|
Post by administrator on Jun 14, 2009 8:02:31 GMT 1
AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR (MIDGET CAR) CHAMPIONSHIP
Australian Speedcar Championship – Honour Roll
1935 First ever - Bob Finlay VIC 1935/36 Les Gough VIC 1936/37 Bert Woodman SA 1937/38 Harry Shaw VIC 1938/39 Ted Gray VIC 1938/39 Beal Simmons USA 1939/40 Dinny Patterson NSW 1945/46 Ray Revell NSW 1947/48 Cal Niday USA 1948/49 Sir Jack Brabham NSW 1949/50 Ray Revell NSW 1950/51 Ray Revell NSW 1952/53 Ray Revell NSW 1953/54 Andy McGavin NSW 1954/55 Andy McGavin NSW 1955/56 Andy McGavin NSW 1956/57 Ray Revell NSW 1957/58 Len Brock NSW 1958/59 Andy McGavin NSW 1959/60 Bob Tattersall USA 1960/61 Andy McGavin NSW 1961/62 Bob Tattersall USA 1962/63 Jimmy Davies USA 1964/65 Peter Cunneen NSW 1965/66 Johnny Stewart NSW 1966/67 Johnny Stewart NSW 1967/68 Johnny Stewart NSW 1968/69 Blair Shepherd QLD 1969/70 Bob Morgan QLD 1970/71 Ronald Mackay NSW 1971/72 Ronald Mackay NSW 1972/73 George Tatnell NSW 1973/74 George Tatnell NSW 1974/75 Johnny Fenton WA 1975/76 Johnny Fenton WA 1976/77 George Tatnell NSW 1977/78 Ron Wanless QLD 1978/79 Ron Wanless QLD 1979/80 Barry Pinchbeck NSW 1980/81 Keith Mann WA 1981/82 Keith Mann WA 1982/83 Geoff Pilgrim WA 1983/84 Keith Mann WA 1984/85 Jim Holden QLD 1985/86 Phil March SA 1986/87 Tom Watson Snr WA 1987/88 Steven Gall NSW 1988/89 Graham Jones WA 1989/90 Warrenne Ekins NT 1990/91 Warrenne Ekins NT 1991/92 Phil Herreen SA 1992/93 Warrenne Ekins NT 1993/94 Warrenne Ekins NT 1994/95 Michael Figliomeni WA 1995/96 Michael Figliomeni WA 1996/97 Craig Brady NSW 1997/98 Robert Farr NSW 1998/99 Bob Holt NT 1999/00 Michael Figliomeni WA 2000/01 Adam Clarke NSW 2001/02 Adam Clarke NSW 2001/02 Michael Figliomeni WA 2002/03 Cory Kruseman USA 2003/04 Tony Elliott USA 2004/05 Steven Graham NSW 2005/06 Davey Ray USA 2006/07 Jerry Coons Jnr USA 2007/08 Davey Ray USA 2008/09 Kevin Swindell
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Jun 25, 2009 2:48:26 GMT 1
Oh, dear! Yes, this is the so-called list of Australian Champions that has been shodily put to-gether over the years and used every year the title comes around. Sadly, promotor have prostituted titles in this country since the first speedway! No one has ever sat down and properly researched the history of the Australian title. Over the past 15 years, I, along with my fellow historians in every state in Australia, have painstakingly researched, and have now compiled what we think is the acurate list of champions. Nothing here has been released as yet, but am hoping we will produce the list at this years Australian Championship, as it will be the 75th. Anniversary of midget racing in Australia. Over the years, and with no national body to control midget racing, promotors have held up to 4 championships in the one year! Hopefully, our list will soon be released.
|
|
|
Post by weewillie on Jul 3, 2009 15:55:49 GMT 1
It's gonna be intriguing to see how fellow poster leadfoot & co's Australian champions list will compare to the one detailed here. Where did that list come from I want to know? If it was wrong why was it put up here anyway?
|
|
|
Post by tobyhalter on Jul 4, 2009 15:15:31 GMT 1
It's worrying to think that some of the drivers listed may not in fact be Australian midget car champions? I look forward to seeing the promised revised list and to check where the mistakes are.
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Jul 10, 2009 10:20:13 GMT 1
There are no mistakes in that list above, guys. The above list is the one being used all these years set up by other people. All I have done since I took on the historians job was to keep that list updated with current champions. In the meantime, I sat down some twenty years ago and began the long and tedious search for the facts. After many hours of research, we, my fellow historians and I, painstakingly sifted through 'championships' as far back as 1935, and that first championship you see on the list above, we only discovered just two years ago by accident. We have had to weed out bogus 'Winter season Australian championships', '1/4 mile Australian championships', 'Short track Australian Championships', etc. So be patient, as we would like to release the list in Australia first pretty soon. Our list lists those championships that have been properly advertised in the press and in the programs as 'Australian Speedcar Championship.' Nothing else.
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Jul 10, 2009 10:22:16 GMT 1
Your administrator did no wrong by placing that list above, as that was what he was given through our Australian web site. Its the only one that exists at this time.
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Aug 20, 2009 11:59:19 GMT 1
In two weeks time, I will post the 'new' list of Australian champions on here for all to see. I have finally completed a list that should have been started many years ago. It has taken us over 15 years of research to track down and complete the list of winners and placegetters, and even my list of placegetters is still ongoing! I have just e-mailed the list to one of our speedway magazines and I will download the list on here when the magazine is released here in Australia. Can't have you guys see it before us. Lol. I will also post on here the story for the reason why the list has been a long time coming.
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Sept 16, 2009 8:39:32 GMT 1
Well, after 15 years of painstaking research, and with the help of fellow historians Ken Brown (WA), Frank Midgley (SA), Kevin Emmerson (Vic), and Barry Lane (Qld), along with renowned long-time speedway historian and publisher Jim Shepherd, I have finally been able to piece together the long and illustrious list of Australian Speedcar Championships. Many hours have been spent in the State Library in Sydney, sifting through old programs, and double checking with my interstate historians, verifying a particular year, date and authenticity of a particular so-called 'championship'. Sadly, for years the promoters took advantage of the title by running dubious 'championships', for example; 'The winter season Australian championship', and 'the Australasian speedcar championship', and, can you believe, the 'Australian airstrip speedcar championship'! Even to the point of four promoters running four titles in the one year! When I told Jim Shepherd of my attempt to finally sort out the titles history, he shook his head and said, “Trying to make sense of all the data is a messy and frustrating business and I doubt whether it is possible to come up with the final, definitive record without the risk of some smartie pointing out that Fred Bloggs won a title in Woopwoop in 1883!” He also said, “It should be noted that for many years, Sydney promoters considered they had some sort of traditional right to stage all Australian Championships, despite, or because of, the fact that in the immediate post-war years, there was no controlling speedcar body. More than any other division of speedway, speedcar racing is best described as a statistical mess. Since that first recorded national championship, no less than twelve different bodies have 'sanctioned' races purporting to be for the Australian title.” Sadly, I have to agree with Jim. And even when the tobacco company, W.D. and H.O. Wills came on board in the mid sixties to promote a true national Australian championship agreed upon, I might add, by all states, Queensland and South Australia still ran their own 'title'! Harmony finally prevailed for the next three and a half decades when the Australian Speedcar Control Council was formed to control and decide when and where the title should be run. Unfortunately, 2002 saw midget racing go back to the dark ages when another controlling body was formed which led to a farcical situation and we again saw two 'championships' run almost at the same time in two different states! I have to agree with Jim Shepherd when he states that, 'the titles can only be described as a fiasco born of promotional greed'. We as historians can only weed out the very dubious 'titles' and try to come up with as close as possible to a list that does justice to the many drivers who have been neglected in the title list over the years, and what better way than to produce this list on the eve of our 75th. Anniversary of midget racing in Australia.
1. Bob Finlay (Vic) May 4, 1935. Olympic Park Victoria. 2. Les Gough (Vic) Jan. 18, 1936. Olympic Park Victoria. 3. Bert Woodman (SA) Jan. 1938. By default. 4. Harry Shaw (Vic) Jan. 1938. Camden Speedway S.A. 5. Harry Shaw (Vic) Feb. 19 1938. Olympic Park Victoria. 6. Ted Gray (Vic) April 1, 1939. Olympic Park Victoria. 7. Beale Simmons (USA) April 22, 1939. Sydney Showground. 8. Jimmy McMahon (NSW) April 25, 1939. Penrith Speedway. 9. Dinny Patterson (NSW) Nov. 25, 1939. Sydney Sports Ground. 10. Bill Reynolds (ENG) Nov. 11, 1940. Sydney Sports Ground. 11. Jack Malcolm (NZ) April 20, 1946. Brisbane Exhibition. 12. Ray Revell (NSW) Dec. 28, 1946. Sydney Showground. 13. Jim McMahon (NSW) 1947. Sydney Sports Ground. 14. Ray Revell (NSW) April 5, 1947. Brisbane Exhibition. 15. Cec Warren (Vic) Feb. 27, 1948. Kilburn Speedway. 16. Perry Grimm (USA) March 27, 1948. Brisbane Exhibition. 17. Cal Niday (USA) April 3, 1948. Sydney Showground. 18. Jack Brabham (NSW) March 26, 1949. Sydney Showground. 19. Jack Brabham (NSW) Feb. 25, 1949. Kilburn Speedway. 20. Ray Revell (NSW) March 2, 1949. Brisbane Exhibition. 21. Jack Brabham (NSW) April 5, 1950. Rowley Park, South Aust. 22. Ray Revell (NSW) April 15, 1950. Sydney Showground. 23. Ray Revell (NSW) April 14, 1951. Sydney Sports Ground. 24. Harry Neale (SA) March 21, 1952. Rowley Park, South Aust. 25. Ray Revell (NSW) March 7, 1953. Sydney Showground. 26. Jack Brabham (NSW) 1953. Cumberland Oval. 27. Frank Brewer (USA) March 27, 1953. Rowley Park, South Aust. 28. Frank Brewer (USA) May 17, 1953. Brisbane Exhibition. 29. Norm Jackson (NSW) Feb. 27, 1954. Cumberland Oval. 30. Andy McGavin (NSW) March 13, 1954. Sydney Showground. 31. Frank Brewer (USA) May 22, 1954. Brisbane Exhibition. 32. Harry Neale (SA) Jan. 7, 1955. Rowley Park, South Aust. 33. Andy McGavin (NSW) March 25, 1955. Sydney Sports Ground. 34. Len Brock (NSW) April 16, 1955. Cumberland Oval. 35. Allan Belcher (QLD) May 21, 1955. Brisbane Exhibition. 36. Andy McGavin (NSW) Dec. 10, 1955. Sydney Showground. 37. Harry Neale (SA) Jan. 6, 1956. Rowley Park, South Aust. 38. Len Brock (NSW) March 24, 1956. Brisbane Exhibition. 39. Bob Playfair (NSW) 1956. Cumberland Oval. 40. Ray Revell (NSW) Jan. 19, 1957. Sydney Showground. 41. Ron Wood (SA) Feb. 22, 1957. Rowley Park, South Aust. 42. Harry Neale (SA) Jan 2, 1959. Rowley Park, South Aust. 43. Johnny Harvey (NSW) May 21, 1960. Brisbane Exhibition. 44. Brian Finglas (QLD) March 24, 1962. Brisbane Exhibition. 45. Jimmy Davies (USA) March 23, 1963. Brisbane Exhibition. 46. Jimmy Davies (USA) Feb. 7, 1964. Rowley Park, South Aust. 47. Jeff Freeman (NSW) March 14, 1964. Brisbane Exhibition. 48. Peter Cunneen (NSW) National. 1965. Raced on tracks across Australia. 49. Bob Tattersall (USA) March 20, 1965. Brisbane Exhibition. 50. Johnny Stewart (NSW) National. 1966. All tracks across Australia. 51. Sherman Cleveland (USA) Feb. 11, 1966. Rowley Park, South Aust. 52. Bob Tattersall (USA) March 19, 1966. Brisbane Exhibition. 53. Johnny Stewart (NSW) National. 1967. All tracks across Australia. 54. Ron Wanless (QLD) March 11, 1967. Brisbane Exhibition. 55. Johnny Stewart (NSW) National. 1968. All tracks across Australia. 56. Bill Goode (QLD) March 16, 1968. Brisbane Exhibition. 57. Blair Shepherd (QLD) National. 1969. All tracks across Australia. 58. Bob Morgan (QLD) National. 1970. All tracks across Australia. 59. Ron Wanless (QLD) Feb. 28, 1970. Brisbane Exhibition. 60. Ronald Mackay (NSW) National. 1971. All tracks across Australia. 61. Bob Morgan (QLD) March 6, 1971. Brisbane Exhibition. 62. Ronald Mackay (NSW) National. 1972. All tracks across Australia. 63. George Tatnell (NSW) National. 1973. All tracks across Australia. 64. George Tatnell (NSW) Jan. 26, 1974. Redline Speedway, Victoria. 65. Johnny Fenton (WA) Dec. 13, 1974. Rowley Park, South Aust. 66. Johnny Fenton (WA) Feb. 29, 1976. Liverpool City Raceway. 67. George Tatnell (NSW) 1977. Raced on four tracks. 68. Ron Wanless (QLD) March 22, 1978 Brisbane Exhibition. 69. Ron Wanless (QLD) Feb. 24, 1979. Claremont Speedway, W.A. 70. Barry Pinchbeck (NSW) 1980 Raced on two tracks. 71. Keith Mann (WA) Jan. 12, 1981. Speedway Park, South Aust. 72. Keith Mann (WA) Jan. 9, 1982. Avalon Speedway, Victoria. 73. Geoff Pilgrim (WA) March 12, 1983. Archerfield Speedway, Qld. 74. Keith Mann (WA) Oct. 20, 1984. Northline Speedway, Darwin. 75. Jim Holden (QLD) Jan 12, 1985. Melbourne Speedbowl, Victoria. 76. Phil March (SA) Jan. 11, 1986. Speedway Park, South Aust. 77. Tom Watson Snr. (WA) Jan. 10, 1987. Claremont Speedway, W.A. 78. Steven Gall (NSW) Jan. 24, 1988. Parramatta Speedway, N.S.W. 79. Graham Jones (WA) March 26, 1989. Rockhampton Speedway, Qld. 80. Warrenne Ekins (NT) July 21, 1990. Northline Speedway, Darwin. 81. Warrenne Ekins (NT) Feb. 2, 1991. Claremont Speedway, W.A. 82. Phil Herreen (SA)Jan. 11, 1992. Speedway Park, South Aust. 83. Warrenne Ekins (NT) Feb. 6, 1993. Bendigo Speedway, Victoria. 84. Warrenne Ekins (NT) Jan. 29, 1994. Parramatta Speedway, N.S.W. 85. Michael Figliomeni (WA) April 16, 1995. Toowoomba Speedway, Qld. 86. Michael Figliomeni (WA) Feb. 17, 1996. Claremont Speedway, W.A. 87. Craig Brady (NSW) March 29, 1997. Newcastle Speedway, N.S.W. 88. Robert Farr (NSW) Feb. 11, 1998. Avalon Speedway, Victoria. 89. Bob Holt (NT) July 10, 1999. Northline Speedway, Darwin. 90. Michael Figliomeni (WA) March 11, 2000. Bacchus Marsh S/way, Vic. 91. Adam Clarke (NSW) Feb. 25, 2001. Speedway City, South Aust. 92. Michael Figliomeni (WA) Jan. 26, 2002. Archerfield Speedway, Qld. 93. Adam Clarke (NSW) March 15, 2002. Speedway City, South Aust. 94. Corey Kruseman (USA) Feb. 8, 2003. Speedway City, South Aust. 95. Tony Elliott (USA) Feb. 7. 2004. Speedway City, South Aust. 96. Steven Graham (NSW) Feb. 27. 2005. Kwinana Motorplex, Perth, W.A. 97. Davey Ray (USA) Feb. 11. 2006. Parramatta Speedway, NSW. 98. Jerry Coons Jr. (USA) Jan. 27. 2007. Toowoomba Speedway, Qld. 99. Davey Ray (USA) Feb. 23. 2008. Kwinana Motorplex, Perth, W.A. 100. Kevin Swindell (USA) Jan. 24, 2009. Murray Bridge Speedway, SA.
|
|
|
Post by administrator on Sept 16, 2009 21:35:24 GMT 1
Well done leadfoot. This was obviously a tremendous undertaking by you and your colleagues. We are priviliged to have it Posted on this site. I think that I can safely say on behalf of other site members how grateful we are to have it on here.Many thanks. administrator, Midget Car Panorama.
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Sept 17, 2009 0:30:13 GMT 1
Thank you for your kind words. Many a time I have sat at my desk, surrounded with programs, newspaper cuttings, and past speedway publications, agonizing over each and every title. Did this one belong? Or this title? In the end, we can only list those that were sanctioned by a particular club/organization, and competed for on that track. As historians, we can only report and print what happened in midget car history, we can't change history. It is up to the public to decide whether they accept my list or just carry on with the 'old' list. So far, my list in the latest Australian speedway magazine has had favorable interest. In my 'big' list, (and its only 95% complete so far) I also have the second and third placings in each championship, how many laps the race was run over, and race time if the title went flag to flag without stoppages. It covers 8 pages of info. Hope your members enjoy reading the list.
|
|
|
Post by leadfoot on Apr 11, 2010 1:15:27 GMT 1
Last month, we just had another Australian Midget Championship held in Lara near Avalon, Victoria home of the very first midget race meeting in Australia 75 years ago in 1934. This year's title was won by Sydney hot-shot Nathan Smee, from Queenslander Brendan Palmer, Queenslander Sid Whittacker, and West Australian Keith Giles. This year, Sydney, NSW will be celebrating 75 years of midget racing in our state, October 5, 1935.
|
|