News

It’s been a long hiatus of 2 years the Australian Solo Championships have not been able to be held due to Covid rocking the World of Sport. This Saturday night 10^th December 2022 riders are descending on Gillman Speedway from all corners of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland to take on our South Australian hometown Speedway heroes.

Defending Australian Champion Max Fricke (Victoria) is hoping to make up for the 2021 Covid Championship break and make it a clean sweep of National Titles after an exceptionally challenging time missing the last Grand Prix of the season in late September due to a horrific crash sustained overseas earlier that month. Fricke is definitely a fighter coming back from a list of injuries a mile long including cracked shoulder blade, concussion, broken sternum, sprained shoulder bruised lungs; proving he is not a competitor to be taken lightly.

Fricke can’t relax with Former World Under 21 Champion Jaimon Lidsey riding into Gillman on a high, setting his targets after taking out his second Victorian Championship at Mildura and the last Gillman Solo Championship.

The finals are looking to be an event not to be missed if four-time Victorian Champion and dual South Australian Title Champ Justin Sedgmen has his way. He has been on a heater and hungrier than ever after being a Runner up at the Gillman and Victorian Championships in recent weeks.

South Aussie young gun and former New Zealand under 21 champ Jake Turner is looking at bringing home the title in front of Family, Friends and his SA fan squad lining up with Fraser Bowes who recently returned home after his impressive winter in Poland making 3 semi finals this Season. Both SA Champs are keen to send the tourists packing and show they’re not to be messed with.

Queensland Team are a real strong mixed bag of diverse riders being led by Australian Under 21 Champion Keynan Rew, teamed with Zane Keleher and Winner of the Queensland and New South Wales Under 21 Championships Tate Zischke are looking for every opportunity to score points and mix up the pack.

New South Wales contingent see’s Zach Cook who is fresh back from overseas will be joined by Maurice Brown, Michael West, James Pearson and Harrison Ryan.

Rider Line-up:                                                                                                        

A scorching day brought a warm fast loose track surface night at Gillman for the 2022/23 Club Championships. A stacked field of fast diverse riders brought a night full of thrills and spills to a sweeping group of South Australian Speedway fans. 

Photographs thanks to Derick Thomas Photography. Full album shots HERE

Heats, semi-finals and finals points below:

• 500cc Gillman Solo Championship                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Heat points:

2-Justin Sedgmen (Vic) 14 (3-3-2-3-3), 299-Adam Ellis (Eng) 13 (3-2-2-3-3), Rory Schlein 13 (2-3-3-2-3), 27-Jaimon Lidsey (Vic) 12 (3-3-3-3-R), 51-Fraser Bowes 12 (3-3-3-1-2), 19-Jake Turner 10 (2-2-1-2-3), 18-Patrick Hamilton (Vic) 7 (FX-2-2-1-2), 14-Liam May 7 (1-1-1-2-2), 51-Cooper Riordan (Vic) 6 (2-1-3-0-0), 7-Matthew Marson (WA) 6 (1-0-0-3-2), 41-Jackson Milner (Vic) 5 (1-2-0-1-1), 99-Dayle Wood (Vic) 5 (R-1-1-2-1), 39-Steven Graetz 4 (0-1-2-0-1), 17-Jack McDiarmid (WA) 3 (2-0-1-FX-R), 211-Teagan Pedler 2 (0-F-0-1-1), 67-Shaun Sampson 0 (0-0-F-R-N)

Ev 53     Semi Final               Lidsey (R), Bowes (B), Hamilton (W), Turner (Y-ret), 57.630

Ev 58     Final:                       Lidsey (Y), Sedgmen (B), Ellis (R), Schlein (W), No time

Below: Solo podium (from left) Rory Schlein (4^th), Adam Ellis (3^rd), Jaimon Lidsey (1^st), Justin Sedgmen (2^nd)

Above: Jaimon Lidsey on his way to Solo glory. 

• Gillman Sidecar Championship

Heat points Group 1:

1-Mark Plaisted / Ben Pitt (SA/Vic) 12 (3-3-3-3), 50-Byren Gates / Michael O’Loughlin (Vic) 11 (2-3-3-3), 08-Chris Walker / April Cottrell (Vic) 9 (3-2-2-2), 69-Rick Stephens / Nick O’Brien (NSW/SA) 9 (2-3-2-2), 27-Stephen Fowler / Ben Goodridge 8 (1-1-3-3), 40-Damien Niesche / Mitchell Spear 7 (3-1-2-1), 89-Nathan Fleet / Eric Melton 7 (2-2-1-2), 115-Kane Golding / Glen Zaworski 3 (1-2-Xi-F), 61-Chris Dess / Chloe Ackerley (Vic) 2 (0-R-1-1), 82-Wayne Lethbridge /

Grantley Simounds 1 (1-0-N-N), 970-Dean Hobbs / Daniel Low 0 (N-N-N-N)

Heat points Group 2:

15-Shane Rudloff / Damian Egan 11 (3-2-3-3), 107-Mick Headland / Brenton Kerr (SA/Vic) 11 (3-3-2-3), 194-Max Howse / Riley Commons (NSW) 10 (3-3-3-1), 71-Shane Hudson / Adam Constable (NSW) 8 (X-3-3-2), 21-Aaron Silvy / Jaron Silvy 5 (1-1-N-3), 77-Tim Bichard / Seth Pascoe 5 (0-1-2-2), 19-Josh Pascoe / Matt Crawford 5 (2-0-1-2), 12-Brian Silvy / Dean Cottrell 5 (2-2-1-Xi), 128-Nate Headland / Jaxon Rayner 4 (Xi-2-2-0), 97-Mike Zachan / Ben Franklin (NZ) 4 (2-0-1-1), 272-Adam Pascoe / Axel Brereton 1 (1-Xi-R-N), 14-Kym Menadue / Shane Dolan did not ride.

Ev 54     Semi Final Group 1

Gates (R), Walker (B), Stephens (W), Fowler (Y), 62.919

Ev 55     Semi Final Group 2              M. Headland (B), Howse (R), Hudson (W), A. Silvy (Y), 62.152

FINAL

Ev 59     Final: Plaisted (R), M. Headland (Y), Gates (W), Rudloff (B), 62.513

Above: (from left) Byren Gates & Michael O’Loughlin (3^rd),

Mark Plaisted & Ben Pitt (1^st), Mick Headland & Brenton Kerr (2^nd)

– and front – Shane Rudloff & Damien Egan (4^th) 

• Under 16 250cc Junior Solo Gillman Championship

Heat points: 131-Ashley Jansen-Batchelor 14 (3-3-2-3-3), 6-Linkin Metcalf (WA) 10 (1-2-3-2-2), 524-Harry Sadler 5 (2-F-1-1-1), 52-Tyler Battams (Vic) 1 (0-1-XL-0-0), 81-Darcey Timmis 0 (0-FX-0-0-0).

Ev 57     Final:          Metcalf (R), Jansen-Batchelor (W), Sadler (B), Battams (Y), Timmis (G), No time

• Under 16 125cc Junior Solo Gillman Championship

Heat points: K48-Kobi Canning 12 (3-3-3-3), 213-Cooper Antone (NSW) 11 (3-3-3-2), 03-Blake Schlein (Vic) 10 (2-2-3-3), 16-Hayden Pascoe 10 (2-3-2-3), 42-Ryleigh McGregor 7 (3-2-2-FN), 49-

Blake Hocking 7 (1-3-1-2), 14-Ambrose Fraser (Vic) 7 (3-1-2-1), 112-Ruby Chapman 6 (1-1-3-1), 317-Lilly Cottrell (Vic) 4 (0-2-0-2), 37-William Nicol 4 (2-1-1-FX), 30-Angus Hume (Vic) 3 (1-2-X-X), 13-Jackson McPherson 1 (FX-1-FX-N), 26-Jordan Hargreaves 0 (FX-Xi-Xi-N), 128-Hayden Kuchel 0 (FN-N-N-N)

Ev 56a   Final:           Canning (R), Antone (B), Schlein (Y), Pascoe (W)

Below:  Kobi Canning Sliding straight into the final.                                                    Below: Cooper Antone giving it his all in the final

       Support Events

• Under 16 250cc Junior Sidecars

Heat points: 360-Lachlan Coppen / Hayden Kuchel 12 (3-3-3-3), 1-Kayden Gates / Harley Ackerley (Vic) 6 (Xi-2-2-2), 28-Amelia Silvy / Tayla Lucas 5 (2-1-1-1)

• Solos Flat Track

Points: 11-David Footner 9 (2-2-2-3), 46-Seane Chapman 7 (3-1-3-FX), 571-Brock Gates (Vic) 4 (1-3-N-N), 713-Con Twist 3 (0-0-1-2), 215-Matt Paterson 1 (0-0-0-1), 911-Greg Laanekorb 0 (0-0-0-0), 77-Richard Bunting 0 (0-0-0-0)

6 PM pre-meeting junior demonstrations:

• Under 16 125cc Novice Junior Solos: 4-Riley Stout (red), 46-Owen Chapman (blue).
• 50cc Solos: 15-Mikayla Morris (red), 75-Jett Plaisted (blue);
• Pee Wees: 11-Nate Sadler (blue), 14-Koa McPherson (white), 75-Jett Plaisted (green), 417-Kolby Schultz (black).

This weekend would be the first time after a long hiatus that we see Speedway riders from as far as Western Australia and New South Wales, combined with Victorians return back to South Australia for our State Championship. Rivalries will ignite once more as riders battle it out for the Championship Title Crown and more than a few bragging right points. 

Photo Credit “Derick Thomas Photography”

Below as selected by the SA Speedway Sports Manager is a stacked field of talent:

Reserve

Excitingly for the first time in SA History we have had 3 Female talents Ruby, Darcey and Lilly enter to take on the lads in an SA Championships and with notable Talents descending on Sidewinders Speedway from all corners of Australia. Its looking to be a night not to miss, one such traveler with a list of successes Mitchell McDiarmid is looking to give the South Aussies a run for their money.

After a packed year of racing Mitchell is no stranger going bar to bar with SA Speedway athletes including lining up against the defending SA Champion Harry Sadler after their previous battle at the Australian 125’s Championships final at Sidewinders earlier in 2022.

Will Harry end up wearing the title crown for a second year in a row or will fellow South Aussie Kobi Canning get his way to topple the Champ after his 2021 4th place championship finish.

Just to show how tight the racing will be, many of the field including Mitchell McDiarmid, Harry Sadler, Kobi Canning, Darcey Timmis, Jordan Hargreaves, Cooper Antone, Ambrose Fraser, Haydon Kuchel and Hayden Pascoe have all come away from amazing performances at the Australian Championships back in April.

Where to see it all???

Sidewinders Speedway at 8^th Street Wingfield

Gates open at 9.30am, tapes up (racing starts) at 11.00am.

Adults $5.00, Kids U16 free, programmes $3.00

Saturday night Gillman roared into life with the thunder of Solos putting it all on the line for 2022 Australian Championship glory. With rain hitting the track earlier Saturday it created a perfect night for the spectators young to get track side and witness history being made right before their eyes.  

Both Fraser Bowes and Liam May rode exceptionally well on the night, especially Fraser who was unlucky not to make it straight into A Final after tight racing. Both riders definitely put on a show in the B Final. Teagan Pedler gave it her all and rode well on her night off the back of a year of huge successes in the sport.

In 250’s Ashley Jansen-Batchelor and Harry Sadler gave everything they could. Ashley lead the B Final and was looking to secure his spot into the A Final until unfortunately being passed on the final lap didn’t see him progress through. Harry laid it all on the line, crashing out of the B Final giving him a 7th place finish.

Darcy Timmis had an absolute ball riding her first ever 250cc ever after getting a late call up to the main event being a reserve. It was clear her feelings for the opportunity with a huge smile that we’re pretty sure is still present today.

Photo Credit “Derick Thomas Photography”

See all the shots of the night: HERE

See below all the results of the night:

Under 21 (500cc)

1st         Keynan Rew                                     15 Points.

2nd       Tate Zischke                                     13 Points.                           A FINAL

3rd        James Pearson                                11 Points.

4th        Jacob Hook                                      12 Points.                                                                                          

5th        Fraser Bowes (SA)                           11 Points.

6th        Maurice Brown                                 9 Points.                              B FINAL

7th        Liam May (SA)                                  9 Points.                                                                                           

8th        Cordell Rogerson                             9 Points.

9th        Michael West                                    8 Points.

10th      Jack McDiarmid                              5 Points.

11th      Lachlan Hayes                                4 Points.

12th      Patrick Hamilton                            4 Points.

13th      Harrison Ryen                                 3 Points.

14th      Tom Dixon                                       3 Points.

15th      Jackson Milner                               2 Points.

16th      Teagan Pedler (SA)                       2 Points.

Under 16 250cc                                                             

1st         Mitchell McDiarmid                     11 Points.

2nd       Beau Bailey                                    15 Points.                          A FINAL

3rd        Alexander Adamson                    13 Points

4th        Noah Grabham                              12 Points.                                                                                           .

5th        Ashley Jansen-Batchelor (SA)   11 Points

6th        Linkin Metcalfe                              10 Points.                          B FINAL

7th        Harry Sadler (SA)                          10 Points.                                                                                           .

8th        Colby Mason                                    7 Points.

9th        Broc White                                       6 Points.

10th      Riley Plumb                                      6 Points.

11th      Jordy Loftus                                     5 Points

12th      Liam Powell                                     5 Points.

13th      Bradley Niven                                   3 Points

14th      Anika Loftus                                     2 Points

15th      Darcey Timmis (SA)                       2 Points

16th      Hunter Mason                                 1 Point.