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USA #1 Speedway Sidecar rider Joe Jones and his sponsor Chuck O’Banion visit Sidewinders

Filed Under: Dirt Track, News, Speedway

Sidewinders had a surprise visit to their March 29th Meeting, when USA #1 Sidecar rider Joe Jones and his sponsor Chuck O’Banion came down to watch the kids.  Joe spent time with the kids, having photos taken with them and signing autographs.
At the end of the night he presented Encouragement Awards to some of the young riders, on behalf of Kingpin Diesel.

Both Joe and Chuck were most impressed with our junior Speedway venue here in South Australia , which is of course not much smaller than Costa Mesa in the States, dedicated to Juniors.
Sidewinders would like to thank Joe for his time with them, and they, and all of us, wish him well for the weekend’s events at Gillman.

Photos from Sidewinders courtesy of Joylene Lee-Archer.

And why is Joe here in SA – well, this weekend will see a massive weekend of Speedway Sidecar action sees the two most prestigious events in the world of Speedway Sidecar running back-to-back in a doubleheader of epic proportions at Gillman Speedway Stadium, South Australia (SA). The 2019 FIM Speedway Sidecar World Cup will decide the World’s greatest Speedway Sidecar riders on Saturday night (6 April), before the racing returns less than 24 hours later to stage the re-running of the 2019 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship. 

 

MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA (MA) RELEASE THE FINAL SEEDED LIST FOR THE 2019 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR AND SENIOR SPEEDWAY SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Filed Under: Dirt Track, News, Speedway

MOTORCYCLING AUSTRALIA (MA) RELEASE THE FINAL SEEDED LIST FOR THE 2019 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR AND SENIOR SPEEDWAY SIDECAR CHAMPIONSHIPS

It is with great pleasure that Motorcycling Australia (MA) release the Final Seeded List for the 2019 Australian Junior and Senior Speedway Sidecar Championships, as well as the 2019 Senior Speedway Sidecar Championship Qualifier list.

Running from 20-21 April at Pioneer Park Speedway, Queensland, the 2019 Junior and Senior Speedway Sidecar Championships will electrify both competitor and spectator, as Australia’s leading Speedway Sidecar riders fight for the coveted 2019 titles.

A Qualifier will be held on Saturday 20th April for the 2019 Australian Senior Speedway Sidecar Championship, where 16 duos will battle it out for the remaining eight places available. Upon the close of Saturday’s Qualifier, riders and fans will return on Sunday, 21st April to see Australia’s finest bring the heat for a chance at the 2019 Senior Speedway Sidecar title!

A huge congratulations & good luck to all of the South Aussie teams that will be making the trek to Queensland for the Championships in late April

SEEDED RIDERS (in no particular order):

Darrin Treloar / Blake Cox
Brodie Cohen / Damien Egan
Hamish Golding / Liam Cox
Reece Liptrott / Jesse Thomas
Andrew Buchanan / Denny Cox
Trent Headland / Darryl Whetstone
Mark Plaisted / Ben Pitt
Warren Monson / Andrew Summerhayes

QUALIFIERS (in no particular order):

Shane Hudson / Adam Constable
Hayden Bond / Brady Cox
Dave Bottrell / Chris Bottrell
Stephen Saunders / Clarissa Mitchell
Tyler Moon / Adam Lovell
Sam Harrison / Luke McGrath
Shane Rudloff / Scott Morris
Grant Bond / Glenn Cox
Mick Headland / Brenton Kerr
Byren Gates / Michael O’Loughlin
Rob Patterson / Brett Lovell
Brian Silvy / Cameron White
Dylan Blain / Josh Murray
Stuart Firth / Jason Martin
Jamie Moohan / Bayley Ogilvie
Damien Niesche / Mitchell Spear

Reserves:
1st Res: Scott Fisher / Darren Wade
2nd Res: James Miano / Matthew Bullock
3rd Res: Steven Hawtin / Jacob Lynd

Running in conjunction with the seniors, the 2019 Australian Junior Speedway Sidecar Championship will run on Sunday 21st April. Make sure you get yourself to Pioneer Park for the Easter weekend, to witness Australia’s impressive emerging Speedway Sidecar talent!

JUNIOR SIDECARS (in no particular order):

Max Howse / Riley Commons
Brady Tickle / Jesse Tickle
Jake Cook / Cooper Tickle
Madison Kerss / TBA
Jack Fewster / Adam Fewster
Jackson Milner / Adam Niesche
Jake Treloar / Isaac Mitchell
Nate Headland / Caden Silvy
Connor Curran / Brodie Kerss

Keep up to date with all Australian Speedway Championship news by heading to the Australian Speedway Championship Website, or head over to Facebook for all your Speedway news.

With thanks to Judy Mackay for the brilliant pics (as always)

JAKE FLEET – BECOMES ONE OF THE FEW 9 YEAR OLDS TO WIN SIDEWINDERS’ SILVER HELMET

Filed Under: News, Speedway

Race Report from Sidewinders “Blast from the Past” meeting on March 2

Old and New: Back L to R: Andrew Nicol, Nicholas Possingham, Cory Richardson, Barry Golding, Steven Baker, Shane Parker Jaimon Lidsey, Nigel Sadler
Front L to R Jake Fleet, Ashley Jansen-Batchelor, Harry Sadler. Jordan Hargreaves, Lewis Monaghan.


Thankfully the night cooled down after a few very hot days but the action on the track stayed hot.

Our support groups of peewees, 50 cc’s and Novice Solos entertained a good crowd and showed their developing skills and race craft on their demonstration events. A few minor tumbles but all riders back on their bikes and rearing to go for their next event.

Six Solos fronted for a series of scratch races and the Silver Helmet finale.

In the scratch race section visiting popular Mildura rider Lewis Monaghan stood out winning three of his four heats (his bike failed him in his fourth heat ride).Local riders Nic Possingham and Harry Sadler shared the other heat wins with vastly improving youngsters Ashley Jensen-Batchelor and Jordan Hargreaves also showing fast and smooth rides and hounding the front runners. Youngest rider, 9 year old Jake Fleet is also a very smooth rider and was not that far behind the group.

Feature event of the night was the running of the Silver Helmet race. Five riders fronted for the six lap handicap event when Nic Possingham was unable to repair his damaged bike in time.
Easily the race of the season to date with Jake Fleet, who started at the Gate, riding the race of his young life to hold of the fast finishing Lewis and Ashley. Jake won by a wheel and was obviously elated. He becomes one of the few nine year olds to win the second of our Silver Helmets.

The other feature of the night was the ‘Blast from the Past’ where six former riders donned the kevlars to relive their youth. Former Sidewinders Stars Shane Parker, Nigel Sadler, Barry Golding, Andrew Nicol, Cory Richardson and Mildura’s Jaimon Lidsey threw their legs over borrowed Junior bikes and put on some very spirited demonstrations. They had a ball and showed that they still have all the skills.

Thank you to Lovell Transport for sponsoring the meeting.

Also a big thank you to photographer Derrick Thomas for the donation to the Club of a Proton ute for use by the Club.

Thank you to all the helpers and officials who make these meetings happen and a special thank you to the track staff who produced an awesome dust free track in very trying conditions.

That’s it, see you next meeting; the Bitmead Memorial Cup on March 16.

  

Photos courtesy of Joylene Lee-archer – with thanks.

 

 

IT’S TIME FOR A; ‘BLAST FROM THE PAST’

Filed Under: Dirt Track, News, Speedway

The ‘BLAST FROM THE PAST’ Meeting

At Sidewinders on Saturday, March 2nd, come along and see a number of Sidewinders ‘legends’ turn back the clock and go ‘back to the future’ as they hit the track where it all began for them!

This will be a meeting not to be missed, with the program including 8 ex Sidewinders riders who will demonstrate on 125cc machines during the night.

Riders will include Andrew Nicol, whose son now rides a Peewee, Steven Graetz, Cory Richardson, Shane Bowes and from the same era, Shane Parker and Nigel Sadler, along with Barry Golding and Ashley Watson.

The highlight of the night will be the return of the first ever rider from Sidewinders to win a World Championship, Steven Baker.

It was Steven’s father Graham who initiated the development of Sidewinders and the family are still very involved with the Club and Steven is our Patron.

It was in 1983 Steven won the World U21 Championship (pictured below) and it will be great to see him back on the track where it all began.

The Silver Helmet will once again be up for grabs, and will be contested by the current crop of Sidewinders solo riders, and who knows, perhaps there is a future World Champion among them, or even the rest of the riders who make up the support events, even the grommets on Pee Wees!

Entry as always, is only $5.00 for Adults, with kids U16 Free,

Official Program $3.00. 

The awesome Sidewinders Canteen will be cranking all night

And, Sidewinders amenities both also have disabled access. 

Gates open 5.30pm, Racing starts 7.30pm.

November 2018 Silver Helmet winner, Nicholas Possingham

 

Shane Parker, Nigel Sadler & Shane Bowes in full flight

 

BEN ERNST, THE CURRENT 250cc SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPION TO RACE FOR THE GRAHAM BAKER SHIELD THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!

Filed Under: All disciplines, News, Speedway

WOW! Exciting news!

Ben Ernst, the current 250 World Champion from Germany will be competing in the Graham Baker Shield this Saturday night at Sidewinders Junior Speedway!

It’s not very often you have had a world champ ride on a South Aussie track… and how good will the experience be for our junior solo riders to race against Ben!

And this also means the support class riders get to also rub shoulders in the pits with the champ!

And the spectators get to watch a visiting speedway rider from overseas on the Sidewinders track!

It doesn’t get any better!

A massive thank you to Shane Bowes for looking after Ben and behind the scenes work to get him to SA and to Leigh Adams for sending a bike down from Mildura for Ben to ride… and also the Monaghans for bringing the bike down!

Fire up!

Get down to Sidewinders this Saturday night… it is gonna be awesome!