SPEED ON Tweed has been rescheduled from October 2020 to 2021 (date to be announced) due to the COVID-19 chaos despite reaching approval for the iconic event to return to Murwillumbah.
Thousands of motoring enthusiasts, locals and spectators were lining up to see the event return including our Queensland neighbours who were “super keen” on the event.
Speed on Tweed Vice President Dion Andrews said the event had received a range of green lights to go ahead but it was not possible to run the event in the best possible way.
“I don’t think it would be right to run a Speed on Tweed event if it wasn’t at its full capacity,” he said
“It’s not just about the race it’s about having the community together and I dont think we can achieve that at this moment.
“It’s just too difficult to know the limitations of the event under the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Mr Andrews estimated the event would have attracted up to 10,000 after receiving strong event engagement and club support from many car clubs, individuals and businesses.
Mr Andrews said the plan had received conditional support from the Sacred Heart Church and had also progressed through the Tweed Shire Council approvals processes including safety plans, road closures and traffic management.
“We had excellent discussions with the Sacred Heart Church with Father Anthony Lemon offering to do the pre-race prayer,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the Sacred Heart Church had offered to host services at a different location to allow to allow an early start and access to the track.
“We were grateful to the church and their support was fantastic, and they were all for the event,” he said.
Matt Fergus Speed on Tweed committee member said that due to circumstances with Covid 19 the decision had to be made to reschedule the event until 2021.”
Speed on Tweed President Michael Simmons added that the SOT committee has decided that 2021 will be the only option for the event at this stage.
“This decision has been taken in the best interests of the event and in the interests of the local community that have such high expectations for the delivery of a successful Speed on Tweed,” he said.
Mr Simmons said that the committee encourages the local community to get involved as volunteers for the event in 2021 and hope we can get just as much support behind it as we had for 2020.
Mr Simmons said the Tweed Shire Council had also approved with conditions the plans for the event and were happy to move towards the next phase of planning.
“As we already had in principal support from council and we had the approval for the new date, as long as key milestones were met by the committee as part of those conditions,” he said.
The race had also attracted a massive support from racing organiser icon John Tetley from Racers World, who would conduct the racing event.
Allan Singleton SOT Committee member said that “Mr Tetley was set to manage the race part of the event,” he said.
“This process was well advanced under John Tetley’s leadership, and the professionalism that he had brought to organising the event was outstanding.”
Mr Singleton said he was confident Mr Tetley would remain committed under the circumstances to the return of a Speed on Tweed Revival event in 2021.
Racing returned to many raceways this week with only time trials and ten vehicles, no passengers, allowed, with racing officially on hold until restrictions ease.
The committee had called a second meeting for Monday, May 25, to ratify the decision to reschedule and to discuss the return of sponsorship funds and discuss several other matters.