Premier Speedway promised 'more bling' 10 years ago. Here's how they did it

A decade later the promise made was a promise kept with millions of dollars injected into the community and thousands of fans flocking to the region each January.

The idea for an extra night had been repeatedly floated but the impact on the traditional Friday night Kings Challenge in Mount Gambier remained a stumbling block.

While Premier opened discussions with Mount Gambier's Borderline officials in late 2012 it was reluctant to jeopardise its strong relationship with the South Australian counterpart.

But the club couldn't ignore the 2013 Classic's record crowds, unprecedented entries, and a booming interest in the sport, which drove the idea to a reality the following year.

The Standard reported a 100-plus car count for the first time in 2013 with 8500 fans packing the Allansford circuit on the Saturday to watch a record 17 Americans take on Australia's best drivers.

The canteens ran out of hot food that night and an even bigger crowd, put at close to 10,000, returned for Sunday's final.

Former winner Trevor Green told The Standard at the time the classic had outgrown its two-night schedule and argued the event was bigger than the famous Knoxville Nationals in Iowa, and should become a four-night show, replicating the American format.

At a minimum, Green said the classic needed three nights.

James McFadden, who is racing for Hodges Motorsport in the 2024 Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, agreed.

He said at the time there was too much racing on the track for one night and the proposed change would make it fairer for everyone.

The three-night event was announced just days later.

David Mills, who was the club's general manager, told The Standard at the time if it didn't make the change the event would be "killed through its own success".

He said the classic had become a purists' show with back-to-back sprintcar races and no room for "showbiz" glamour to add to the experience.

"We are determined to get the entertainment side of it back," he said.

A decade later Mills, who in 2022 stood down as general manager after 15 years, recalled the excitement ahead of and during the club's first three-night event.

"I do remember there being a lot of positivity around the decision," he told The Standard on January 17, 2024.

"I remember the high car counts, people staying around for longer and it successfully freeing us up a bit in the lead-up. It really let the competitors dial in and go about their business without any distractions."

The 42nd classic held that year was a sell-out with crowds watching what turned out to be an unforgettable finish when Californian driver Tim Kaeding celebrated the win with donuts, which ended after he flipped and wrecked his car.

Premier's long-time president Richard Parkinson said the additional night was the only way to accommodate the growth in the sport.

"It's built the event to a point where everybody talks about the classic countrywide," he said.

"It's allowed us to change the format and involve the fans more, putting on the classic breakfast on the Friday and the appreciation day on the Saturday which is great."

The annual fan appreciation day has grown from a handful of drivers signing autographs at Warrnambool's Swan Reserve to 70 teams nominated for a spot at the showgrounds at the 2024 event, which is sponsored by The Standard.

"We used to have to offer the drivers a right rear tyre to go to Swan Reserve but now with the fan involvement and the growth of the sport, they all want to be involved," Parkinson said.

"Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merch is sold to the fans on that day and the drivers know how important their fans are."

The club has spent the past decade fine-tuning the experience for fans.

"That third night allows us to do so much more with the venue," Parkinson said.

"We've got the fan zone behind the grandstand and this year we're going to have live music and big screen action prior to the race meeting. It adds a real atmosphere to the event."

Parkinson said the extra night was also a huge boost to Warrnambool's economy with the city buzzing during the week of the classic.

"Fans usually get here on the Wednesday, go to Avalon Raceway for the President's Cup then to Mount Gambier on the Thursday, but they use our city as their central point and travel between events," he said.

"They stay and spend money in Warrnambool - it's massive for the town there's no doubt about that."

Warrnambool mayor Ben Blain said while data didn't go back to 2014, having people extend their visit would provide a significant financial boost to the local economy.

He said in 2023 84 per cent of visitors to the classic were from outside the city with over 70 per cent coming from outside Warrnambool, Moyne and Corangamite municipalities.

"These are visitors from places like Geelong, Mount Gambier and greater Melbourne who are travelling specifically for the event," he said.

"With approximately 12,000 unique individuals attending over the course of the event, and when you consider that the majority are travelling, it goes to show just how big a drawcard this is, and how significant it is for Warrnambool. While our data doesn't go back 10 years, when looking at 2022, the figures are very similar."

Cr Blain said January was a very busy time for the coastal city but accommodation occupancy peaked classic weekend each year.

"During the event last year there was an average occupancy of 92 per cent, up from 63 per cent when compared to a non-event period one week prior," he said.

"Looking at the Thursday to Monday over the classic last year, there was a visitor spend of $3.78 million in the city, up from $2.98 million over the same period in the week prior, so that's a boost of 21 per cent.

"The team at Premier Speedway do an amazing job to host such an amazing event, and we at council are very proud to support them."