Speedway back on track

Sport returns to revamped Pioneer Park

THE scream of speedway will be heard in North Queensland for the first time in more than nine years next month.

Pioneer Park Speedway at Brandon will be the venue for the Gary Moon Memorial meet on August 11.

It is a sidecar competition and will attract 17 of the sidecar racers from throughout Aus- tralia. Rod Heathcote bought the speedway in October 2016 after it sat derelict since January 2011.

It’s the only speedway venue between Mackay and Cairns.

Mr Heathcote said there had been a major rebuild of the facility from the ground up since October 2016.

“We have got it back in a better condition than probably what it has ever been in its life,” he said. Mr Heathcote said when they announced the August meeting they were inundated with inquiries and support.

“We’ve got people flying from all over the country for the meeting,” he said.

“It should be an amazing atmosphere and fantastic crowd.

“North Queensland has been really motorsport hungry for a long time.”

Hundreds of thousands of dollars has been pumped into rebuilding the facility by Mr Heathcote.

“It’s been pretty full- on. It’s been a huge financial investment back into the complex,” he said. “It should benefit the whole community.”

Drive IT NQ marketing manager Madonna Simmons said they supported the reopening.

“We are really happy that it’s happening,” she said.

“It will show just easy it is to fill something that is purpose built for motorsport.”

Drive IT NQ is pushing for a permanent local driver- education and motorsport precinct in Townsville.

Ms Simmons said there would be a huge amount of support at the meet.

“We are all in support of it and we will be there for the opening,” she said.

“We would anticipate it would be at capacity very quickly.”

Townsville Speedway Association promotions representative Aaron Brunner said it was great having the track reopen.

“The sport will grow massively from it,” he said.

“Everyone wants to race but there’s no track in Townsville.

“If the track is good, people will travel that hour down to Brandon.”

Champion Townsville sidecar racer Gary Moon, 44, was killed in a race at the Townsville Showgrounds in 2011.