BREAKTHROUGH: SEDAN PASSENGERS ALLOWED IN NSW FOR SPEEDWAY RACING
A revised agreement with NSW Sport and Recreation has opened the opportunity for passengers to ride on board during speedway racing events, reversing a four-decade-old ruling.
Since 1985, speedway competitors in the state of NSW have not had the opportunity to enjoy competitive racing with a passenger alongside them, as other states have enjoyed.
NSW legislation has stated that there is “no person to be accompanying a driver in a vehicle during the course of a race at a race meeting. The one exception is, except where previously approved by the minister.”
However, after many lengthy discussions amongst the Speedway Australia Sports Development Officers and building a very compelling document stressing the organisational growth limitations triggered by the ruling, Speedway Australia approached the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation with the view to bring the state in line with the rest of the nation.
With the information put forward and with the long running relationship and trust built with the Department, Speedway Australia have now been given permission to allow passengers in vehicles exclusively at Speedway Australia Permitted events throughout NSW.
This announcement will now align SSA classes such as Production Sedans and Street Stocks with all the other states in Australia, cultivating the growth of sedan racing in NSW, and also opening the door for RSA to explore how it could advantage some of their already active classes.
Speedway Australia CEO Darren Tindal is excited by the breakthrough, and anticipates sizable growth in sedan racing in NSW as a result.
“So many of today’s sedan drivers outside of NSW got their first taste of racing by being a passenger, and this breakthrough will now pave the way for budding drivers in our largest populated state to get inside a race car in a competitive environment to experience firsthand the thrill of racing door-to-door.”
“We’re excited that now, with the appropriate licenses at suitable events, friends will be able to take friends or drivers could take sponsors to whet their appetite to get behind the wheel, or racing parents can now coach their 16 year old children from the passenger seat like I did with my son.”
Safety is always of the highest priority when it comes to our competitors and passengers are no exception. All effected classes will have to abide by the Speedway Australia rule book, section 2.2.14. They will also have to follow their divisional body regulations around passengers in vehicles.
The new ruling is effective immediately. For further details, contact your relevant club or divisional body president, or NSW Sport Development Officer, Michael Braggs 0n 0457 184 080 or michael@speedwayaustralia.net.au