Gillman Speedway season finale.

Gillman Media 16 April 2026

David Adams and Blondie Shepherd leading a heat of the Australian Championship at the Sydney Showground. Photo by Bill Meyer, courtesy of the James Baker Collection.

Adelaide speedway fans will get one last chance of some track action before the 25/26 season closes, with the annual classic championships nostalgia night at Gillman Speedway this Saturday night, 18 April.

The classic 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 12 page look at his career in the 32-page souvenir programme.

The programme was printed for the original meeting date (25 October) which was rained off so there will be a printed handout showing the race changes.

The meeting is a little different this season, with gates opening early, at 3 pm, to give spectators longer to look over the old bikes, and also to check out a number of stalls that will be selling speedway clothing and old motorcycle parts. Spectators can also go into the pits after the meeting for the trophy presentations.

Racing will start at the usual time of 7pm.

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.

A list of competitors appears below but this may have more names added over the next couple of days.

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, 18 April 2026

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 3.00pm.

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) = 4: Darryl Christopher (SA, Jawa), Trevor Henderson (SA, ESO), Haydn Stacey (Vic, bike tba), Roy Stout (SA, ESO)

Classic Solo Evolution upright, 4 valve = 6: Mathew Bolger (Vic, bike tba), Nathan Bolger (Vic, bike tba), Robert Branford (SA, bike tba), Richard Bunting (SA, bike tba), John Doolan (Vic, Jawa), Roy Stout (SA, bike tba)

Classic Solo Flat Track (Greg Nestor Perpetual Trophy) = 4: Graeme Eberhard (SA, Yamaha), David Footner (SA, bike tba), Mark Stevens (SA, Yamaha 500XT), Con Twist (SA, Yamaha 250MX)

Classic Sidecar British/European/American = 3: Clinton Crabb/Michael Bell (SA, Triumph), Rob Kemp/Nick Johns (NSW/SA, Jap), Mark Mitchell/Paul Waters (SA, Vincent)

Classic Sidecar Japanese = 5: Peter Engels/Angela Macfarlane (SA, Suzuki 500), Pieter Hoogland/Michael Bell (SA, Yamaha 650), Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (SA, Yamaha 650), Moz Pridham/Jana Pridham (SA, Honda 750), Aaron Silvy/Jaron Silvy (SA, Honda 750)

Classic Sidecar Post Classic (Brian Schultz Perpetual Cup) = 4: Tim Bichard/Jye Siddall (SA, Kawasaki), Kane Golding/Michael Potts (SA, Yamaha), David Lindsay/Liam Squire (SA/NSW, Kawasaki 900), Chris Rae/Jamie Flood (SA/Vic, Kawasaki 1000)

Classic Sidecar Evolution = 2 : Wayne Lethbridge/Grantley Simounds (SA, Kawasaki 1000), Chris Rae/Jamie Flood (SA/Vic, Kawasaki 1000)

Also cuurent day under 16 250cc Solo demonstrations = 2 : Kobi Canning and Ruby Chapman

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 $3-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 16 April: Maximum 24, minimum 10. 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.

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.