Telling Time 2026: The History of Premier Speedway Warrnambool
Description
Take a look back at our city's modern history, with stories and memorabilia from key moments of the past that have shaped our cultural landscape. Enjoy a scrumptious supper and listen to a panel of special guest speakers as they share their own remembrances and tales passed down, refreshing old memories and revealing new insights into times gone by.
Start your engines! Then shift into reverse - we're moving back through the years of Warrnambool's Premier Speedway. Join us for a wonderful evening in the Panorama Room of The Flying Horse, listening to our panel of Speedway insiders as they talk about the challenges and triumphs of years past, sharing anecdotes and insights from on the track and behind the scenes. There will be memorabilia on display and supper provided, so come along and celebrate this iconic part of Warrnambool's story.
Lift access and venue bar available.
Collins Booksellers Warrnambool will be donating $10 from every booking made before 22nd June to the Gillin Boys Foundation.
The Panel
Geoff Rounds
Geoff Rounds is an Australian motorsport photojournalist and writer with over 35 years of experience, particularly specialising in speedway and sprintcar racing. He is best known for his extensive coverage of events at Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria. His 2024 book, 50 Classic Classics, was co-authored with Sydney's Tony Loxley and chronicles the 50-year history of the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic (1973–2023). Geoff's work is frequently featured in major Australian motorsport publications like Auto Action and news outlets such as The Herald Sun, The Weekly Times, Gold Coast Bulletin and The Standard. Geoff’s speedway involvement includes serving on the Board of Management for Premier Speedway in Warrnambool where he currently holds the role as vice president.
Rik Stewart
Rik Stewart is the General Manager of Premier Speedway. He is a former speedway racer and is the current track curator,and a key figure in the Australian speedway community, particularly in South-West Victoria. Rik is highly regarded for his technical skill in track preparation and has been consulted by other venues like Wagga Speedway to improve their racing surfaces. He previously led the Mid-Western Speedway in Darlington and also managed Welsh's Garage Doors & Gates in Warrnambool before taking on full-time speedway management.
Corey McCullagh
Corey McCullagh is a sprintcar driver from Warrnambool and is best known for winning the prestigious Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in 2018. A "perfectionist" by his own description, he has been a consistent competitor in the Australian speedway scene for over a decade, representing teams such as Corey McCullagh Racing and more recently with Dane Court Racing from Hamilton. He has multiple feature wins in the Victorian Sprintcar Racing Association (SRA) series and he was selected to represent Warrnambool's Premier Speedway at the Adelaide 500 NAPA Speedway event, a warm-up race meeting to the annual Adelaide 500 for V8 Supercars.
Samuel Ridley (Moderator)
Samuel Ridley is an author and history buff who brings real historical events to readers through his fiction. He has undertaken tertiary studies in Arts, Law, Education and Science and currently works in Environmental Health. Samuel is a Warrnambool local and Committee Member of Warrnambool Storytelling Festival.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
