports.vhx.tv/products/). Cost $25.

Seating: There are large grassed viewing mounds and terracing suitable for deck chairs. The Grandstand is not available for this meeting due to refurbishment.

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.

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 30 November: Maximum 34, minimum 17. 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 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