Dedicated official staying to assist Willowbank Raceway preparations
Dedicated official to extend service at Willowbank Raceway with Winternats, Easter Thunder series and Qld Auto Spectacular coming up. Check out the Ipswich events.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WILLOWBANK Raceway operations manager Harry Rowsell was planning to retire this month before setting off on a trip around Australia.
However, he's bunkering down for another three months to assist preparing major events that drag racing fans crave after last year's COVID cancellations.
The events include the Raceway's major attraction, the Winternationals, which are scheduled for a comeback from June 10-13.
Before that, the Raceway was to be the venue for the Super Thunder extravaganza over Easter. Professional brackets and a Sportsman championship round were planned for that meeting on April 2 and 3.
However, the Easter meeting was cancelled due to the Greater Brisbane COVID lockdown starting on March 29.
Willowbank Raceway officials said they would be in touch with all ticket holders to discuss refunding tickets or transferring them to another event.
Apart from the Winternationals, Willowbank Raceway officials are hoping to remain involved in an Ipswich City Council-supported "Trains, Plains and Automobiles'' festival in early May.
Raceway officials are organising an exhibition and trade show on Sunday, May 2, after separate train and 100 year RAAF Amberley celebrations are held on the Saturday.
"There's a lot of stuff and it's very busy for us,'' Rowsell said, knowing how important the events are to the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct and city.
VALUABLE ROLE: Harry keen to see Raceway revived
Rowsell, 67, has been involved with the not-for-profit organisation since the Winternationals in 1991. He started as a volunteer.
He has been operations manager since 2017 in his second major stint with the Raceway.
However, he is staying on longer than anticipated after the recent loss of Raceway CEO Blair Conaghan, who accepted another position. Conaghan started his work at the Raceway last August.
"With Blair moving on, I couldn't walk away with three majors coming up,'' Rowsell said.
He said the hope was to find a new CEO before the Winternationals.
Rowsell has pushed his retirement back to July 2 after he and his wife Sharon earlier bought a caravan planning to get away this month.
"When I finish, we're just going to take off and see the country,'' he said.
But true to his passion for motorsport, the operations manager is getting on with the job before that adventure.
The operations manager said having entries and spectator bookings made online had helped officials monitor how events were progressing.
"Part of our Industry Return To Play COVID Safety Plan, we are 100 per cent online now,'' he said.
"We can track numbers more closely.''
Rowsell said the Winternationals would revitalise drag racing interest and provide valuable revenue for the city.
"The event for 2020, had it run, we were looking at a five-day event - adding an extra day,'' he said.
"However, with COVID, we'll take the safe option and we're running it back to four days.''
The Winternationals will be the final round of the 400 Thunder series, featuring the popular Top Fuelers and a host of professional brackets.
More than 500 cars and motorcycles from around the country are traditionally entered.
Rowsell said with state borders reopened, the big hope was to bolster the quality of fields and allow more interstate spectators to enjoy the event.
The possibility of overseas teams also returning was an exciting prospect.
The other event involving Willowbank Raceway is the "automobiles'' component of the May celebrations.
That follows the train history at the Workshops Rail Museum and the RAAF's 100th anniversary events.
A Queensland Auto Spectacular will be the main feature at the Ipswich Motorsport Precinct.
"So we make up the third leg of the trifecta,'' Rowsell said.
"The drag racing component of that day is actually quite small. It's more about significant car shows. We do trade alleys, we do big sales and things like that.''
About 5000 people have attended past shows at the Willowbank site.
Tickets for major Willowbank events will be available at: willowbankraceway.com.au
Originally published as Dedicated official staying to assist Willowbank Raceway preparations
‘It’s been rapid’: Rising teen ready to take NRL by storm
One of the country’s most rapidly rising league prospects has put himself on the cusp of an NRL debut less than a year after playing underage footy. Discover why you need to know Mason Kira.
Junior reps: Broncos, Titans’ girls in Harvey U17s, U19s Teams of the Week
A Broncos signed schoolgirl and two Northern Rivers raiders from the Tweed Seagulls were among the first players picked in the round 1 Harvey Norman U19 and U17 girls Teams of the Week. Read the latest here.
Standout 10: Top junior cricket stars of the round
An unbeaten 63 followed by two four wicket hauls round out the top three junior Sunshine Coast cricket performances this week. See the full list of standout stars from your club.
Broncos signee from NZ instant hit in Meninga Cup team of the week
A Brisbane Broncos signed New Zealand teenager from one of the world’s wettest inhabited places has made the Meninga Cup round 1 Team of the Week. Who else made the side? Revealed here, along with the Connell Cup squad.
Club cricket U19s: McClure magic headlines frantic round of T20s
Big time players came to play in the final round of Queensland’s Mens under-19 T20 cricket competition and few shone brighter than Redlands rookie Lachlan McClure. More here on round 5.
WATCH: Fresh course, record numbers expected for world-class marathon
The Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival is poised for its biggest year yet, with a fresh single-lap course, 15,000 expected to hit the starting lines and course records likely to be broken. See the course map.