Australian Speedcar Grand Prix

The Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held for Speedcars. The meeting has traditionally been held in Sydney but on occasions has been held on tracks in Victoria and in 2000 the race was held at Perth's Claremont Speedway, not long before the 1/3 mile Showground track closed.

The fist Australian Speedcar Grand Prix was held on March 12th, 1938 at the Sydney Sports Ground and was won by Sydney based driver Les Dillon. The next Speedcar Grand Prix wasn't held until 1947 and was the first of 33 times the race was held at the Sydney Showground.[1]

From 1975 until 1984 when it was held at the Liverpool Speedway in Sydney the Grand Prix was run on asphalt due to Liverpool being a semi-banked 1/4 mile paved track during that time. Liverpool reverted to having a clay surface in 1985 and since 1986 the race has been run on the more traditional dirt track speedways. Drivers from the United States bookend the asphalt Grand Prix years with legendary four time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt winning in 1975 and 1976 in a Volkswagen powered car while 1986 National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame member Ron "Sleepy" Tripp would win the last two asphalt Grand Prix's in 1983 and 1984, also using a VW powered car.

Winners since 1938

Year Venue Winner
1938 Sydney Sports Ground Les Dillon (NSW)
1947 Sydney Showground Speedway Ray Revell (NSW)
1948 Sydney Showground Speedway Cal Niday ()
1949 Sydney Showground Speedway Frank Brewer (/)**
1950 Sydney Showground Speedway Ray Revell (NSW)
1951 Sydney Showground Speedway Ray Revell (NSW)
1952 Sydney Showground Speedway Ray Revell (NSW)
1953 Sydney Showground Speedway Ray Revell (NSW)
1954 Sydney Showground Speedway Andy McGavin (NSW)
1955 Sydney Showground Speedway Andy McGavin (NSW)
1956 Sydney Showground Speedway Bill Reynolds ()
1957 Sydney Showground Speedway Andy McGavin (NSW)
1958 Sydney Showground Speedway Len Brock (NSW)
1959 Sydney Showground Speedway Andy McGavin (NSW)
1960 Sydney Showground Speedway Bob Tattersall ()
1961 Sydney Showground Speedway Andy McGavin (NSW)
1962 Sydney Showground Speedway Bob Tattersall ()
1963 Sydney Showground Speedway Jimmy Davies ()
1964 Sydney Showground Speedway Ken Morton (NSW)
1965 Sydney Showground Speedway Jeff Freeman (NSW)
1966 Sydney Showground Speedway Bob Tattersall ()
1967 Sydney Showground Speedway Len Brock (NSW)
1968 Sydney Showground Speedway Johnny Stewart (NSW)
1969 Sydney Showground Speedway Bob Tattersall ()
1970 Sydney Showground Speedway Ray Oram (NSW)
1971 Sydney Showground Speedway Ronald Mackay (NSW)
1972 Sydney Showground Speedway Dave Strickland ()
1973 Sydney Showground Speedway George Tatnell (NSW)
1974 Sydney Showground Speedway Danny Davidson (Qld)
1975 Liverpool Speedway A. J. Foyt ()
1976 Liverpool Speedway A. J. Foyt ()
1977 Liverpool Speedway Garry Rush (NSW)
1978♦ Liverpool Speedway Stan Lawrence (NSW)
1978♦ Liverpool Speedway Barry Pinchbeck (NSW)
1979 Liverpool Speedway Barry Graham (NSW)
1983 Liverpool Speedway Ron "Sleepy" Tripp ()
1984 Liverpool Speedway Ron "Sleepy" Tripp ()
1986 Liverpool Speedway Steve Kinser ()
1987 Liverpool Speedway Ron Hutchinson (NSW)
1988 Liverpool Speedway Ian Saville (NSW)
1990 Sydney Showground Speedway Johnny Pearson ()
1991 Sydney Showground Speedway Aaron Benny (NSW)
1992 Sydney Showground Speedway Max Dumesny (Vic)
1993 Sydney Showground Speedway Troy Jenkins (NSW)
1994 Wangaratta Speedway Keith Giles (WA)
1995 Heathcote Speedway Lealand McSpadden ()
1996 Sydney Showground Speedway Garry Rush (NSW)
1997 Parramatta City Raceway Troy Jenkins (NSW)
1998 Parramatta City Raceway Steven Graham (NSW)
1999 Newcastle Motordrome Troy Jenkins (NSW)
2000 Claremont Speedway Michael Figliomeni (WA)
2001 Parramatta City Raceway Adam Clarke (NSW)
2003 Avalon Raceway Darren Jenkins (NSW)
2004 Avalon Raceway Mark Brown (NSW)
2005 Avalon Raceway Michael Pickens ()
2006 Avalon Raceway Dene McAllan
2008 Avalon Raceway Ian Lewis (Vic)
2009 Avalon Raceway Mark Brown (NSW)
2010 Avalon Raceway Keith Giles (NSW)
2011 Sydney Speedway Matt Smith (NSW)
2012 TBD

** Frank "Satan" Brewer was from New Zealand but promoters billed him as being from the USA to bring in larger crowds
Two races held in 1978. The first on January 1 and the second on December 30

References

External Links