SANSW History

The following historical information has been provided by SANSW Club Member Bill Lawler; a respected Speedcar historian who is also heavily involved with the NSW Vintage Speedcar Assoc.

 

The Club - How it all Began.


When Midgets first appeared in NSW in 1935, they were racing under the control of National Speedways headed by the great W. B. (Bill) Thompson, himself a Midget driver and one of Australia’s renowned motor racing champions, but by 1938 the Midget Car Drivers Association of NSW was formed and continued to promote midget racing until 1941 when the ’Big War’ stopped all forms of motor sport, and the MCDA of NSW was disbanded.

 

By the time hostilities ended across the world, the midgets had a new name, Speedcars, so a new association was formed; the Speedcar Association of NSW. This club steadily grew with racing now being held every week of the summer at the two Sydney tracks; the Sydney Showground, and next door at the Sports Ground.


By 1950, the drivers were looking for more prize money from the promoters and a dispute existed between the Speedcar Association and Empire Speedways. A deadlock in negotiations existed that lasted for 10 weeks before a compromise was finally reached allowing midget racing to continue. Unfortunately, it didn’t last, and many of the drivers believed the amount of prize money was insufficient, resulting in the majority of the drivers leaving the showground to race out at the Parramatta track called Cumberland Oval, leaving barely eight cars to race at the Royale.

 

While the Association cars raced at Parramatta, the small group at the Royale formed their own club, and on Wednesday night, the 14th November 1951; the National Speedcar Club was formed ‘In the interest of Speedcar racing throughout the Commonwealth’, and a board of management was formed consisting of Ray Revell, Ted Green, and Harold Barnes, while Ron Johnson was elected as President and Chief Steward.

 

By late 1956, many of the differences were patched up allowing many of the Association members back into the fold of the National club and its President Ron Johnson, albeit under their own title of Independent Speedcar Association, to race once more with the Nationals at the Royale. Finally, on the the 27th. November 1957, the past Association members decided to drop the Independent Speedcar Association name and race under the complete control of the National Club.

 

The remnants of the Speedcar Association of NSW continued to race in opposition out at the Parramatta Speedway, and in 1958 Eric Morton took control as President.


At the same time as Morton was voted in as the new President of the Speedcar Association, there were more upheavals down town in the National Speedcar Club as President Ron Johnson, the assistant chief steward Tom Marshall, secretary Ray Kellow, and their machine examiner G. Venn, all tendered their resignations following the lifting of a life ban imposed on Johnny Peers for striking an official.

 

English midget driver Bill Reynolds was elected as temporary president until 16th September when Len Steele defeated Eddie Dark by 20 votes to 9 for the office. Steele went on as president for over 10 years and was honoured by the drivers with a life membership of the club. But not before more unrest in the club when many of the senior drivers were not having their fair share in the running of the club, resulting in a mass exodus led by president Len Steele.

 

And just 5 meetings into the 1966/67 season, negotiations with Empire Speedways agreed to terms with the senior drivers with their newly formed club, Eastern States Racing Association, and allowed them to continue racing at the Royale while the remainder of the National club with Don Hunt as President was left looking for a place to run their cars. By 1971, and with barely 20 members, the once proud National Speedcar Club boasting with over 300 members, broke up and was no more.


Meanwhile, during the late 50’s and 60’s, the Speedcar Association continued to run on a regular basis out at Westmead and Windsor speedways under the control of President and long time driver Eric Morton, who had been involved in the 40’s with the Association running at the old Sydney Sports Ground. But the NSC cum ESRA were now racing in town during the summer, and encroaching on the Westmead speedway during the winter thus robbing the Association of their main track, and being forced to have only a few meetings out at the Windsor circuit during winter.

 

On November 7, 1962, Morton resigned his position as President, and finally, from the club and at an election, Alan Goldie was voted in as their new President.

 

Three years later, Morton applied to join the Eastern States Racing Association and by the end of the 60’s became a well respected owner of four first class midgets. As the ESRA began racing on the new Liverpool speedway Eric Morton was voted in as the new President of the club.

 

The Speedcar Association of NSW continued to survive with the few meetings at Windsor and the out of town tracks at Heddon Greta and Morriset near Newcastle. Attempts made to combine with the Dynamic Speedcar Club headed by President Charlie Bennett failed, and by late 1969, the Speedcar Association of NSW folded as a club.


At a special meeting chaired by President Eric Morton, a decision was made to vote on a name change for the ESRA club and on that historic October day in 1974, senior members of the ESRA voted and was carried that the NSW Speedcar club be known as the Speedcar Association of New South Wales, a title once carried by the original association some 60 years before. Sadly, Eric Morton passed away while still in office giving a lifetime of service to midget racing, having his first drive in a midget in 1946 at the Sydney Sports Ground where his first feature win came in April 22, 1946, a 10 lapper, driving an Alvis powered midget #24.

 

2010 celebrates the 75th anniversary of Midget racing in New South Wales when Midgets first rolled out onto the Wentworth Park speedway on 5th October, 1935 and the Speedcar Association of New South Wales will be proudly celebrating the occasion and will continue to race at their home track Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway and tracks right around Australia.

 

NSW Speedcar State Championship Honour Roll

 

1. Jan. 30th. 1938. 4 laps. Lance Burgess. NSW Sydney Sportsground.
2. April 9th. 1939. 10 laps. Arthur Wylie. VIC Sydney Sportsground.
3. March 16th. 1940. 20 laps. Len Cronin. NSW Sydney Sportsground.
4. Oct. 19th. 1940. 20 laps. Len Cronin. NSW Sydney Sportsground.
5. March 29th. 1941. 10 laps. Jim McMahon. NSW Sydney Sportsground.
6. Feb. 1st. 1947. 9 laps. Ray Revell. NSW Sydney Showground.
7. Nov. 8th. 1947. 12 laps. Johnny Peers. NSW Sydney Showground.
8. Nov. 20th. 1948. 12 laps. Jack Brabham. NSW Sydney Showground.
9. Nov. 5th. 1949. 15 laps. Ray Revell. NSW Sydney Showground.
10. Feb. 24th. 1950. 15 laps. Frank Brewer. USA Sydney Sportsground.
11. Nov. 25th. 1950. 15 laps. Ray Revell. NSW Sydney Showground.
12. Jan. 26th. 1952. 15 laps. Frank Brewer. USA Sydney Showground.
13. Feb. 14th. 1953. 12 laps. Frank Brewer. USA Sydney Showground.
14. March 26th. 1954. 15 laps. Frank Brewer. USA Sydney Sportsground.
15. March 18th. 1955. 15 laps. Werner Greve. GER Sydney Sportsground.
16. March 3rd. 1956. 15 laps. Andy McGavin. NSW Sydney Showground.
17. Dec. 1st. 1956. 15 laps. Len Brock. NSW Sydney Showground.
18. Jan. 22nd. 1958. 20 laps. Peter Cunneen. NSW Sydney Showground.
19. Dec. 20th. 1958. 20 laps. Johnny Harvey. NSW Sydney Showground.
20. Jan. 24th. 1960. 20 laps. Johnny Harvey. NSW Sydney Showground.
21. Nov. 26th. 1960. 20 laps. Johnny Harvey. NSW Sydney Showground.
22. Feb. 10th. 1962. 20 laps. Bryan Cunneen. NSW Sydney Showground.
23. Dec. 15th. 1962. 30 laps. Andy McGavin. NSW Sydney Showground.
24. Dec. 14th. 1963. 30 laps. Brian Myers. NSW Sydney Showground.
25. Dec. 5th. 1964. 25 laps. Lew Marshall. NSW Sydney Showground.
26. Nov. 13th. 1965. 25 laps. Brian Myers. NSW Sydney Showground.
27. Dec. 3rd. 1966. 30 laps. Lew Marshall. NSW Sydney Showground.
28. Nov. 25th. 1967. 30 laps. Johnny Stewart. NSW Sydney Showground.
29. Nov. 23rd. 1968. 35 laps. Lew Marshall. NSW Sydney Showground.
30. Nov. 29th. 1969. 35 laps. Hank Butcher. USA Sydney Showground.
31. Dec. 12th. 1970. 30 laps. George Tatnell. NSW Sydney Showground.
32. April 17th. 1971. 30 laps. Barry Butterworth. NZ Liverpool Speedway.
33. Feb. 5th. 1972. 30 laps. Ronald Mackay. NSW Sydney Showground.
34. Dec. 9th. 1972. 25 laps. George Tatnell. NSW Sydney Showground.
35. Feb. 9th. 1974. 25 laps. Barry Pinchbeck. NSW Sydney Showground.
36. April 12th. 1975. 2x20 laps. Ronald Mackay. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
37. Jan. 31st. 1976. 30 laps. Larry Rice. USA Liverpool Speedway.
38. March 5th. 1977. 3x15 laps. Barry Pinchbeck. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
39. July 16th. 1978. 2x20 laps. Barry Pinchbeck. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
40. Feb. 10th. 1979. 20 laps. Barry Pinchbeck. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
41. Jan. 19th. 1980. 3x15 laps. Barry Pinchbeck. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
42. (No date) 1981. 2x20 laps. Barry Pinchbeck. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
43. Nov. 29th. 1981. 20 laps. Danny Davidson. QLD Parramatta Speedway.
44. April 16th. 1983. 30 laps. Danny Davidson. QLD Newcastle Speedway.
45. (No date) 1987. 30 laps. Michael Meyer. NSW Liverpool Speedway.
46. June 26th. 1988. 20 laps. Aaron Benny. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
47. March 3rd. 1989. 30 laps. Garry Dillon. S.A Parramatta Speedway.
48. Jan.19/May 5 1990. 2x20 laps. Terry King. NSW Parramatta/Newcastle.
49. Jan. 18th. 1991. 25 laps. Aaron Benny. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
50. Dec. 28th. 1991. 25 laps. Aaron Benny. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
51. April 17th. 1993. 25 laps. Bob Woods. NSW Newcastle Speedway.
52. Feb. 26th. 1994. 25 laps. Glenn Revell. ACT Newcastle Speedway.
53. March 18th. 1995. 25 laps. Brett Morris. NSW Wagga Speedway.
54. Jan. 13th. 1996. 30 laps. Lealand McSpadden. USA Canberra Speedway.
55. Dec. 14th. 1996. 30 laps. Robert Farr. NSW Newcastle Speedway.
56. March 20th. 1998. 30 laps. Steven Graham. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
57. March 26th. 1999. 30 laps. Steven Graham. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
58. March 18th. 2000. 30 laps. Adam Clarke. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
59. March 17th. 2001. 25 laps. Adam Clarke. NSW Parramatta Speedway.
60. Dec. 1st. 2001. 30 laps. Adam Clarke. NSW Gunnedah Speedway.
61. Feb. 1st. 2003. 30 laps. Cory Kruseman. USA Parramatta Speedway.
62. Nov 29th. 2003. 30 laps. Darren Jenkins NSW Parramatta Speedway.
63. Feb 12th. 2005. 30 laps. Tony Elliott USA Parramatta Speedway.
64 March 18th. 2006. 30 Laps. Adam Clarke NSW Parramatta Speedway.
65. Nov 25th 2007. 30 Laps. Mark Brown NSW Parramatta Speedway.
66. Jan 19th 2008. 30 Laps. Nathan Smee NSW Lismore Speedway.
67. Mar 7th 2009. 30 Laps. Mark Brown NSW Lismore Speedway.

68. Feb 27th 2010. 25 Laps. Troy Jenkins NSW Parramatta Speedway.