old speedway tracks (Read 9,617 times)

[dirtracer13w]

here's a pic i found on an old calender of Kilbirnie Speedway. any 1 else got any pics of old speedways that have been closed.
www.historicspeedway.co.nz/kilbirnie_speedway.htm

[pallmall]

I have moved this down from the photo board as replies are not allowed up there. Fits down here with the history a lot better anyway.
I will add some photos of some of the "Lost" tracks as I get time.

[nogrip-31gm]

check out the seating!!!!
i wonder how many people could get in there???

would far out do any of todays tracks and be on par with baypark..

[thunderbird1]

Interesting as to how close the houses were to the track. Wonder if they got many noise complaints. I'm guessing back in those days, everyone would be at the track anyway or at least sitting on their roof watching the action.

[thunderbird1]

Are there any photos of the old Waitati Speedway which was on the northern side of Dunedin?

[dirtracer13w]

i resized it for you pallmall, although it looked better larger .use the link to see a wright up on it and see other other old tracks

[pallmall]

I have put the Kilburnie photo up again at a slightly larger size, but a lot smaller than the original post.

Now onto some old speedway tracks.

Te Rapa: Located on the outskirts of Hamilton, although now well within the Hamilton area, this track has been discussed recently in another thread on here. I am not aware that it was used prior to stockcars racing there in March 1955, but it may have been the site for some impromtu speedway before 1955. Certainly its big days were at the height of the first stockcar craze in the mid fifties and the track closed after the third season of racing. Meetings were held on Saturday afternoons.

[pallmall]

Gloucester Park, Onehunga: Situated where the motorway now approaches the northern end of the Mangere Bridge this track was an attempt to find a new home for stockcar racing in Auckland after the loss of the Epsom Showgrounds and no decent deal able to be struck to continue any racing at Western Springs. Opened in late 1961 for the 1961/62 season, ran three meetings in early 1963 and another nearly full season in 1963/64. Was never a money maker and could never be developed as the area was earmarked for the roading to the planned new Mangere Bridge. Many of Auckland's future stars of Waikaraka Park started their racing days at this track.

[nogrip-31gm]

Aug 7, 2009 21:53:24 GMT 12 thunderbird1 said:

Interesting as to how close the houses were to the track. Wonder if they got many noise complaints. I'm guessing back in those days, everyone would be at the track anyway or at least sitting on their roof watching the action.

werent so many b1tches back then who frequent hair salons and coffee shops.

[brendanlucas]

Here is a (blury) photo I have taken of the programme sold for the speedway meeting held at Linton, just outside of PNth which would have been around 1969 - 1970. I believe it was Spike Richardsons first go at promoting a race meeting? I would like to see any pictures from that meeting if at all posible.



Also, I am interested in seeing pictures from the old Tokaroa track, as well as some of the earlier Rotorua stuff. That would be appreciated. On top of that, if anyone has pictures of stockcar racing from the old Whakahoroa (spelling?) track in Taranaki, also much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[Glenn, Ex 269s]

Found some old footage of Midgets at the Old Waiwakaiho Speedway in New Plymouth circa 1960, no sound though

Also found another speedway related video from Waiwakaiho, 1st part of the clip is of motorbike scrambles and some car action, last half would show more midget action from Waiwakaiho circa 1960, check out all the old cars (race cars and tow cars etc), also no sound on this one either

[brendanlucas]

Thanks Glen, cool footage. It does make you appreciate the work gone into those old track when you see the sort of earthmoving gear they had.
I had been talking to my dad recently about a track he raced his stockcar at only once or twice. I had thought it to be the early Napier track but it had a grandstand. I think you have solved that mystery as I do rocognise that track - I was less then 5 years old at the time, probably closer to 2 or 3. It was when most of the stockcars were 'A - framed' to the track.
Cheers

[pallmall]

I must push the Taranaki Historic Speedway Assoc for some details on stockcars at Waiwakaiho. Certainly if stockcars had of been allowed to run there in 1965 Stratford would never have started, maybe a blessing in disguise on hindsight.
Stockcars did eventually run at Waiwakaiho in the later stages of its life to boost the crowds. Ross Game told me he was responsible for originally getting the cars together to run there, not sure if that is true as Ross has a few 'interesting' yarns.
Here are the only two photos I have of stockcars at the New Plymouth track.






Brendan, I wonder if Charlie may have run at the one or two meetings at Masterton that Ray New ran on the motorbike track. I would love more information about those meetings. I believe that track at the Masterton showgrounds had a grandstand.

[brendanlucas]

Thank Gavin, as per usual outstanding.
I had wondered about the Masterton speedway stuff & asked Charles about that & he reckons he never went there. I think that was more a Wellington deal so maybee someone like Ian Taylor or Wilbur Charles might be able to fill in blanks there. You could ask (or I might) ask Clive Elliot as he lives there & has forever, but he wouldn't have been racing then, & he contracted to PNth originally. He's probably also had too many hits to the head to remember in any case.
Cheers, very cool photos.

[pallmall]

The Solway Park in Masterton deal would have been in 1963 or 1964, and Palmerston North cars, or cars that raced at PN would have been the makeup. It was a Ray New promotion, possibly to get publicity for Palmerston North, although he packed the place every Saturday night anyway. Ray was promoting the odd solo bike meeting at Solway Park in that early sixties period.

[brendanlucas]

Either Charles has had too many hits to the head & is remembering wrong (which is highly possible), or that may have been his holiday year away from PNth when he was invited not to come back by Ray New.

[pallmall]

Aug 16, 2009 19:28:15 GMT 12 brendanlucas said:

Either Charles has had too many hits to the head & is remembering wrong (which is highly possible), or that may have been his holiday year away from PNth when he was invited not to come back by Ray New.

I think the holiday was 1965/66, he was a naughty boy at the end of the previous season.

But, he may not have gone to Masterton anyway.

[trucker400]

In the clip entitled Don Rutherford about halfway through it shows a bunch of guys at a motorbike scramble event,one guy sitting down is wearing a woollen skull cap, he is Joe George who was actively involved in both Speedway and Motorbike racing in several forms dont recognize anyone else, not very clear. Alan (King) George ex NZ 1 Super Saloon a few years back is Joes nephew he may recognise some of the others as he would probably have been there as a kid.

[legend]

Anyone have any pictures of the old Tokoroa track??,remember the old days?,figure "8" races,when men were real men!! ;D

[Roaddog]

Aug 16, 2009 18:07:41 GMT 12 pallmall said:

I must push the Taranaki Historic Speedway Assoc for some details on stockcars at Waiwakaiho. Certainly if stockcars had of been allowed to run there in 1965 Stratford would never have started, maybe a blessing in disguise on hindsight.
Stockcars did eventually run at Waiwakaiho in the later stages of its life to boost the crowds. Ross Game told me he was responsible for originally getting the cars together to run there, not sure if that is true as Ross has a few 'interesting' yarns.


Dad started racing at Waiwakaiho in 1966