At Drouin Speedway on Sunday a huge crowd found themselves at the racetrack to cheer on their favourite local hero’s. With the Drouin Speedway Ladies Championship and the big Demolition Derby to close out the season. Also in action was the Junior 1200s for a points round event, Open Standard Saloons, Limited Sportsman and Junior Standard Saloons.
Wins in racing events went the way of Ella Sheedy in the Drouin Speedway Ladies Championship, Cooper Irons in Junior Standard Saloons, Matt Leek in Open Standard Saloons, Dillon Siely in Limited Sportsman, and Ryder Taylor in Junior 1200 Sedans. The end of show Demolition Derby victory went to Latrobe Valley man Kane Gibson. Kane is a regular racer at Drouin and was a popular winner of the Derby.
Junior Quarter Midget competitors also were able to have some demonstration time on the new infield Wattle Park Speedway track. Kids from ages of five to sixteen were on track and the opportunity attracted plenty of interest for the group.
Lea Judd got the Ladies Standard Saloon racing underway with a win in the first heat race of three after Ella Sheedy was unable to finish and dropping out of the race with mechanical issues, Sheedy came back to win the second heat race with a close finish between herself and Bree Walker, then in heat three the result changed with Walker defeating Sheedy. Sheedy then led fifteen laps to win the first Drouin Speedway Ladies Championship comfortably from Walker, Judd, Tasharni Murray, and Kath George.
Junior 1200cc Sedan drivers were competing in the Victorian Speedway Council version of the category for series points. Ryder Taylor from Drouin, was able to lead his brother Cruz across the finish line in heat one whilst in heat two, he won again defeating Kobi Knight and once again in the final heat he was the class of the field defeating Knight. In the fifteen-lap final Ryder Taylor skipped off with Knight and Cruz Taylor chasing. Jack Mills all the way from Horsham was trying to hang on to Cruz Taylor and dropped away for a little bit before clawing his way back to Taylor’s bumper. Ryder Taylor claimed victory in front of Cruz Taylor who passed Knight on lap seven, Knight finished third ahead of Mills and Bryden Bishop.
Like Taylor, Cooper Irons from Bunyip took a clean sweep in the Junior Standard Saloons. Irons won in front of Ashton Joynson, Cooper Graetz and Tailen Wells.
Pakenham East man Matt Leek won his first heat race in the Open Standard Saloons leading to the finish and Leigh Gooding. Kane Gibson then won heat two in front of Nathan Miles. Gibson then backed up with a second win in heat three before Gooding took victory in the final heat race. Leek and Gibson led the final early with Jay Miles just behind. Nathan Miles then moved into second on lap six with Adam Bywater moving to fourth by lap nine. At the finish Leek crossed the finish line less than a second ahead of Nathan Miles, Gibson, Bywater, and Jay Miles.
The Norstar Steel Recyclers and Latrobe Waste Recyclers supported Demolition Derby had attracted defending champion Damien Miller, previous winner Brad Warren and a host of other known racers such as Todd Moule (Sprintcars), and Darcy Micallef (Wingless Sprints). However, it would be Kane Gibson who would get stuck into destroying the field and taking home the $3000 winners cheque.
Drouin’s season is over and will return again in Spring 2026.
Drouin Speedway Club acknowledge and thank these wonderful supporters.
Alberni Engineering
Ampworks
ARP Earthworks
Baw Baw Shire
Big Ben
Bowens Pakenham
Bunyip Motors
Bunyip Tyre Service
CBM Media
Compact Drums
Drouin South Excavations
Drouin Tyre and Battery Service
Elite Auto Care
Elite Cranes and Transport
Image Worx Photography
KF & CO Hair Studio
Keena Fencing
Latrobe Waste and Recycling
Leigh and Anne Gooding
Local Print
Miles Mechanical
Napier Photography
Norstar Steel Recyclers
Orton Motorsports
Pakenham Radiators
Pakenham Towing
PGR Group
Plendrive
QuickTime Automotive
Railway Hotel
Richard & Ron Owen
Robin Hood Inn
Scott Irons & Family
Sky High Media
STR8 Bricklaying
Soul Wax
TJE Fabrication
TNT Autos
Total Autos Pakenham
Triangle Trophies Moe
Pakenham Town & Country Tennis Courts
Visual Signage Solutions
Wilkar Constructions
Drouin Speedway thank media team members Dean Thompson of Dean Thompson Media and Louise at Napier Photography for promotion of our club.
Written by
Dean Thompson
Dean Thompson Media
For Drouin Speedway Inc
