Australian Speedcar Championship
The Australian Speedcar Championship is a dirt track motor racing championship held in Australia each year to determine the Australian national champion in midget car racing. The single championship meeting, run over two nights in either late January or early February, has been held each year since first being run at the Tracey's Speedway in Melbourne in 1935.
Over the years there have been at times more than one Australian Championship meeting held in Australia (and sometimes in the same city) due to being sanctioned by different governing bodies. There were also times during the 1950s and 1960s when several track promoters around the country staged meetings which they claimed were either an Australian Championship, or sometimes even a World Championship, usually in defiance of not being awarded the right to host the official championship.
While there have been drivers who have won more than one Australian Speedcar Championship, only three drivers have ever won both the national Speedcar championship and the Australian Sprintcar Championship. They are the George Tatnell from Sydney who won the Speedcar title in 1972-73, 1973–74 and 1976–77, plus the Sprintcar championship in 1987-88. Adelaide's Phil March won in his Nissan powered Speedcar in 1985-86, and also won the Sprintcar championship in 1998-99. The third driver was Sydney's Robbie Farr who won the 1997-98 Speedcar title and the 2003-04 Sprintcar championship.
Andy McGavin and Ray Revell from Sydney, and Adelaide's Harry Neale, with five championships each are the most successful drivers in the championships history (all won before 1964-65). Western Australia's Mike Figliomeni, Warrenne Ekins from Darwin and Adam Clarke from NSW have each won the event four times while five drivers have won the event three times. Eleven drivers from the United States have won the championship.
Australia's first Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham was a four-time winner of the event, winning the championship in 1947-48, 1949 (twice), and 1952-53.
The oldest Australian champion was Bob Holt who won the 1998-99 title at the Northline Speedway in Darwin at the age of 58. Holt, originally from Sydney, began racing Speedcars in the early 1960s and was one of the leading competitors at the Sydney Showground during Australian speedway's "golden era".
Unlike other national championship meetings in Australian speedway racing, overseas drivers are permitted in the Australian Speedcar Championship. Seven winners of the title since 2002-03 have been Americans, with placings by New Zealanders also being recorded over a number of years.
The 2011-12 Australian Speedcar Championship was due to be held on 16–17 March 2012 at the Maryborough Speedway in Maryborough, Queensland.[1] The meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions caused by Cyclone Yasi.
The current (2014–15) Australian Speedcar Champion is NSW driver Adam Clarke who won his fourth national championship. Clarke, the defending champion having won the previous year in Adelaide, won the title at Premier Speedway in Warrnambool in Victoria.
The 2015-16 Australian Speedcar Championship, the 75th running of the championship, will be held at the Valvoline Raceway in Sydney on 5-6 February 2016.
The 2016 championship was won by New Zealander Michael Pickens
Winners since 1965
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 1964-65** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Peter Cunneen (NSW) | Lew Marshall (NSW) | Blair Shepherd (Qld) |
| 1965-66** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Johnny Stewart (NSW) | Len Brock (NSW) | Blair Shepherd (Qld) |
| 1966-67** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Johnny Stewart (NSW) | Blair Shepherd (Qld) | Bill Goode (Qld) |
| 1967-68** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Johnny Stewart (NSW) | Howard Revell (NSW) | Barrie Watt (Qld) |
| 1968-69** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Blair Shepherd (Qld) | Bill Goode (Qld) | Barrie Watt (Qld) |
| 1969-70** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Bob Morgan (Qld) | Blair Shepherd (Qld) | Ron Wanless (Qld) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 1970-71** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ronald Mackay (NSW) | Johnny Fenton (WA) | Ron Wanless (Qld) |
| 1971-72** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Ronald Mackay (NSW) | Charlie West (WA) | Johnny fenton (WA) |
| 1972-73** | Sydney Showground Speedway | Sydney, NSW | George Tatnell (NSW) | Col Henning (SA) | Johnny Fenton (WA) |
| 1973-74 | Redline Raceway | Ballarat, Vic | George Tatnell (NSW) | Brian Dillon (Qld) | Johnny Fenton (WA) |
| 1974-75 | Rowley Park Speedway | Adelaide, SA | Johnny Fenton (WA) | Ronald Mackay (NSW) | Greg Anderson (SA) |
| 1975-76 | Liverpool International Speedway | Sydney, NSW | Johnny Fenton (WA) | George Tatnell (NSW) | Ronald Mackay (NSW) |
| 1976-77## | George Tatnell (NSW) | Ronald Mackay (NSW) | Johnny Fenton (WA) | ||
| 1977-78 | Brisbane Exhibition Ground | Brisbane, Qld | Ron Wanless (Qld) | George Tatnell (NSW) | Danny Davidson (Qld) |
| 1978-79 | Claremont Speedway | Perth, WA | Ron Wanless (Qld) | Howard Revell (NSW) | Bill Sutherland (WA) |
| 1979-80## | Barry Pinchbeck (NSW) | Johnny Fenton (WA) | |||
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 1980-81 | Speedway Park | Virginia, SA | Keith Mann (WA) | Steve Stewart (SA) | Terry Wigzell (SA) |
| 1981-82 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Keith Mann (WA) | Peter Curtis (NT) | Terry Wigzell (SA) |
| 1982-83 | Archerfield Speedway | Brisbane, Qld | Geoff Pilgrim (WA) | Ian Lewis (Vic) | Ronald Mackay (Qld) |
| 1983-84 | Northline Speedway | Darwin, NT | Keith Mann (WA) | Rex Hodgson (SA) | Danny Davidson (Qld) |
| 1984-85 | Melbourne Speedbowl | Melbourne, Vic | Jim Holden (Qld) | Ray Bishop (Vic) | Jack Porrit (NSW) |
| 1985-86 | Speedway Park | Virginia, SA | Phil March (SA) | Ray Bishop (Vic) | Gary Dillon (SA) |
| 1986-87 | Claremont Speedway | Perth, WA | Tom Watson Sr. (WA) | Gary Dillon (SA) | John Sears (SA) |
| 1987/88 | Parramatta City Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Stephen Gall (NSW) | Paul Lindberg (Qld) | Phil Herreen (SA) |
| 1988-89 | Rockhampton Speedway | Rockhampton, Qld | Graham Jones (WA) | Paul Lindberg (Qld) | Ray Bishop (Vic) |
| 1989-90 | Northline Speedway | Darwin, NT | Warrenne Ekins (NT) | Neville Lance (WA) | Phil Herreen (SA) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 1990-91 | Claremont Speedway | Perth, WA | Warrenne Ekins (NT) | Graham Jones (WA) | Tom Watson Jnr (WA) |
| 1991-92 | Speedway Park | Virginia, SA | Phil Herreen (SA) | Tom Watson Jnr (WA) | Greg Farrugia (NSW) |
| 1992-93 | Bendigo Raceway | Bendigo, Vic | Warrenne Ekins (NT) | Mike Figliomeni (WA) | Neville Lance (WA) |
| 1993-94 | Parramatta City Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Warrenne Ekins (NT) | Neville Lance (WA) | Rod Bowen (NSW) |
| 1994-95 | Charlton Raceway | Toowoomba, Qld | Mike Figliomeni (WA) | Warrenne Ekins (NT) | Neville Lance (WA) |
| 1995-96 | Claremont Speedway | Perth, WA | Mike Figliomeni (WA) | Warrenne Ekins (NT) | Joe Little (WA) |
| 1996-97 | Newcastle Motordrome | Newcastle, NSW | Craig Brady (NSW) | Troy Jenkins (NSW) | Joe Little (WA) |
| 1997-98 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Robbie Farr (NSW) | Troy Jenkins (NSW) | Mark Brown (NSW) |
| 1998-99 | Northline Speedway | Darwin, NT | Bob Holt (NT) | Dave Lambert (NSW) | Toby Gibb (WA) |
| 1999-2000 | Western Auto Raceway | Ballarat, Vic | Mike Figliomeni (WA) | Michael Kendall ( ) |
Shayne Alach () |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 2000-01 | Speedway Park | Virginia, SA | Adam Clarke (NSW) | Darren Jenkins (NSW) | Craig Brady (NSW) |
| 2000-01 | Archerfield Speedway | Brisbane, Qld | Mike Figliomeni (WA) | Todd Wanless (Qld) | Warrenne Ekins (NT) |
| 2001-02♦ | Speedway City | Virginia, SA | Adam Clarke (NSW) | Brett Morris (NSW) | Joe Little (WA) |
| 2002-03 | Speedway City | Virginia, SA | Cory Kruseman ( ) |
Adam Clarke (NSW) | Craig Brady (NSW) |
| 2003-04 | Speedway City | Virginia, SA | Tony Elliot () |
Brett Morris (NSW) | Lance Beale () |
| 2004-05 | Perth Motorplex | Perth, WA | Steven Graham (NSW) | Michael Pickens () |
Dene McAllan (WA) |
| 2005-06 | Parramatta City Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Davey Ray () |
Jerry Coons Jnr (USA) | Adam Clarke (NSW) |
| 2006-07 | Toowoomba Speedbowl | Toowoomba, Qld | Jerry Coons Jnr () |
Mark Brown (NSW) | Dene McAllan (WA) |
| 2007-08 | Perth Motorplex | Perth, WA | Davey Ray () |
Scott Glazebrook (WA) | Rick Geneve (WA) |
| 2008-09 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | Kevin Swindell () |
Brad Kuhn () |
Neville Lance (WA) |
| 2009-10 | Avalon Raceway | Lara, Vic | Nathan Smee (NSW) | Brendan Palmer (QLD) | Sid Whittaker (QLD) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 2010-11 | Lismore Speedway | Lismore, NSW | Davey Ray () |
Adam Wallis (Qld) | Michael Pickens () |
| 2011-12 | Maryborough Speedway | Maryborough, Qld | Not Held (inclement weather) | ||
| 2012-13 | Perth Motorplex | Perth, WA | Neville Lance (WA) | Daryl Clayden (WA) | Casey Shuman () |
| 2013-14 | Speedway City | Virginia, SA | Adam Clarke (NSW) | Alex Bright () |
Ryan Jones (SA) |
| 2014-15 | Premier Speedway | Warrnambool, VIC | Adam Clarke (NSW) | Nathan Smee (NSW) | Alex Bright () |
| 2015-16 | Valvoline Raceway | Sydney, NSW | Michael Pickens () |
Andrew Felker () |
Alex Bright () |
** The championship was run as a national series between 1963/64 and 1971/72 (with the final round always held at the Sydney Showground), following which it reverted to a single championship meeting.
## 1976-77 and 1979-80 Championships were run over three rounds at three different tracks with a pointscore deciding the winner
♦ 2001-02 Championship was sanctioned by NASR and not Speedcars Australia as previous (and after)
1977-78 Controversy
The 1977/78 championship at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground remains controversial. In the feature race the field, led by defending champion George Tatnell who had built up almost half a lap lead, was under the yellow caution flags with 8 laps remaining due to a stalled car on the narrow track. With the restart imminent, officials erred by switching to the green light half a lap before the field reached the start line, catching out most of the field, including Tatnell. Local driver Ron Wanless powered past Tatnell and built up a winning lead before the Sydney-based driver could respond. Instead of calling for a restart as they should have, officials unbelievably allowed the race to finish, though Wanless was shown the "racing under protest" flag. Post-race Tatnell immediately protested, as did Adelaide driver Rex Hodgson who was third before the restart but was passed at the early green light by another local driver Danny Davidson. The officials failure to restart the race after the green light error led to conspiracy theories that as it was local Brisbane drivers who benefited (at the time, the local bodies assigned officials to national championship meetings), officials had no intention of admitting they were wrong, thus there was no intention of correcting the problem. There was also a theory that going green early was a common practice at the Exhibition Ground and that knowing the local drivers would be ready for it, the locally supplied officials gave the early green to give them an advantage in an effort to have a home town winner. After numerous protests and votes by committee's, Wanless was eventually awarded the win from Tatnell and Davidson.