BLACK IS BLACK AT HI-TEC OILS TOOWOOMBA SPEEDWAY – OCTOBER 31
By David Budden:
Speedway returns to Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway on Saturday night October 31 when Men’s Mental Health Night returns for its second season. This night is a little different, it’s not a fundraiser. It’s simply a Race for Awareness.
We’re asking our teams, officials, volunteers and race fans to help us black out the venue. You may like to dress like Johnny Cash the man in black. Whatever you can do to help turn the Speedway black for one night and most importantly it’s a conversation starter. Because sometimes a conversation is all it takes.
Speedway is a sport built around mates and friendships that in many cases lasts a lifetime. We travel long distances together chasing the white centre line looking for the next feature race win. Work on cars until all hours of the night, fix or rebuild them then wash up and repeat the next weekend.
On nights like these we men also need to be reminded of the woman in our lives because us blokes don’t talk about our health near enough. Our wives, partners, daughters or girlfriends on most occasions have the ability to get us fellas to the doctors at least once a year, nowhere near enough.
The ladies in our lives have to listen to the complaining about the feature race that drove away from us, the win we should have had and didn’t. They hear about that one all the way home and into the next week . When we get the man flu because it’s the worst kind of flu known to mankind or we have hit the wrong nail with a hammer, so why don’t we go to the doctors or other health care professionals?
Don’t have the time, don’t want to hear what the doctor might say, no excuse fellas, so do it now, make an appointment, see your GP or health care professional and start the conversation.
So on Saturday night man up and start the conversation. When you walk into Hi-Tec-Oils Speedway Saturday afternoon ask the person beside you if they are OK. Just like a race car, when something isn’t running right, you don’t keep circulating hoping it fixes itself. You pull in, get some help and work out what needs fixing. Your health deserves the same pit stop.
Men’s Mental Health Night is about reminding everyone in our Speedway community that it’s okay to speak up, it’s okay to ask for help and there is absolutely nothing weak about telling someone you’re struggling.
The blackout is designed to make a visual statement, but its real purpose is to get people asking why and that gives us an opportunity to talk.
Check in with your mates. Ask the question twice. Listen when someone answers. And if you’re the person doing it tough, know there are people around you who would much rather hear from you today than wish they had tomorrow.
Some years ago I worked with a man who had the early signs of Prostate Cancer he didn’t know at the time. He just felt a little sick and had some back pain. He put up with it a few weeks until he was persuaded to go and see a doctor.
A simple routine test confirmed it was in early stages of Prostate Cancer. Early detection saves lives, today he lives a normal healthy life. So the message is start the conversation, talk to someone, make the time, there is nothing more important than your health and wellbeing.
Saturday will feature another huge night of racing, headlined by the Queensland Speedway Spares Ultimate Sprintcar Championship which returns to a two heat format. This is the last opportunity for Sprintcar teams to test and tune in a race environment before the Australian title in November, plus round 2 of the Rudds Towing Late Model Series.
As the popularity of Late Models continues to grow along with the increase in local car numbers, the division is set for a big few months at Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway. With $15,000 in series prize money up for grabs, Joel Berkley holds a narrow 12 point lead over Jordan Cunningham. Wingless Sprintcars and a quality field of Speedcars are also on the Program.
It’s now less than a month to go until the NuTrend Homes Australian Sprintcar Championship from the 18 to 21st of November at Hi-Tec-Oils Toowoomba Speedway.
General Admission will sell out, so to avoid disappointment get your tickets now. Camping sites are now sold out as are the Corporate boxes. The VIP Marquee on the Saturday is sold out, however, minimal tickets are still remaining for the VIP Marquee on the Wednesday and Friday nights.
