Since 2007, Speedway Australia has given the nation’s best young drivers the opportunity to participate in their Junior Driver Development Program. The development of junior drivers has long been identified as crucial to the growth of Speedway in Australia and Speedway Australia has taken an active role in ensuring continued participation.
Since its inception, the Junior Development Program has funded a limited number of drivers to attend a sporting development camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
In 2010, Speedway Australia identified the need to once again improve in the area of junior development. As such, Speedway Australia launched the Speedway Australia Rising Star program. The Rising Star Program takes a big step forward to work closer with the best young speedway talent in the country.
The Speedway Australia Rising Star program gives the opportunity for young drivers to improve themselves in a range of areas including fitness training, psychology and marketing and media training, which will assist them in formulating a pathway to achieve their speedway dream.
To be considered for the Speedway Australia Rising Star program, drivers between 16 and 23 years of age are required to submit a detailed application addressing stringent selection criteria. To be selected, competitors need to display a record of high achievement in Speedway and have a long-term goal in the sport.
20 Drivers are selected for each year’s Speedway Australia Rising Star Program from a range of states across Australia. As Speedway Australia Rising Stars, the young drivers selected participate in an intensive 3 day cap at the AIS in Canberra as well as receiving marketing and press support from Speedway Australia, networking opportunities and much more to assist in developing their profile and racing career.
Tarhlea Apelt
Jack Selmes
Tyson Martin
Sam Payne
Keenan Fleming
Bodie Smith
Ben Atkinson Jnr
Brayden Parr
Carly Walsh
Tate Frost
Trent Vardy
Casey O'Connell
Jakobe Jetson
Jorj Park
Brad Scherer
Alex Ross
Cody O'Connell
Kirby Hillyer
Alisha Fielder
Aaron Kelly
Alex Sweeney
Angus Hollis
Brayden Cooley
Brooke Etherden
Brooke Ferguson
Cheian Perrett
Daniel Cassidy
Drew Ogle
Ellis Dickerson
Ethan Brown
Gemma Laidlaw
Josh Boyd
Kaidon Brown
Karl Hoffmans
Liam Aunger
Mitchell Broome
Mitchell Wormall
Randy Morgan
Zac Minshull
Blake Everleigh
Cameron Pearson
Christopher Corbett
Dylan Menz
Jacob Potts
James Kennedy
Lance Carew
Marcus Dumesny
Matthew Geering
Michael Keen
Mitch Whiting
Rhys Heinrich
Sarah Bradley
Shannon Marsden
Terry Rankin
Alec Melvin
Ashleigh Jack
Braydan Willmington
Brock Atkins
Cheyanne Richter-Uren
Courtney Pinker
Jack Gartner
Jarrin Bielby
Lee Aylett
Miranda Ball
Mitchell Gee
Sean Rooney
Stacey Galliford
Tiana Spears
Blake Watson
Lachlan McHugh
Tristan Johnson
Lachlan Abbott
Ben Disbury
Kaiden Manders
Daniel Keen
Jack Bell
Renee Pestka
Nicki Briton
Stephanie Munn
Courtney O'Hehir
Kristy Bonsey
Ellie Hills
Jessica Cassidy
Del Levy
Ebony Hobson
Cale Sotiroff
Mikaela Blyton
Jordi Little
Angelo Karoussis
Travis Kennedy
Chris Bellman
Michael Stewart
Ben Nicastri
Lisa Walker
Mikayla Hein
Laura Byrnes
Jackson Delamont
Will Carroll
Joe Orr
Jamie McKinlay
Scott Bogucki
Ben Butcher
Cody Maroske
Luke Dodding
Ryan Alexander
Jarman Dalitz
Trevor Harding
Blake Skipper
Kyle Pollock
Thomas Davis
Brendan Guerin
Callum Zizek
Josh Fort
Callum Williamson
Matthew Jackson
Kevin Britten
Mitch Foster
Max Johnston
Kye Blight
Daniel Harding
Sam Putland
Liam Dowling
Jason Kendrick
Kristin Brown
Brent Aprile
Andrew Ryder
Jason Gantz
Ty Galley
Monique O'Hehir
James Aranyosi
Jamie Bricknell
Jon McCorkindale
Jordan Biviano
Kate Wiese
Kris Coyle
Rachel Neve
Andrew Hibbert
Brad Keller
Brad Warren
Dale Smith
David Clark
Jacob Krushka
Jason McIver
Max Clarke
Todd Waddell