Race to the finish line with new car club grants

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Motorsport enthusiasts can shift their aspirations up a gear, with applications for the final round of the State Government’s South Australian Car Club grants now open, accelerating regional, female and young driver participation and boosting safety on and off-road.

It comes as a record 75 initiatives across 64 clubs share in $500,000 under the most recent funding round, helping purchase life-saving defibrillators, rejuvenate clubrooms, improve operations and drive participation in motorsport through popular events.

The $2 million, four-year program began in 2023 with eligible grassroots car and motorcycle clubs since sharing in $1.5 million through more than 200 initiatives.

The third round of funding drew more than 90 applications across three streams, with $40,000 in vital improvements to the popular Collingrove Hillclimb in the Barossa Valley among more than 10 regional projects awarded funding.

Powered by a $5000 grant, the Veteran Car Club of South Australia will lead 150 pre-1919 vehicles on a six-day rally across the Murraylands in October, with a Triumph Stag rally through the Riverland also drawing interstate visitors to communities impacted by the 2022-2023 River Murray Flood Event.

A $23,000 grant will help Southern Districts Car Club build a new all-weather training space for young drivers at Cambrai, while Morgan Classic and Custom Vehicles Club receives $25,000 for vital clubroom repairs.

Adelaide Car Club will host a Women on Track event to mentor female motorsport enthusiasts, with agricultural vehicles to go on show at Price in a tractor pull and show ’n’ shine fest on the Yorke Peninsula.

There are more than 200 recognised motoring clubs across South Australia, with more than 46,000 vehicles registered under the conditional registration scheme, comprising a mix of historic, individually constructed, left-hand drive and street rod vehicles.

The fourth and final round of grants under this scheme will again provide clubs with funding to build capacity, improve infrastructure and upgrade equipment.

Eligible clubs must be a not-for-profit organisation operating for 12 months or longer.

Applications for the fourth round are now open and close 25 August 2025. Successful applicants will be announced later this year.

For further information and to apply, visit the SA Car Club Program website.