Speedway Sedans Australia News
Author : Jason Crowe – SSA Media
The fifth annual Brett Johnson Memorial is set to be the biggest yet, with thirty one drivers from all across the State nominating for the two night show to be held this weekend at Karrathas Nickol Bay Speedway.
Slowly morphing into one of the must attend events up in Western Australias North, the BJM as it is affectionately known, is an annual event that honours a young man who had medical issues from the time he was born in 1988. In 2013, Brett came out to the club and had a ride in a 2 seater Street Stock, something he had been promised for a long time and that finally fulfilled a dream for him.
Brett had a great time and it was all he could talk about but, sadly, Brett passed away in October 2013. The club created the annual Brett Johnson Memorial in 2014 in his honour.
This event also partners up with EPIC and the Nickol Bay Speedway Club is proud to be able to support another non for profit organisation by donating money to help people with special needs.
This years field has attracted a stellar lineup, headed by last years winner Paul Joss. All the way from Collie, Joss is back again and will this year run the #8 in honour of Brett as the defending winner.
He will be joined in the field by another former winner in local boy Matt Herbert (a two time victor), while others also in the field who have previously finished on the podium include Jack Mcauley (third in 2015), Bunburys Wayne Thomson (two second places in the last two years), Brinley McGaffin (third last year) and Rowan Drysdale (third in 2016).
Ex local drivers Ben Ridley and Ben Ferris return to their former home track while other drivers include Alex Williams, Ben Ridley, Daniel Stanley and Clint Hadley are coming all the way from Maragret River while Peter Herbert and Paul Bowman are making the long haul from Albany to take on the local brigade.
Kalgoorlie driver Jack Barnewall is also continuing up the coast of WA after competing in Shark Bay last weekend and certainly cannot be counted out this weekend, while the locals including Marty Coutts, Clint Marks (driving the ex-Hayden Norman machine), Newmans Craig Clayton (aboard the car that Norman drove to win this years State Title) and Kununurras Russell Gunn are also in the field.
A huge thankyou to all the sponsors for this weekend, Karratha Smash Repairs, Karratha Beach Tyres, ODH Mechanical, Karratha Machinery Hire, Jolly Good Auto Electrics, LWP Logistics, Rio Tinto, OBrien AutoGlass, Splish Splash Swimming School, KBSS Engineering, Pilbara Motor Group, Karratha Tilt Tray and Towing, Thrifty Australia, Onsite Rental Group, Joyce Kranes, Rail Possessions Australia, Tonys Auto Wreckers, Barth Brothers, Atom Supply, Coldpoint Refrigeration, Pearlers Rest, Karratha Little Champs Family Day Care, McDonalds Karratha, Temptation Scents, Belle Ame and Dirt Track Nutters.
The event gets underway tomorrow night with each driver contesting four heats prior to a top sixteen preliminary feature, followed by another two rounds of heats and the all-important $3000 to win feature on Saturday night.
Adults are $10 entry, kids 12-17 are $5 and under 12s are free, while a family pass (2 adults, 3 kids) is just $25.). Gates open at 4:30pm both days with racing starting at 630pm. Full results will be posted as they happen on the SSA Facebook page.
Brett Johnson Memorial Honour Board
2014
1. Matt Herbert, 2. Matt Robertson, 3. Al Couper
2015
1. Matt Herbert, 2. Brian Herbert, 3. Jack McAuley
2016
1. Hayden Norman, 2. Wayne Thomson, 3. Rowan Drysdale.
2017
1. Paul Joss, 2. Wayne Thomson, 3. Brinley McGaffin.
2018
????
Official Nominations 31
W4 Peter Herbert
W6 Clint Hadley
W7 Clint Marks
W8 Paul Joss
W9 Ben Ridley
W11 Rowan Drysdale
W12 Brinley McGaffin
W14 Alex Williams
W15 Wayne Thomson
W16 Jack Barnewall
W18 Daniel Stanley
W19 Stevie ODowd
W20 Clinton Waldron
W23 Steve Griffiths
W27 Shane Snell
W29 Jake Hoath
W32 Ben Ferris
W35 Craig Clayton
W37 Jeremy Ferris
W39 Alan Couper
W41 Leanne Couper
W42 Matt Herbert
W44 Marty Coutts
W45 Brian Herbert
W52 Paul Bowman
W72 Russell Gunn
W82 Colm ORiordan
W94 Petrus Lamprecht
W95 Lourens Lamprecht
W96 Jack McAuley
W97 Brad Wilde
Details courtesy of Scott Beattie