Classic Dirt Track Images.

[colmoody]

Curly that shot of Carl and Ian on the previous page. Do you know who the riders in the background are. I reckon 710 is a Kevin Patton whom I think is the old man of a Patton that currently competes at Classic Dirt Track meetings. And I reckon 68 would be Gary Thomas whom rode a few Short Circuit meetings and went ok. However he was a very handy road racer in the late sixtys/early seventys on Kawasaki Mach 111's (white) from memory.

[Curly3]

They're the men Col. Being the Junior class, I'm pretty sure Gary was on a 250 montessa and Kevin on a 250 Hagon Bully. Ian was obviously on a 350 Jap and Carl the B40 Elstar.

[Freakshow]

Hey fellow crow eater................ 

There was nothing better than Rowley park at night, we'd go there for the bikes and cars every week i reackon as kids, sit eating sausage rolls and mums soup, and sniff in all funny race fuel.......

Too close to town my arse.  Noisy....  pffft .   Only 1km from the city centre ......perposperous.   

Now a  housing estate, i just hope the pug hole sinks, heard them houses have movent in them, serve them right......  Same as the old track on Anzac hwy, but at least its still an oval  and a soccer pitch i guess

[JAP 454]

# 710 is KP allright , had a club day down at Sapphire Speedway with Kevin and Cliff two weekends ago, Cliff was riding the 250 and the Hagon 4B JAP, they also had a Hagon 84S JAP there and I scored a few laps on it on me home track.

Kevin tells me he will have the 125 Yammy twin slider ready for Griffith.

Gary Thomas, didnt he run Triumphs in road racing as well??
Foss

[kipo]

Hey fellow crow eater................ 

There was nothing better than Rowley park at night, we'd go there for the bikes and cars every week i reackon as kids, sit eating sausage rolls and mums soup, and sniff in all funny race fuel.......

Too close to town my arse.  Noisy....  pffft .   Only 1km from the city centre ......perposperous.   

Now a  housing estate, i just hope the pug hole sinks, heard them houses have movent in them, serve them right......  Same as the old track on Anzac hwy, but at least its still an oval  and a soccer pitch i guess

Yes, when Rowley Park closed it was the demise of Speedway in SA (IMO). Speedway City was designed for sprint cars so it wasnt long before the bikes departed, several bad accidents including the death of Kevin O'Connell. I remember someone it the bike fraternity was selling T shirts with "Welcome to Friday Night at the Track Grades" on them. Which the promoters where not too impressed with. So the general mum and dads who took the kids to see a bit of everything lost interest. Sure, the diehards would follow their sport. We'd go to Gillman and the car fans would go to Speedway City. But it split speedway fans into 2 groups which ment less crowd at the one venue.

Bulldoze those poxy townhouses at Brompton and reopen the 'brick pit' I say 

[JAP 454]

Hey Kipo
Did you see the write up, in Old Bike Australia 2009 March / April issue, on Neil Munro and Brian Kuerschner on his Vincent at the Pug Hole ??
and you are right about the mixed programs bringing in the fans to the Skids.
Fossil
 

[firko]

Yes, when Rowley Park closed it was the demise of Speedway in SA (IMO). Speedway City was designed for sprint cars so it wasnt long before the bikes departed, several bad accidents including the death of Kevin O'Connell. I remember someone it the bike fraternity was selling T shirts with "Welcome to Friday Night at the Track Grades" on them. Which the promoters where not too impressed with. So the general mum and dads who took the kids to see a bit of everything lost interest. Sure, the diehards would follow their sport. We'd go to Gillman and the car fans would go to Speedway City. But it split speedway fans into 2 groups which ment less crowd at the one venue.

It's not just a South Australia thing Kipo. The Sydney Showground (and Liverpool before they tarred it) mixed program was a proven winner for 50+years and when they shut it down and turned it into a yuppie tourist trap, speedway died in this berg. Parramatta speedway caters to the sprintcar/midget fans but all we've got for bikes is Nepean which, as much as I love the place, is mostly an amateur, true fans only club day venue. The grand plan for the Eastern Creek motorsport precinct, which currently comprises of the circuit track, go kart track and the drag strip next door, was to include an "international standard speedway" suitable for both bikes and cars, an area for Summernats style street machine events, a motorsport museum and more. Somehow I doubt that these extras will ever see the light of day as long as the current nongs are in government. Imagine the furore if the government allocated money for motorsport before they fixed the hospitals or public transport.

For motorcycle speedway and the mixed program to return first up we need a proper track. To get that a lobby group has to be formed to lobby the opposition Liberal party on the need for such a venue. The drag racers created an unbelievably strong lobby group, including guys like Alan Jones,business leaders and local politicians to push for a stand alone drag strip. The hired a full time spin doctor to sell the idea to pollies and it worked. The result was one of the best drag racing facilities in the world. For us to get the speedway we need, we have to do the same as the drag racers. (sorry for the sidetrack but the demise of speedway is one of my pet peeves)

[Freakshow]

KIpo i know the new facility they bought at tailem bend is earmarked for a Dirt track before the other tracks (probally cause its cheaper to get off the ground, be interesting to see if they also do a speedway short track too and go for lights.    I ran gillman last year under lights and it was the best fun i had with my pants on.  I think its just somthing about ridding under lights and warm nights.
I thnk we are also taking on a round at mildura this year so there is a push to expand the venues so should be good.  Pity they are all so far away, thats what made Rowley so good, centre of town and everyone would come in, not sure ho many tailem will pull other than the murray bridge crowd, but being the 1hour or so out from town, ikt might get soem of the vic etc from over the border coming in and those from the mount as its a bit more drivable for them.

[kipo]

Firstly, sorry Curly3 for the highjack.

Speedway is certainly the poorer for some decisions made over the years. After all we invented motorcyle speedway, Johnny Hoskins at the Maitland Show.

You're right Freakshow, you can't beat a warm night at the speedway. I went to the Australian titles at Mildura in the late 70's. Without a doubt the BEST meeting I've ever been too.

Hot balmy night, huge crowd, Phil Crump won on a maximum, some spectators staged a track sit in protest after either Boulger or Sanders (can't remember who) broke the tapes and was excluded.

Two streakers bolted across the track, one got away the other guy got caught. We got drunk. What a night!!!

Anyone else here there that night?

[Curly3]

Doesn't bother me kipo, I'm glad we're talking about the good old days of both Dirt Track & Speedway.

[pancho]

Hey Curley 3, can you un-confuse this befuddled older person? I can clearly remember Norm Askew,& Carl Askew, who i believe were brothers, from my earlier motorcycling history.  I removed my self from the competitive scene about 1972 and did not get back into it 'till the first of the 'back to Nepean meetings' [the one set up by Darrel and Lyndel Butler], after a chance meeting with Darrel who offered me a ride on his hagon. ... so the question on my mind is are you one of this or a younger generation? dont tell if you don't want to. by the way i will get you to do something with my old slides and photos shortly .cheers wally.

[ianaust]

Hey Steve ,   Can you wait till Im around to tell Carl he is Norms brother, I just want to see his face and yes its Gary Thomas, number 68  who could ride most forms of bikes  whether on tar or dirt but he did ride Nortons not Triumphs, and yes old KP as he likes to be known. If I ever get to put photos up I have some good ones from Nepean, have you organised box from England yet.

[Curly3]

Carl will definitely get a chuckle out of that Wally, I'm Carls youngest brother & Curly Norm was our father. Dads brother, Harold rode sidecars as did his sons Ken & Laurie, which adds names to the mix.
No Ian I haven't organized my package from England as my contact won't return my emails, I don't know what's going on there but he is a Jehovah's Witness and I wished him a happy Easter.

[Hollywood]

[JAP 454]

Thanks,  Ian ,for putting me straight on what Garry Thomas rode , for some reason I have always connected his name with Triumphs , I dont know why !!
Looking through a 1971 road race program from Amaroo, I came across this ad for a Short Circuit meeting there, I can see KP in there and Kevin Fraser, but can't identify anyone else.

By the way,  Curly, there is a full page advert for Norm Askews on the back cover of the program.
Fossil