AFTER half of decade of waiting, the Broken Hill Speedway Club’s new track wall is open and ready for racing, with the first event coming in hot.
The club, which was still operating throughout the last five years, was unable to hold any speedway events due to a change in safety standards.
In 2019 safety standards for speedway tracks changed throughout the country, leaving the club to upgrade the track wall to a shock-absorbing kinetic material.
Following Motorcycle Australia approving new designs drawn up by the club, the renovations were hit with multiple roadblocks, including COVID lockdowns and its small team.
But the new wall is now finished, approved by a Motorcycling Australia Track inspector, and ready for the club’s ‘Come back to Speedway’ event on Saturday, November 23.
BHSC secretary Ali Howse said the club is very excited to be holding their first event in years.
“We’ve still been an active club in the past five years, but this is our comeback to this track, which is a different calibre of race meeting,” she said.
“Speedway events tend to pull a bigger crowd.
“So, we’ve got to have make sure our amenities are all up to standard, and that our canteen and bar can accommodate a bigger crowd.”
Ms Howse said the club feels like it’s back on its L Plates when it comes to running larger events.
“We want it well received by the community, but we also don’t want massive expectations that it’s this big comeback because this is really a teasing event for us to then iron out, as a club and committee, what’s working and not working,” she said.
“When we go into an event we’re aiming for a smooth and safe day first and foremost.”
To make up for lost time, the club’s 2025 is already jammed-pack with events.
“We will be hosting the NSW State Side Car Championships on March 1, which we anticipate being massive,” she said.
“The last time we ran a state championship was 2017 and we had about 3,500 spectators. It was huge.”
