Victorian Sidecar Championship Preview

BRADSHAW TROPHY FOR VICTORIAN SIDECAR CHAMPIONS

Live Stream link

https://www.mildura.live/

For the first time and in a unique situation, the Victorian Sidecar Champions will, for this year only, be awarded the Dudley Bradshaw Memorial Trophy, as part of Mildura’s regular Speedway calendar, which has had to be modified due to the shortness of the season affecting the regular staging of events as the Club would want. The annual Sidecar Shootout and the State Title have been combined in this instance particularly due to the changed arrangements due to the Covid situation.

The significant reason why the Club has elected to do the special award is following the passing of the Club’s esteemed Life Member, the late Wayne Bradshaw, who lost his battle with cancer on 17th May last year. Wayne’s passing was after the Olympic Park season had completed and the Club, along with Wayne’s family decided that a special tribute to Wayne would be appropriately matched with that meeting which honours the contribution to Sidecar speedway by the family, with the Trophy named in honour of the family patriarch, the late Dudley Bradshaw. It is now totally fitting that the trophy acknowledge two greats of the Club and two stalwarts of Sidecar speedway in Mildura, Dudley Bradshaw and his eldest son, Wayne and be the trophy for the 2022 Victorian Sidecar Champion.

Saturday, 19th February is the Robinson Plumbing / Gardenland Nursery Supplies, 2022 Victorian Sidecar Title to be held at Olympic Park, Mildura.

A great list of nominations has already made the call to ride at Mildura as riders wish to get good competitive “track time” at the tough Olympic Park circuit, especially as the 2022 Australian Title will be held over the Easter weekend at Adelaide’s Gillman speedway. Riders, as they did last year when Mildura was the host venue for the National Titles had good nominations coming to town.

Top names who will ride in the Victorian Title include local stars, Warren Monson / Andrew Summerhayes, along with Byren Gates / Eli Bock and near to local, Mick Headland / Brenton Kerr, while the young superstars from Broken Hill, Max Howes / Riley Commons will be again looking for a podium place as they did in the Gates Sidecar Cup just a month ago. Chris Dess / Chris Basham and Deven Gates / Megan Cane will not just make up the numbers as the other local contributors.

Queensland’s Champion, Brodie Cohen with Jesse Headland on the side, will be a star attraction, while Damian Niesche / Ayrton Canning head up a top line up from SA to enter the Victorian Title meeting along with Dean Hobbs / Dan Low and Trent Headland, now back with former Championship passenger, Daz Whetstone. These two have always been a formidable combination and have seen much success together. Mitch Spear / Glen Zaworski add to the SA list against those from Victoria in Brenten Dwyer and Jamie Flood, Mark Radford / Blake Halls and Chris Walker / Connor Curran with NSW being represented by Shane Hudson / Adam Constable.

A tough twenty heats is expected, with all riders looking to at least get enough points to make it into the “B” Final where those on 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th points will take their place for the “last chance” final to get into the Championship event at night’s end.

The 2022 Victorian Championship is one of the most hotly contested Championships for many years, so Sunraysia’s speedway patrons will be entertained to the extreme. First showing for former World Champion, Mick Headland with Brenton Kerr, now recovered from injury will want to get straight on pace, as it is only a matter of 2 months before Headland will look for the opportunity to in his first Australian Championship at his Adelaide, home venue.

A class of Classic Sidecars will accompany the Victorian Title candidates, with interest always being about the “old machines and the old blokes” who steer them around.

The spectacular Motorcross Mayhem will also be part of the support evets for the night. The Motorcross riders or “flattrackers” as they are often called race, “elbow to elbow” on every lap of the technical Mildura circuit. The Motorcross guys certainly enjoy their rides, as each tries to outdo the other, sometimes “slamming” heavily into each other as they circulate with great skill

A Junior meeting will be held prior to the Title event at around 6:00pm.

Olympic Park gates will open, as usual at 5:00pm, with patrons being invited to use the Free Grandstand accommodation available or bring a Chair or rug and avail themselves of a piece of grassy bank which surrounds the Stadium.

Top class food and drinks are available for all patrons at a modest cost from the Club’s concession holders. Tickets can be purchased at the Gate prior to entry.

The Club asks that patrons are aware of the Covid 19 requirements and are asked for compliance as has been the case in the past.