Some events get you excited waiting to attend, and for me...this is one of them...some of the first 20 years of my hot rod/drag race life was centred around this track, and the reunion planned for April 10 will be a great day for meeting old friends......., co-incidentally, it's the same day that drag racing was first held at SPIR, 50 years ago!
The artist rendering of what the track will be like....1965-1966.
That day came...and so did the people....thousands packed the hill to watch something never seen before..a full drag meeting with some Nitro fuelled dragsters from USA!
and all the local clubs got behind keith Williams idea of a world class race facility...a lot of us worked as officials..here's Tom Fulton and John Guerin,..working on the old one eyed Olds.. with Rick Stapletons 409 T in the background..
my research turned up a few stories..
This is from the England tour the year before, but this car, the Bob Keith dragster turned up at that first meet, with a new for 1966, BB Chev engine....this rail has been restored/recreated, and is now owned by Lex Swayne, and will be on show on the day, along with a few more race cars.
Hope to see some ROADSTARS members there, as thry helped work as officials on the day
Yep..that's me.."Stickman"...from r to l..Rod Arthur, Russel Mayne, me, Neal Duncan, and two unknown people.
that little dot of balloons is approx. where the day will be held, on the Lakeside Drive, just off the Nerang/Broadbeach Road...it's a 9am to 3pm day, bring a chair, and some shade, as very limited facilities in that park area.
for thos e who wer'nt there on the day..here's a bit of the event, thru the lens of Brier Thomas
SPIR went on to feature lots of great drag race events for the next 22 years..
and special place for me, as it was in the Rothmans tower where I first met my wife...back in '75..
Anita ammased about 50 trophies over the years, mostly in the family HK wagon...here's the old tube chassis Monaro that I ran one event in..my near stock 327 went 12s in this lightweight car
my first intro into blown cars was at SPIR, with this Chev powered 240Z datto.
my first part ownership of a race car was the Geoff Hayes/John Guerin/Greg Thomsen/Rods Inc. 18 day wonder...as you can tell...problems at the 1967 Nationals...
local rodder Mick Dillon used to race his A roadster..
John Force had his first race with Nitro under the guidance of Gary Densham....here at SPIR!
Jeff Burnett showed up with numerous ALKY-BURNER race cars..
Anitas grocery-getter wagon...
my old 454 powered 105E Anglia..
Three main people in the shot...Brisbanes Gentleman Jim Reed..great US Top Fuel Pilot Leland Kolb, and leaving with a trophy, my brother in law, Col Dunn.
R.I.P., my cousin Graeme Scholes owned the ex Fuller-Dolan rail, and renamed it Pirana, then bought the ex Ash Marshall rail...both cars driven by Lester James...unfortunately, Graham had a heart attack and passed away while working on the car at the track, and a couple of years later, Lester passed away after a bad crash...so you can see how connected I am with SPIR..lots of memories...
hope to see lots of old friends on the 10th April..
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