Skidpan Shenanigans at Sydney Motorsport Park

15 March 2026 / Story by Bryan Shedden, Photos by Rob Wilko

Twenty-eight competitors rolled up to the skidpan at Sydney Motorsport Park on Saturday 7 March for a cracking day of MX-5 Club motorkhana action. With warm, dry weather on our side, most people sensibly opted for shorts and T-shirts rather than full race fashion — perfect conditions for a relaxed day of sliding around the cones.

As usual, the day ran smoothly under the watchful eye of Clerk of Course Dave Wilson, who set out eight challenging tests to keep everyone on their toes. Each test was run twice, giving drivers the chance to improve their times — or at least redeem themselves after an enthusiastic first attempt.

A special mention goes to Gaynor Lawler, who handled the Event Secretary role and did the hard yards beforehand chasing up entries, as well as running sign-on on the morning of the event. The timing team of Ian Combes, Phil Reid, Phil Donnelley, Greg Unger and Ian Fenn kept the results flowing all day, with Phil Donnelley also taking on Chief Scrutineer duties.

Dave’s selection of tests provided plenty of variety, with tight turns, tricky layouts and just enough slipperiness from the skidpan to keep drivers honest. My personal favourite was the delightfully named “Oh What a Feeling”, which produced a few memorable moments and more than a couple of sideways MX-5s.

The field included four Juniors and two Ladies, adding to the competitive spirit across the classes.

In the Open Class, Chris Stevens once again proved hard to beat, taking first place (as usual!). Charlie Karayannis — fresh from being crowned 2025 Junior Champion — showed he’s more than ready for the big leagues, finishing second. Third place went to John Karayannis — get used to it, Dad!

The Ladies Class win went to Ella Russell, while the Junior Class was taken out by Chase Raddatz, who also impressed by finishing fourth outright against the full field.

The Non-MX-5 Class saw Sarith Pallawela take first place in a Toyota 86, while club member David Phillips finished second in his GR Yaris.

Thanks to efficient running and cooperative competitors, all eight tests (two runs each) were wrapped up by about 3pm. A great day all round — plenty of laughs, plenty of cones, and plenty of sideways MX-5 fun.

Click here for the full results

Click here for Rob Wilko's photo album