50 Years since we were first introduced to quality US style drag racing at SP.I.R.
And thanks to a bit of luck, when Keith Williams decided to build a circuit race track opposite his Ski-Gardens, by chance, he was in the US just before the track was finished, he witnessed the huge crowds, and spectacular racing on show, and decided he had to convert his main straight as a dragstrip as well...and the first meet ever held at SPIR was the USA_Aust Drag Festival..
Anyway...my day stated early....sort of just like the old race days...leave home early!
How many of us travelled down from Brissy, and approached this corner with a little bit of excitement brewing..
not far to go now....but 50 years ago, this was farm paddocks on the right..
and here, if we got there late, we would hear a run, just on the other side of the spectator mound..
The park where the main stage was set up, is about where the rear of the hot pits were, and the weighbridge.
It was a 9am to 3pm deal...This was the crowd at 7:15 when the hot rods rolled in...
Don Covington seated has one of the best collections of 60s/70s photos of our sport...Graham Eason stunned us all by still fitting into his 1960s officials shirt...now we know why his "Skinny" nickname has endured.....as opposed to me, my nickname back then was "Stickman", now all I got today was "you've been in the good paddock"!!!...haha, all good.
We knew it would be a day of nostalgia, and Easo brought along some of his gems..
Lto R..Official, then Racer, Easo..middle is former chief starter from the day, Roadstars member, Neal Duncan, and then former racer, and another historian of S.E.Qld, Neville Gray
I was asked by Stomper to arrange for 6 hot rods flanking the display...my choice was significant for this reason..L-R..Peter Crain, went with me to the first meet 50 years ago, went on to write the drag meet reports for many years for both Aust. Hot Rod, and Hot Rodding Review....next, the Essex that was owned 50 years ago by the Murray Bros., it would have been in the pits that day, as well as the show over the road in the Ski Gardens....next is Evan Isaacs, and Evan raced his Model A roadster at the first meet...the next is John Davies, whos Model A of the time would have been in the pits.
Gary Wright had his roadster in the show at the Ski Gardens, and wanted to race on the day, but they woyuldn't allow it, as no roll bar...that's Gary in front, he was the President of Roadstars back then, and beside him, Neal Duncan, with my 'bucket o bolts' in the background..
Where the big lake is now, was the centre of the circuit, for the airfield Keith Williams built
My little trip down memory lane...
even "Chickenman" Ricky Stapleton made an appearance........'He's everywhere, he's everywhere'.
In the showman ship/we're supposed to be racing days of SPIR, true to his Chickenman nickname, his Triumph Herald 409 powered gasser turned up at the startline once, and dropped a fake egg out on the strip....another time, he turned up with thousands of feathers he had glued to the body...each pass the coupe made was followed by the ever decreasing collection of feathers ending up on the track....
Gary Phillips started his career over 40 years ago, and he's still going strong, setting records..
everyones favourite, Gentleman Jim Reed had his rebuilt old altered on display..
l to r..Anita Thomsen, Dawn Dunn, Col Dunn, Keith White, 50 year recipoent, John "Stomper" Winterburn, and former track general manager, David Harding.
on the right..one of the pioneers who did the hard yards up and down the east coast to get our sport going.., John Fleming
The gals catching up..Dawn Dunn, Evie Fulton, Robyn Mole, and my wife, Anita..
l-r..Nigel Cresser, former racer of Tom Stirlings A/MP Customline, then his own Fiat Altered, next is Ron Solomon from Cheetahs, always been a hot rodder, but also raced a Fiat altered back in the 60s..next is Tom Fulton, who worked there as an official, and over the back in black, Evan Isaacs.
lots of us went to Ampol Mermaid Beach, where Don Hage had his show/go/street FJ, Chris Hage has it in his care now, and had a very good display of memories..
Lots of conversations like this all day, Bob Hamilton "Captain Nitrous" aka Mr Terrific talking with 60s/70s legend around engines, Ron Richards.."Movin Van" Syrmus-Richards "Time Machine"
on the Mike, the man who put a lot of the day together, track reporter, lex Swayn
John Stomper Winterburn accepts a magnificent trophy, for his 50 year dedication to drag racing in S.E.Qld.
Next up, was a presentation to Jim Reed, who in one form or another, has been involved in racing for 60 years..Jims wife Nelma used to race as well, sadly Nelma passed away a few months back...but his family still are heavily involved in racing...it goes down 4 generations now, following Jims lead ..
Max carpenter takes in the event, one time racer ahead of his game, and now still building hot rods into his 80s...a legend!!
ROADSTARS members..Neal Duncan, Clint Rose, John Murray, Mick Murray..
Keith White introduces some officials
Keith Cunnington was the first full time meeting director, before he moved on and John Winterburn took it over.
smal, but good display, just enough, as it was more about people than cars..
Evan Isaacs coupe, with a pic of his roadster from 50 years ago..
Murray Bros Essex was a 6 cylinder highboy back 50 years ago
old Mr Terrific of Rob Sloan..now under the care of Bob Hamilton
Reg Sothman still had his Escort tucked away..last raced in the 70s..
Mark Georgette had his recreated Fiat AA/A on display
the old Mick Pocock Falcon was famous in its day, but even more as the Camp Hill Cannonball
50 years ago, we were all probably standing around talkin like this, members of the 1st club, ROADSTARS (est. 1962), 2nd club RODS INC. (est 1964)., and equal 2nd club CHEETAHS..(est 1964)
Bob Honeybrook manned the display of old trophies and photos, that former SPIR manager David Harding donated to Willowbank Raceway
Here's Bob with Lex Swayns copy of the original Bob Keith dragster from the 1966 tour..Lex was interviewing Bob Keith,some years back, and discovered that the bodywork, with the original paint, was still in Bob Keiths shop, along with other parts..Lex decided to recreate it, and with these donated parts, and finding the original chassis builder, kent Fuller, who in his 80s, knocked a duplicate chassi out, Lex found everything to basically duplicate it...so thanks Lex, for the effort you put in.
6 former ROADSTARS members..there were many more there, but gone by the time I tried for a pic.
Here's the most significant car for the day, this is the old John Anderson roadster, that was in the Ski gardens show, and raced on the day, and was sold off and parted out in the 70s, but lucky for all of us, John Parker spent years finding all the bits to get it back together, albeit how john had it in the 70s before his untimely passing..there's a pic below of it from 50 years ago..
the recreated Bob Keith car still wears 50 year old paint and trim
John Fleming still has a bug for racing, with this FED.
more memory displays..
Georgette Bros raced at Castlereagh, back 40 years ago..
Warren and Edna Armour still have the first dragster they built, back in the 60s..Warren went on to be a determined racer with many more dragsters over the next 20 years
Nics Pics of the Don Hage FJ
Reg Sothmans photo of me, checking out the Bob Keith dragster
and Brier Thomas took these old B&Ws 50 years ago to the day!
Ralph Donahue in the T bucket was there yesterday, here he is up against john Anderson.
Here is Jim Reed far side in his first dragster, up against hans Klemme from Melbourne
Here's Evan Isaacs up against John Anderson
and from a family tree connection, my little tribute to my cousin Graeme, who had a heart attack and passed away while working on hos dragster..he owned the ex Ash Marshall "Scorcher" at the time.
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