Classic Speedway racing at Gillman this Saturday night
Gillman Media 14 October 2026
The Speedway season is back!
Fans will get their annual dose of nostalgia this Saturday night, 17 October, when Adelaide’s Gillman Speedway hosts its classic championships and speedway tribute meeting.
The meeting usually doubles as a tribute meeting to a past rider, but this season it is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Australia’s first Speedway World Cup victory, at White City Stadium in London in 1976, and the club is thrilled that all three surviving members of the team, John Boulger, Phil Crump and Phil Herne will be at Gillman on Saturday night.
For nostalgia buffs, the 32-page souvenir programme will include 12 pages of editorial and photos on the World Cup, and a limited number of meeting shirts will also be available at the souvenir shop.
On track, the meeting will feature multiple championship classes with the two valve and upright 4 valve classes for the Solos, plus the classic Flat Trackers, and the British, Japanese, Post Classic and Evolution Sidecar classes. There will also be a look at the future with some demonstration races for the junior 250cc Solo riders.
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, 17 October 2026
Venue: Gillman Speedway (Ray White Gawler 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) = 10: Darryl Christopher (SA, Jawa), John Doolan (Vic, ESO), Steven Graetz (SA, ESO), Denis Hall (Vic, Jawa), Trevor Henderson (SA, ESO), Greg Laanekorb (SA, Jawa), Brendan Liddle (Vic, Jawa), Jody McCreanor (SA, Jawa), Roy Stout (SA, Jawa), Kevin Webb (WA, ESO)
Classic Solo Evolution upright, 4 valve = 6: Mathew Bodger (Vic, Jawa), John Doolan (Vic, Jawa), Brendan Liddle (Vic, Weslake), Jody McCreanor (SA, GM)
Classic Solo Flat Track (Greg Nestor Perpetual Trophy) = 5: Rohan Clark (SA-Yamaha 465YZ), David Footner (SA, Yamaha 360MX), Jamie Gwiazda (SA, Yamaha 360MX), Mark Stevens (SA, Yamaha 500XT), Con Twist (SA, Yamaha 250MX)
Classic Sidecar British/European/American = 3: George Atherton/passenger to be advised (SA, s/c Norton 920cc), Robert Kemp/Brendan Johnson (NSW/Vic, JAP 8/80), Mark Mitchell/Tony Carter (SA/Vic, Vincent HRD 1000cc)
Classic Sidecar Japanese = 5: Peter Bodger/Shane Martin (Vic, Honda 750), Pieter Hoogland/Michael Bell (SA, Yamaha 650), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (SA, Yamaha 650), Moz Pridham/Jana Pridham (SA, Honda 750), Aaron Silvy/John Atherton Jnr (SA, Honda 750)
Classic Sidecar Post Classic (Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup) = 8: George Atherton/passenger tba (SA, Kawasaki 1000), Lee Banks/Adam Lange (SA, Suzuki 1000), Michael Hoogland/Nick Johns (NSW/Vic, Yamaha), Brendan Johnson/Hannah Holmes (Vic, Kawasaki), Kevin McDonald/Tony Carter (NZ/Vic, Suzuki 1000), Darren Pascoe/Michael Potts (SA, Suzuki 1000), Josh Pascoe/Kane Golding (SA, Yamaha), Chris Rae/Jamie Flood (SA/Vic, Kawasaki 1000)
Classic Sidecar Evolution = 5 : Peter Bodger/Shane Martin (Vic, Suzuki 1100), Jim Irwin/Kate Barnes (SA/Vic, Suzuki 1000), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (SA, Kawasaki), Chris Rae/Jamie Flood (SA/Vic, Kawasaki 1000), Guy Westerman/Gary Fludder (Qld, Suzuki 750)
Under 16 250cc Solo Demonstrations = 4 : Kobi Canning (SA), Ruby Chapman (SA), Ryleigh McGregor (SA), William Nicol (SA)
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 14 October: Maximum 27, minimum 15. Partly cloudy. [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.