Michael Smithers with Modified Midget and Kart.
Gasworks Motorsport Inc (Gasworks /GWMS), the managers of Illabo Motorsport Park (IMSP), were nominated as part of the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club Ltd (Junee Ex-Services) submission to ClubsNSW’s 2025 Clubs and Community Awards under the Fostering Grassroots Sports category.
The Clubs and Community Awards highlight the close working relationships between licensed clubs from across NSW with their local communities.
There are nine categories that local clubs can nominate for their community involvement, including:
Arts, Culture and Entertainment
Education
Emergency Services
Environmental Sustainability
Fostering Grassroots Sport
Health Care
Heart of the Community
Mental Wellbeing
Social Inclusion
The Fostering Grassroots Sport category recognises clubs that make a positive impact in their community by enabling and enhancing participation in, and enjoyment of junior or senior sport through the provision of facilities, training programs, financial support and/or the contribution of club staff in assisting sporting groups.
This is the category that the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club nominated within to showcase the ongoing support the Junee Ex-Services Club has continued to provide annually to many local sporting clubs and not-for-profit community organisations based within Junee Shire.
Junee is a town that truly embodies strong community values, with family at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s gathering for hearty family dinners, enjoying weekend outings, or participating in fun activities together, we cherish the moments that bring us closer. Just a short drive away; lies the quaint village of Illabo, a hidden gem that’s often overlooked on a map. Here, you’ll find Illabo Motorsport Park (IMSP) — Australia’s only dedicated track for Vintage Speedway cars— a special place where families come together to create lasting memories.
The managers and operators of Illabo Motorsport Park is Gasworks Motorsport Inc (GWMS) a membership-based club consisting of six sub-committees, offering its membership a range of automotive and social activities to participate in.
The Gasworks Car Club is for classic, vintage and veteran vehicles enthusiasts. It conducts bi-monthly meetings and club runs to visit different locations across the Riverina and NSW.
The Car Club manages the organising and promoting of weekend trips for intra and interstate car clubs to come and visit Junee (and the shire’s “Canola Trail” tourism partners of Coolamon and Temora). Illabo Motorsport Park (IMSP) is located within Illabo Showground Precinct and is a speedway circuit project initiative developed in 2013 entirely with the aid of Gasworks volunteers. GWMS commenced operations of Vintage Speedway events in 2015. IMSP is a Motor Vehicle Racing Ground (MVRG) venue, licensed with the NSW Department of Sport, that conducts events on a permit basis issued by the Australian Auto-Sport Alliance.
Gasworks Motorsports organises regular Vintage Speedway Vehicle events at Illabo Motorsport Park, along with events for our Kart Club and Motor Bike Club members and visitors.
Gasworks Motorsports have recently partnered with Khanacross to provide them with a dedicated ‘home track’ at IMSP for their own events. This partnership will see further increased attendance at their events and bringing even more ‘tourist or visitor dollars’ to Junee Shire.
The Gasworks Student Automotive Mentoring Program is a partnership of Gasworks, Khanacross and Junee High School to provide students with skills to perform basic maintenance and even major repairs to motor vehicles. The program is open to, and utilised by, both male and female students, aged 12-18.
Over the past 10 years, the competitor and spectator attendance at Illabo Motorsport Park’s events has increased significantly and plays a vital role in promoting overnight visitation to Illabo, Junee and the Riverina —which in doing so has contributed nearly $1million to the local Junee economy. Thereby fulfilling one of Gasworks Motorsport’s foundation objectives, in that by organising automotive sporting events and activities, commercial benefits will flow-on to the local community. This is now being achieved and continues to grow.
The Junee Ex-Services Club is proud to play a role in this vibrant community by sponsoring upgrades to the track and facilities at Illabo Motorsport Park. They believe that in our busy lives, it’s more important than ever to provide spaces where families can connect, share laughter, and strengthen their bonds. Together, they’re fostering a warm environment where cherished moments can flourish and personal development occurs.
Through the Club Grants scheme in 2024, the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club was able to fulfil Gasworks donation request of $9,138. This vital donation enabled Gasworks to undertake urgently required drainage works on our track at Illabo, as well as smaller projects such as purchasing outdoor furniture for the spectator area and gardening equipment.
Whilst the Junee Ex-Services Club has been undertaking upgrades to their own premises over the last couple of years, they have also donated a considerable amount of excess physical equipment to Gasworks Motorsport or use at Illabo Motorsport Park including:
The combined amplifier and audio mixer that now forms the heart of the PA system at Illabo Motorsport Park
A electric Bain-marie to replace the aging LPG-based unit in our canteen
Assorted stainless steel bench-tops, sinks, and other kitchen equipment, which have been utilised in their canteen and to create an outdoor cleaning bay.
The Junee Ex-Services Club hosted the twice-yearly Vintage Speedway Tribute Dinners between 2015 and 2020 (they haven’t resumed since COVID). The Club has also sponsored various raffle prizes to the raffles conducted at IMSP during their Vintage Speedway events.
Nicholas Pyers, Vice President of Gasworks Motorsports said: “Gasworks gratefully acknowledges that the ongoing support from the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club, has enabled us to expand our operations at Illabo Motorsport Park, and develop our offerings within other areas.”
“Gasworks are overjoyed to part of this no-table award. We were thrilled that Clare Hoadley, the then General Manager of the Junee Ex-Services Club, approached us to provide additional background information about our overall operations for inclusion in the Clubs and Community Awards from ClubsNSW.
“And we are deeply honoured by the initial nomination, and value our placing amongst the finalists in the Fostering Grassroots Sport category of the ClubsNSW Clubs and Community Awards.
“We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support the Ex-Services Club’s past Boards and Management has provided our group over the last ten years and we look forward to working the with new Board and Management for another decade… and beyond!.. to continue to grow both organisations on going contributions to the local economy.
Clare Hoadley, the General Manager of the Junee Ex-Services Club (at the time of the Award submission) said: “The Ex-Services Club is proud to see how Gasworks is constantly encouraging local youth to participate in activities and fostering a long term development and succession plan”.
Kerry Phelan, Secretary and one of the Founding Members of Gasworks Motorsport Inc, said: “The Gasworks Karts Junior Division in particular has seen numerous success stories, but the two outstanding highlights are (now) 13 year old Michael Smithers, and (now) 16 year old Kyla Druey”.
“In the last four years both of them ave developed well beyond their years.
“We’ve seen Michael advance from Junior Karts, to Advanced Karts, and now to the youngest driver in the Vintage Speedway Midgets Category, with other drivers in this category aged 40 to 70+
“While Kyla, at the age 12, was originally the youngest and only female kart driver — now we have a number of female drivers, as young as 8 years old — including Michael’s sister Amber in Juniors; and Mum, Meg, in Seniors.
“Kyla is now driving in Junior Sedans class events across NSW, as well as continuing with Karts. She is regularly placing in her events, with more than an occasional win.
“Both Michael and Kyla are part multi-generational speedway families— Michael’s mother, Meg, is an avid kart driver; while Kyla’s Grandfather, Dick, is veteran Speedway Driver and her Mum, Nicole, alsod rives speedway vehicles.”
The Clubs and Community Awards Night, which celebrates the phenomenal contribution clubs make to their local communities, will be held on the evening of June 19, 2025 at the Grand Ballroom, International Convention Centre, 14 Darling Drive, Sydney, NSW.
Representatives from both Gasworks Motorsport and the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club shall be in attendance.
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