Family legacy and 20 years of service earns speedway president life membership

TWENTY years of racing, mentoring and volunteering has earned Justin Partridge the highest honour at the Gunnedah Speedway Club, with the long-serving competitor named a life member at its annual presentation awards.

It headlined a celebration of the club’s top drivers, volunteers and officials.

Partridge has been tireless, while his influence has helped shape the next generation of drivers.

The 35-year-old, who began racing in 2006, said he never expected his involvement with the club to become such a significant part of his life.

Justin Partridge is the newest life member at the Gunnedah Speedway Club. Photo: GSC.

“I started in 2006 as a junior driver and Dad had always been involved in it,” he said. “I just got involved and never left.”

“I’m pretty young to be a life member of anything, so it’s definitely something that caught me by surprise.”

After progressing through the junior ranks into four-cylinder racing and a stint in street stocks, Partridge increasingly turned his attention to supporting the sport behind the scenes.

Fast four winners Thomas Hombsch, Stephen Keeler and Grant Jackson. Photo: GSC.

He became a junior technical officer in 2009 and has since taken on an extensive list of responsibilities, including serving as club president, a junior trainer, state technical officer for Racing Sedans Australia and a committee member with the national association.

Despite the workload, Partridge said helping young drivers develop was among the most rewarding aspects of speedway.

Among those he has mentored is a young driver with autism who regularly rides alongside Partridge in his two-seater speedway car.

Junior All Star winners Sophie Partridge, Clinton Hall and Bailey Jackson. Photo: GSC.

“Ben’s awesome,” Partridge said. “He’s my number one rider.”

“We’re lucky to have some really good juniors and there are plenty of tracks that we can travel around to race at.”

Partridge has a second two-seater under construction which will allow even more people to experience speedway next season.

He said introducing newcomers to the sport through two-seater rides had become one of his favourite parts of speedway.

Kevin Keeler and Charlette Keeler with encouragement awards at the club presentation. Photo: GSC.

“My sister jumped in with me at the start of the season and that kind of sparked her love for it again,” he said.

“I had a grandmother in with me for her 80th birthday at the start of the year and she absolutely loved it.”

Partridge said the strong family atmosphere at the club was what had kept him involved for two decades.

“A weekend at the speedway is just a big gathering for all of us,” he said.

“We all travel together, race together and spend the weekends together. It’s a great lifestyle.”

Appreciation awards went to Rebecca Partridge and Katie Mitchell. Photo: GSC.

The presentation night also celebrated the achievements of competitors across multiple divisions, with Stephen Keeler claiming the Standard Fast Fours championship, Jeremy Keynes winning the Fender Benders title, Matt Cobb taking out Street Stockers and Clinton Hall crowned Junior All Stars champion.

Brooklyn Acres was named Competitor of the Year, Brendan Myers received Clubman of the Year, while Team Keeler earned the President’s Award.