Sponsors sought for Pinjar Park senior track

WORK is under way to build a senior track at Pinjar Park, and the Speedway Motorcycle Club of WA is looking for sponsors.

Additions at the Neerabup facility are due to finish in early 2017, with upcoming works to install an external track and spectator fences.

Property manager Peter Muller said the speedway facility shared the Pederick Road site with Wanneroo Junior Motocross Club, which had been there for about 30 years.

“Our speedway club is now in the final stages of building the speedway stadium on Old Yanchep Road,” he said.

“The club has done the earthworks for this stadium-style speedway track.

“The Department of Sport and Recreation has recently granted us a grant to purchase and erect a world-class safety fence around the track itself.”

Club president John Ballantyne said the club was selling sponsorship on fencing panels to cover a $35,000 shortfall for the safety fence.

“We are going to start construction of the safety fence before Christmas,” he said.

Mr Muller said much of the resources and manpower used on the $2.6 million project so far had been donated by local businesses or volunteers.

That included about 50,000 tonnes of sand fill and crushed concrete sourced from road building projects nearby.

“The work to date that the club has achieved on the venue has been done primarily by club volunteers and supporters,” he said.

“It’s been about three-quarters of a million dollars worth of work done by volunteers.

“There’s a lot more work to do with the finishing off of the venue.”

Other features they hope to build include toilets, change rooms, a canteen and bar.

Mr Ballantyne said the volunteer-driven club hoped to create an international standard arena for speedway racing.

Mr Muller said the sunken stadium would have seating for up to 4500 people, with extra standing space allowing a maximum capacity of about 7000, though spectator numbers were unlikely to reach that within the next decade.

He said it would cater for the club’s membership, which is currently about 230 people, including juniors.

“It’s not for car racing; it’s only for motorcycles and side cars,” he said. “We cater now for the junior side of the sport. In the absence of a senior track, the seniors have also been using this track for eight or 10 years.”

Mr Muller said the junior track had produced top speedway riders, including Tai Woffinden who was world champion in 2013 and 2015.

For more information on sponsorship, call John on 0432 725 295.

Pre-season busy bee for junior track

THE Speedway Motorcycle Club of WA will hold a busy bee on September 10 to prepare the existing Pinjar Park facilities for the upcoming season.

Tasks will include replacing 20 posts on the junior track with purling and 20 plywood panels, plus painting the fence and tower, gardening and weeding.

For information on upcoming ‘come and try’ days, visit www.speedwaywa.com.au .