The project by film maker Andrew Moore and producer Fiona Scott will bring to the big screen the 40-year history of the Sapphire Speedway and its continued existence in struggling times. Sapphire is one of only a handful of regional speedway facilities still in operation – thanks in no small part to the volunteers behind it.

“This started off about cars, but the people started taking over, the characters bringing everything together for this track on a shoestring budget and handful of facilities,” Moore said.

Moore is currently in the process of the final edits of his documentary, with a brief sneak preview released on YouTube this week and a full theatrical trailer not far off. He said the short preview “was to keep everyone interested and prove we’re still working on it” given Thunder and Dust has been in the making since 2013!

“We’re putting pressure on ourselves – trying to put deadlines on ourselves or we’d just keep going,” Moore said with a chuckle.

Moore said a pitch for the Melbourne Documentary Festival has to be finalised by April 16, which he is eyeing off as a great opportunity for exposure, just as they had at the Stronger Than Fiction Film Festival in Canberra last year where they won most entertaining documentary pitch.