Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
The Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held in Australia 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 12 March 1938 at the Sydney Sports Ground and was won by Sydney based driver Les Dillon (Dillon would tragically become the first competitor killed in a crash at the Sports Ground just two months later). 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 until its closure in 1996.[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 | City/State | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Sydney Sports Ground | Sydney, NSW | Les Dillon (NSW) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1947 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ray Revell (NSW) |
| 1948 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Cal Niday ( ) |
| 1949 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Frank Brewer ( /)** |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1950 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ray Revell (NSW) |
| 1951 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ray Revell (NSW) |
| 1952 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ray Revell (NSW) |
| 1953 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ray Revell (NSW) |
| 1954 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Andy McGavin (NSW) |
| 1955 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Andy McGavin (NSW) |
| 1956 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Bill Reynolds ( ) |
| 1957 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Andy McGavin (NSW) |
| 1958 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Len Brock (NSW) |
| 1959 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Andy McGavin (NSW) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1960 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Bob Tattersall () |
| 1961 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Andy McGavin (NSW) |
| 1962 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Bob Tattersall () |
| 1963 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Jimmy Davies () |
| 1964 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ken Morton (NSW) |
| 1965 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Jeff Freeman (NSW) |
| 1966 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Bob Tattersall () |
| 1967 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Len Brock (NSW) |
| 1968 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Johnny Stewart (NSW) |
| 1969 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Bob Tattersall () |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1970 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ray Oram (NSW) |
| 1971 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ronald Mackay (NSW) |
| 1972 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Dave Strickland () |
| 1973 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | George Tatnell (NSW) |
| 1974 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Danny Davidson (Qld) |
| 1975 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | A. J. Foyt () |
| 1976 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | A. J. Foyt () |
| 1977 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Garry Rush (NSW) |
| 1978♦ | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Stan Lawrence (NSW) |
| 1978♦ | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Barry Pinchbeck (NSW) |
| 1979 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Barry Graham (NSW) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1983 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ron "Sleepy" Tripp () |
| 1984 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ron "Sleepy" Tripp () |
| 1986 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Steve Kinser () |
| 1987 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ron Hutchinson (NSW) |
| 1988 | Liverpool Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ian Saville (NSW) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1990 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Johnny Pearson () |
| 1991 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Aaron Benny (NSW) |
| 1992 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| 1993 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Troy Jenkins (NSW) |
| 1994 | Wangaratta Speedway | Wangaratta, Vic | Keith Giles (WA) |
| 1995 | Heathcote Speedway | Heathcote, Vic | Lealand McSpadden () |
| 1996 | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Garry Rush (NSW) |
| 1997 | Parramatta City Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Troy Jenkins (NSW) |
| 1998 | Parramatta City Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Steven Graham (NSW) |
| 1999 | Newcastle Motordrome | Newcastle, NSW | Troy Jenkins (NSW) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 2000 | Claremont Speedway | Perth, WA | Michael Figliomeni (WA) |
| 2001 | Parramatta City Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Adam Clarke (NSW) |
| 2003 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Darren Jenkins (NSW) |
| 2004 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Mark Brown (NSW) |
| 2005 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Michael Pickens () |
| 2006 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Dene McAllan (WA) |
| 2008 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Ian Lewis (VIC) |
| 2009 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Mark Brown (NSW) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 2010 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Keith Giles (NSW) |
| 2011 | Sydney Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Matt Smith (NSW) |
| 2012 | Nowra Speedway | Nowra, NSW | Mark Brown (NSW) |
| 2013 | Nowra Speedway | Nowra, NSW | Mark Brown (NSW) |
| 2014 | Nowra Speedway | Nowra, NSW | Mark Brown (NSW) |
| 2015 | Nowra Speedway | Nowra, NSW | Mark Brown (NSW) |
** 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 1 January and the second on 30 December