History - Welcome to Rowley Park Speedway 'The place where the champions gathered'

Rowley Park Speedway .... 'The place where the champions gathered'

Speedway History

Rowley Park Speedway was named after Mr. Enoch Procter ( Ted ) Rowley.
Rowley Park Speedway came about when speedcar drivers were becoming unhappy with the new speedway promoters at Kilburn Speedway.
The soccer ground at Bromptom was having problems growing the turf and would flood in winter. On the 15th of August 1949 a plan to build a Speedway track similar to Kilburn Speedway at Hindmarsh. It was reported to the Hindmarsh City Council by the Town Clerk of Hindmarsh Mr. R.W. Langman. The Speedway would be used twice weekly. Councillor Johnson said he had canvassed the district and found that the majority of the residents did not object to the building of the Speedway, which will cost over 5000 pounds. The grounds were still owned by the South Australian Soccer Association who leased it to the speedway. Pop Hargue and accountant J.V Palmer formed Rowley Park Speedway. Wally Watson was the first speedway manager.in 1949 to 1951, Alf Shields then took over for a further three seasons in 1951 through to 1954. It was in 1953 dolomite was introduced to the circuit where there were mixed reactions. Kym Bonython then took over as promoter from 1954 through to 1973 who done a superb job in promoting the circuit. In 1955 Jack Self was Kym Bonython's Speedway Manager. In 1955 Kym Bonython and Jack Self changed the width of the track making it wider.
Speedway on this track became popular attracting thousands of spectators and drivers from around the world. In the 1973 / 74 seasons Rowley Park Speedway was taken over by a syndicate of 5 people, Ray Skipper, Cec Iechler, Kevin Fischer, Tom Dillon and Rex Sendy. In 1973 Tom Dillon was the new manger who only stayed in the position for just over one year. In December 1974 Rowley Park Speedway was then promoted by the Racing Drivers Association through to the closure in 1979. Sel Harley was President, Tom Byres was treasurer and John Brown was the Manager before Jim Nieman took over until the end of an era....

The Slogan was....Be here at the Nation's No.1 Speedway each and every Friday night because.. FRIDAY NIGHT IS SPEEDWAY NIGHT.

Speedway at Rowley Park is sadly missed.

Rowley Park Speedway Fatalities.... Brian Bennett / Sidecar 15 / 11 1957, Arn Sunstrom / Speedcar 24 / 01 / 1959 ( accident was the 23/1/59 ), Gerry Gerald ( UK ) / T.Q (F500) 6 / 3 / 1959, Steve Howman / Speedcar 4 / 1 / 1959 ( accident was 2/1/59), Conrad Lang / T.Q. (F500) 9 / 11 / 1962, Peter Stirling / Solo 27 / 12 / 1965 ( accident was 17/12/65 ), Harley Dillon / Speedcar 25 / 2 / 1966, Charles ( Harry ) Denton 9 / 11 / 1967 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. ( accident was 3/11/67 ), Jimmy Gavaros / Solo 23 / 1 / 1970, Douglass Dyke / Sidecar 10 / 2 / 1989 ( accident was 14/3/77 ) and Gerry Hussey who was origionally a solo rider who came to Rowley Park Speedway from the UK.... Harry Neale / Speedcar 6 / 2 / 1959 but not at Rowley Park Speedway instead at Claremont Speedway in Western Australia....

There were a number of commentators at Rowley Park Speedway including Mel Cameron ( father of Grant Cameron ), Noel O'connor, Rob Kelvin, David Sabine, Warwick Prime and Jim Chammings. Jim Chammings was also a commentator at Skyline Motordome later to become Stirling Speedway in the 1950's. Jim was born in Adelaide South Australia in 1926 and is survived by six of eight children, 34 grandchildren and 16 great grand children. Jim Chammings, was a lithographic printer by trade but went to war at age 16 until the Army found out how old he was and was sent back to Adelaide after the Darwin bombing. Jim Chammings rejoined with the Australian Airforce at the age of 18 and taught unarmed combat until the end of the war. Jim was a rep. for the Barossa Canneries before embarking on a career in radio and television. Jim Chammings worked for aproximately 7 years for 4AY and channel 7 as a news reader. He also worked for 1ZB in Auckland New Zealand from 1959 to 1962 and then the next 5 years at 4AY in Townsville before returning to Adelaide continuing work on radio and television. Jim Chammings recieved the South Australian Country Music Festival Award of excelence in 1993 held annually in the Riverland. ( Special thanks to Col Chammings and Graham McIntosh for this information. )

*************************************************************************************************************Rowley Rowley Park Speedway. 1973/74 Season. An official Program cost just 25 cents.

Speedway Manager was Tom Dillon.... Directors were Kevin Fischer, Ray Skipper, Rex Sandy & Cec Eichler.... R.D.A. Stewards were B Flaherty, G Thompson & D Teague.... Clerk of the course was Glen Dix.... Time Keepers were Barry Frost ( Austin 7 Car Club president, Clipsal 500 Adelaide time keeper, 2005 World Solar Challenge etc: ), W Gower, & A Clarke.... Machine Examiners were J Fazzalari, F White, R Hansford, R Male, R Harris & J Grivell.... Pit Marshals were R Baker, L Moroney & W Buist.... Noel O'Connor was the official track announcer....Gary Hoffmann was in public relations....

Perpetual Trophy Donor was COCA COLA Bottlers Aust. Pty. Ltd:... Seasonal Trophy Donors were Don Bowden Used Cars, Auto Welders, Blair Athol Auto Wreckers, Atlas Motor Wreckers & Coca-Cola Bottlers.

Graham Benneche held the 8, 25 & 50 lap track records while Tony Orlando made the 10, 12 & 15 lap records his own.... Paul Gustafsson held the 20 lap rolling start record in the Saloon Cars.... John Boulger held the 3 lap Solo record & Neil Munroe the sidecar 3 lap record.... John Moyle, Phil Herreen, Bill Wigzell & Bob Linke held the Sprintcar records.... Joe Brandler, Dean Hogarth, George Tatnell, Peter Maltby Col Hennig, John Fenton ( W.A ), R Goode ( Qld. ) & R Tattersall ( U.S.A ) shared the Speedcar records.

*************************************************************************************************************

Rowley Park Speedway. 1974/75 season. An official Program cost 30 cents.

Speedway Manager was John Brown.... Stewards. R.D.A. Dean Hogarth and Dave Cooper.... Time Keepers Barry Frost, Colin Zytveld and K. Hobbs.... Machine Examiners were I White, D. Ames, M. Forbes, R Linke and A. McBeath.... Pit Marshalls were W. Roberts, D. Campbell and E. Devrell.... Noel O"Connor and Rob Kelvin were the track announcers....

Graham Benneche still held the 50 and 8 lap records but Darryl Downing grabbed the 25 lap record, John Crowhurst grabbed the 15 and 20 lap records, Gary Reuter took the 12 lap record and Steve Stewart the 10 lap record for the Production StockCars.... The Bikes were still the same.... while in the Modified Sprint Cars Zeke Agars grabbed the 10 lap record,with Bill Wigzell the 6, 25 and 30 lap record, Phil Herreen the 8 lap, Bob Aylesbury the 15, Bob Linke the 20 lap and John Moyle still held the 50 lap record... Speedcars were Joe Brandler the 100,8 and shared the 10 lap record with Peter Maltby, Bill Wigzell had the 6 lap, Phil Herreen the 15 lap, John Fenton ( W.A. ) the 20 lap, George Tatnell the 25 lap, Dean Hogarth the 30 lap, R Goode ( Qld. ) the 40 lap and R. Tattersal ( U.S.A. ) the 50 lap record.... (picture John Brown Speedway Manager.)

*************************************************************************************************************

Rowley Park Speedway. 1978/79 and its Grand Final Season. An official Program cost 50 cents.

Speedway Manager was Jim Nienmann.... Treasurer was Stan Miller.... Race Manager was Bill Buist.... Stewards A.S.C.C. Sam Bass, and Bill Bates Brownsword.... R.D.A. Ian Lamming Saloons, Karl Hanson Sprintcars and Joe Richards Speedcars.... Clerk of the course A.S.C.C. Denis Mason.... R.D.A. Gary Hoffmann.... Time keepers were R.D.A Colin Zytfeld and John Campbell.... A.S.C.C. Kieth Simpson and Leo Sandercock.... Point scorer and Programme editor was Rob Lock.... Track announcers were Rob Kelvin and David Sabine.... Budget Rent-a-Car supplied the Pace Car while the Push Cars were supplied by R.O.H.,Taylor Team (Deane, Kevin and Barry Taylors Motor Cycle Shops who had four outlets here in Adelaide, ( T.T. Yamaha, T.T. Honda, T.T. Kawasaki and John Boulger Suzuki), Adelaide Engine Service and P & H Crash Repairs.... Tow Trucks were supplied by International Crash and Shipp Bros:... Women for Wheels supplied the Fire Protection Crew and Equipment... Program Advertising was Sel Harley and Jim Niemann....

Some of the Trophy Donors were Coca Cola Bottlers, Summit Records, Taylor Team, Len Williams Used Trucks, The Motor Market, and the Challa Gardens Hotel.

Graham Benneche still held the 50 lap record while Roy Harley held the 25 lap record.... Tony Orlando held the 10 lap record and shared the 8 lap record with John Crowhurst who also had the 12, 15, 20 and 40 lap records to himself in his Chev Powered Holden HQ. Monaro.... John Boulger along with Phil Crump and George Kennett ( England ) held the 3 lap clutch start in the Solo's.... Deane Taylor and Peter Menz held the 3 lap record on the Sidecars.... Jim Sills ( U.S.A. ) and Steve Brazier shared the 1 lap record in the Sprintcars while Bill Wigzell held 5 records Gary Rush 2, Bill Barrows, Bob Aylesbury and Jeff Harris each held one. John Moyle held the 50 lap record.... In the Speedcars Bill Wigzell has 4 lap records,Phil Herreen 2 while Geof Pilgrim ( W.A. ), Rex Hodgson, Dean Hogarth, Bill Goode ( Q.) each held one. Bob Tattersall ( U.S.A ) held the 50 lapper and Joe Brandler held the 100 lap record.

*************************************************************************************************************

Speedway Park Program 1979 / 80 and its first season. An official Program cost 60 cents and the final race meeting's souvenier program cost 80 cents.

Speedway Manager was again Jim Niemann.... Don Walton took over as Treasurer from Stan Miller.... Stewards R.D.A. Ian Lamming Saloons and Karl Hanson Sprintcars.... Chief Referee was Bill Bates-Brownsword and Sam Bass.... Time Keepers R.D.A. were John Campbell and Colin Zytfeld and A.S.S.C. were Leo Sandercock and John Fleming.... Judges were R.D.A. Barry Frost and A.S.S.C. was Barb Sandercock.... Clerk of the Course R.D.A Bill Gower and A.S.C.C. was Dennis Mason.... Starting Marshall was Brian Hart.... Point Scorer again was Rob Lock.... Track announcers were again Rob Kelvin and David Sabine.... Push Cars R.O.H, Adelaide Engine Service, Regency Towing, Rebel Co; Kwikasair, and Exhaust Specialists S.A:... Tow Trucks International Crash and Shipp Bros:... Women for Wheels supplied the Fire Protection Crew and Equipment.... Program Advertising again was Sel Harley and Jim Niemann....

For more Rowley Park Speedway events and results please read more.