2023 Australian Postie Bike GP arrives this weekend!
With Peter Baker
The eighth staging of the Australian Postie Bike Grand Prix around the streets of the Cessnock CBD in the Hunter Valley is on this weekend and is free for spectators.
Staged on a 1450-metre circuit the event gives fans the opportunity to watch the action up close as big names from most disciplines of motorcycle racing together with weekend racers push the famous Postie bikes to their limits, and beyond.
This has proved to be a great community event with Cessnock able to proudly boast that it is the only street bike GP race in the country and the only street bike GP race on Postie bikes anywhere in the world.
After being held for six years in a row, a Covid-ravaged world then curtailed the event until last year when it bounced back as big as ever.
Over 60 machines have entered with the usual mix of regulars from various disciplines, including a few big names from days gone by, and some well credentialed dirt track regulars joining forces for this Sunday.
Over the seven previous stagings of the event there have been just four combinations who have stood atop the victory rostrum and three of them will be chasing further honours this weekend.
Luke Richards and Marty McNamara won in the first two years and have been competitive every year since, and they will be hopeful there is no repeat of a troubled run last year.
The most successful team in the history of the event is the combination of former dirt track racer Brody Nowlan and Josh Pickering, who has just returned from another successful season racing speedway in Europe.
They will be particularly fired up after what looked likely to be a fourth victory last year was snatched away from them when Pickering had a tumble late in the race.
That dramatic finale saw the team of Daniel Wicks and Boyd Hollis take the honours and they should again be prominent on Sunday.
Chris Watson Motorcycles has again filed several entries, including one for one of Australia’s greatest ever motocross exponents Craig Anderson partnering Harrison Foster.
Riders with a dirt track background are again prominent among the entry list with the combinations of Cody Lewis and Brayden Gay, James Sawdy and Grant Charnock, David and Peter Smith, and Tom Donnelly and Blake Wilby all hoping to bring their dirt track success across to Postie bike racing.
There are many special features of this event which only came about after the Cessnock Motor Cycle Club convinced police, local council, politicians, residents and local businesses of its merits.
Various local businesses support the event and along with other fund raising, enables the club to cover the costs of turning the CBD streets in to a race track, and keeping it free for fans to watch.
Off –track there will be plenty to see as well with market stalls, food trucks, jumping castles etc. and merchandise stalls.
Ainsley Childs will be defending champion in the Female Cup.
2023 Australian Postie Bike GP Sunday Program
| Time | Event |
| 08.00 am | Riders Briefing |
| 09.00 am | Parade Lap |
| 09.20 am | Group A – 20-minute practice/qualifying. |
| 10:00 AM | Group B -20-minute practice/qualifying. |
| 10:40 AM | Ladies: 15-minute practice/qualifying. |
| 11:20 AM | Heat One of up to 36 teams 20 Lap qualifying race for Grand Prix |
| 12:15 PM | Heat Two of up to 36 teams 20 Lap qualifying race for Grand Prix |
| 1.00 pm | SMW Drilling Services Cessnock Cup up to 36 teams for one hour plus 1 lap |
| 2.30 pm | Postie Bike Female Premiair Hire Wine Country Cup 12 laps |
| 3.00 pm | Cessnock Mitsubishi Australian Postie Bike Grand Prix 36 teams for 90 minutes plus one lap |
