Under the Hood: Rockynats 05 - Jessica Bramham
Published on 04 April 2025
Jessica Bramham
Rockhampton, QLD
Secretary, Rockhampton Saloon Car Club
The woman behind the speedway
Amongst the roar of engines, the churned clay, and a sea of hi-vis and helmets, you’ll spot her – clipboard in hand and completely in control. Jessica Bramham isn’t just part of the speedway scene in Rockhampton. She is the heartbeat behind it.
As Secretary of the Rockhampton Saloon Car Club (aka Rocky Speedway), Jess has been deep in the dirt and adrenaline of the sport for 13 years – and this year, she’s helped make history.
For the first time ever, Speedway is part of Rare Spares Rockynats, and Jess is at the centre of it all.
“We’ve tried to be involved before, but the pieces never lined up – until now,” she says. “It’s taken a mountain of work from a small team running on caffeine and maybe a beer or two… but this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase how good our club is, how talented our local drivers are, and how epic this show can be.”
Jess’s introduction to the sport came through her now-husband, a tyre expert and longtime speedway guy. But she carved her own lane quickly.
“I don’t race. I don’t have kids in the sport. I’m here because I love it.”
As the club’s organisational powerhouse, she handles everything the boys forget: insurance, licensing, bathrooms, snacks.
“No one does paperwork like I do,” she laughs. “That’s the truth. But it’s not just about admin – it’s about creating space where the whole community feels seen and supported.”
And what a community it is: 211 members, including drivers who travel from Barcaldine and beyond, a homegrown car class called Super Stockers, and a legacy stretching back over 60 years. In fact, Rockhampton’s speedway is believed to be the longest-running council-owned track in the country proving the Rockhampton Regional Council’s ongoing support for motorsport runs far deeper than Rockynats.
“Rockynats 05 is bringing a whole new crowd to our world,” Jess says. “It’s a chance to put our sport on the map – and bring sprint cars and late models back to Rocky for the first time in decades.”
It hasn’t been easy. There are moments of exhaustion, doubt, burnout.
“But every time I think about quitting, I remember – I’d miss it too much.”
As for being a woman in motorsport? Jess doesn’t just hold her own. She leads with grit and grace.
“There are things I don’t understand, like prepping a clay track. But there are things the guys don’t see either – the details that make events run smoothly. That’s why motorsport needs women. We think of things they don’t.”
For Jess, being part of Rockynats 05 is a full-circle moment.
“I’ve got family in the burnouts, friends drifting, mates with cars in the parade. This weekend isn’t just a show – it’s us. It’s our community, our passion, our chance to shine.”
Catch the Speedway in action Friday from 5:30pm to 11pm at the FMX Kaos Showgrounds Precinct. It’s fast. It’s loud. And thanks to Jess and her crew, it’s bigger than ever before.