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    Travis Matthews, tinkering with his limited sportsman car, is among hopeful speedway racing enthusiasts counting down to a November start to a new season. Speedway racing, including Horsham Motor Sports Club’s traditional action-packed Queen’s Birthday long weekend at Blue Ribbon Raceway, has been among sporting casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many individuals and teams have used an extended break to work on their machines in preparation for a fresh season. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
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    AWAITING NEW SEASON: Horsham Motor Sports Club’s Nathan Bird with his racing truck. Speedway racing stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting events such as traditional Queen’s Birthday weekend racing at Blue Ribbon Raceway into mothballs. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
  • Hero image
    Travis Matthews, tinkering with his limited sportsman car, is among hopeful speedway racing enthusiasts counting down to a November start to a new season. Speedway racing, including Horsham Motor Sports Club’s traditional action-packed Queen’s Birthday long weekend at Blue Ribbon Raceway, has been among sporting casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many individuals and teams have used an extended break to work on their machines in preparation for a fresh season. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
  • Hero image
    AWAITING NEW SEASON: Horsham Motor Sports Club’s Nathan Bird with his racing truck. Speedway racing stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting events such as traditional Queen’s Birthday weekend racing at Blue Ribbon Raceway into mothballs. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Extended break allows extra time on speedway machines

Horsham Motor Sports Club members have used an extended break in activities due to the COVID-19 threat to prepare their machines for a new season later this year.

Having had only three of 10 meetings this season, they have promised to come back stronger and faster when racing resumes at Blue Ribbon Raceway at Kalkee.

Club member Nathan Bird said the break had been unfortunate for speedway racing, the same as for all sporting clubs, and if there was any blessing it was that it had allowed people time to work on their vehicles.

“It’s been pretty uncertain times but a few of the guys are obviously getting a few things done that they would usually put off until the end of the season. We’ve had plenty of time we wouldn’t normally have to do different sorts of stuff,” he said.



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The club would have usually been preparing for a big season-finishing Queen’s Birthday long weekend of action at the raceway, but now has to wait until spring.

“The June long weekend is usually our premier event. It’s very popular with drivers and visitors who like to come and catch up with old friends with a weekend away. It’s an unfortunate thing that it hasn’t been able to happen. Everyone usually looks forward to the last race meeting of the year,” he said.

“It’s a strange feeling. Anyone involved with a sporting club – football, cricket, netball – everyone is under the same flag. We’ll get back to normal eventually and we’re all hoping for that.”

The entire June 3, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!