Board appointment looks to Speedway future

Darwin based Speedway administrator Jacalin Ekins has been appointed to the Speedway Australia Board of Directors as Promoter Representative, which signals a new era for the sport’s future direction.

The daughter of four-time Australian Speedcar Champion, Warrenne Ekins, will fill the position left vacant by Warrnambool’s David Mills who relinquished his role after he stepped down as Premier Speedway Manager in 2022.

Ekins is currently the Vice President of Northline Speedway and has been instrumental in the building of the Chariots of Thunder Sprintcar series over the last five years.

It has become one of the highest profiled Speedway events in the nation and created an $11.4m financial boost for the Darwin economy.

“Despite my family’s history with the sport, we proved early in my life that I was never going to extend the Ekins legacy behind the wheel,” she laughed, “so to have the opportunity to help steer the sport in to the future as part of the Speedway Australia board is amazing, and the ideal use of my skill-set to give back to a sporting community that has given so much to me and my family.”

Previously, she spent nine years at the Northern Territory Major Events Corporation where she is currently the Commercial Manager.

Ekins is also aware of the nature of the sport and is unfazed by the potential for conflict that comes with working in a pivotal position.

“I think my point of difference is that I will come to the board with a slightly different lens, particularly from an event perspective, and so the first priority is to get a feel for the role for a while, assess where I fit in to the speedway puzzle and then gauge how I can best contribute to the team.”

CEO Darren Tindal was excited by the appointment, saying Ekins is as a massive asset to the sport and a leader of her generation.

“I believe Jacalin’s motivation, skills and knowledge will complement the existing board, while bringing a diversity to the team that will expand the way we think and strategise for the future,” said Tindal.

Speedway Australia Board Chairman Guy Thompson was also thrilled by the appointment. “Jacalin’s appointment is a clear statement to the next generation that we’re inviting them on the journey of taking the reins of the sport.

“She is a respected leader in the industry, and we look forward to seeing how she brings her skills to the Board to help guide us into the future.”