AUSTRALIAN SPEEDWAY HONOURS ITS HIGHEST ACHIEVERS AS EMOTIONS OVERFLOW
Some of the toughest names in Australian Speedway racing struggled to keep their emotions from overflowing on Saturday night at the Australian Speedway Awards and Hall of Fame Gala Dinner at Brisbane’s Star Casino on Saturday night.
Maryborough Queensland based sedan racer Joel Berkley was awarded the top honour of Overall Sportsperson of the Year.
Berkley’s award was the crescendo of a night brimming with every emotion, inducting five legends into the Australian Speedway Hall of Fame, awarding six industry awards and six competitor awards before a 200 strong live audience and livestreamed on ClayPerView thanks My Race Pass.
Berkley’s “Sportsperson of the Year” honour backed up his “Sedan Competitor of the Year” win, while decorated Sprintcar racer James McFadden was hailed as Open Wheel Competitor of the Year, while the Perth Motorplex retained the title of “Track of the Year” for three consecutive years.
The night held some emotional surprises for some recipients, with Marshal/Official/Volunteer of the Year Adam Currie in disbelief with his award, while Junior Competitor of the Year Harrison Beres won a new legion of fans with his likable larrikin acceptance interview that kept MC Bennie Bishop guessing what the young West Australian was going to say next!
“Every year this awards event seems to find a new gear, and tonight was another level again of demonstrating the sport at it’s best, and seeing just how much it means to the 15,000 licensees across the country,” a spoksesperson said.
“The night had everything, from the Hall of Famers revealing hilarious tales of the golden era right through to a touching tribute honouring the memory of more than 100 speedway identities who the sport lost in the past season.”
Pic: Skene Media
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
2025 Hall of Fame Inductees
Tom Watson Snr - SPEEDCARS, WA
Allan Blake - SEDANS, WA
Steve Robinson - DIRT MODIFIED, NSW
Stuart Herne - DIRT MODIFIED, NSW
Sid Middlemas - SPEEDCARS, NSW
Photographer of the Year - Richard Hathaway - WA
Finalists - Zach Phelan - NSW, Nakita Pollock - NT
Marshal/Volunteer of the Year - Adam Currie - SA
Finalists - Pam Franz - QLD, Jerome Sutton – WA
Media/Group/Outlet of Year - Dean Neal - Night Thunder
Finalists - Ben Jordan - Hour of Power, Cody Smith - Codeman Racing
Innovation/Promotional Item/Event of the Year - NAPA Speedway - Sprintcars in the City
Finalists - Perth Motorplex - High Limit International, South Burnett Speedway Club - Kings Royal
Track of the Year - Perth Motorplex - WA
Finalists - Murray Bridge Speedway - SA, Toowoomba Speedway – QLD
Most Improved Track of the Year - Tolmer Speedway - SA
Finalists - Manjimup Speedway - WA, Alexandra & District Speedway – VIC
Karting Competitor of the Year - Cody Malley (VIC)
Finalists - Kai Malley (VIC), Ashleigh Moller (QLD)
Modified Competitor of the Year - Kevin Britten – V8 Dirt Modifieds & AMCA Nationals (QLD)
Finalists - David Clark - V8 Dirt Modifieds (QLD), Rob Rawlings - Legend Cars (NSW)
Open Wheel Competitor of the Year - James McFadden – Sprintcars (VIC)
Finalists - Jock Goodyer - Sprintcars (TAS), Tyson Martin – Wingless Sprints (SA)
Junior Competitor of the Year - Harrison Beres – SSA Junior Sedans (WA)
Finalists - Rusty Ponting – Junior Formula 500’s (VIC), Cody Malley – SKKA Karts Junior, Junior Fomula 500’s (VIC)
Sedan Competitor of the Year - Joel Berkley – SSA Super Sedans, SSA Modified Sedans, SSA Prod Sedans (QLD)
Finalists - Jamie Oldfield – Late Models, SSA Street Stocks, SSA Modified Sedans (WA)
Nathan Macdonald – SSA Modified Sedans, SSA Prod Sedans (QLD)
Overall Sportsperson of the Year - Joel Berkley – SSA Super Sedans, SSA Modified Sedans, SSA Prod Sedans (QLD)
Finalists - James McFadden – Sprintcars (VIC), Jock Goodyer - Sprintcars (TAS)