Newcastle Motordrome
| Location | Old Punt Road, Australian Sidecar championship World Series Sprintcars Australian Super Sedan Championship Australian Formula 500 Championship |
|---|---|
| Oval | |
| Surface | dolomite and clay mix Asphalt (early-mid-1980s only) |
| Length | 0.248 miles (0.400 km) |
Newcastle Motordrome was a
History
Even though some believe
The Motordrome was originally opened as Jerilderie Park Speedway and run and promoted by Peter Gurbiel, who also ran the
Events at the Motordrome, especially for the
Categories to regularly run at the Motordrome during its 25-year existence were
The speedway originally had a dolomite and clay mix surface, but was paved during the early to mid-1980s before the asphalt was dug up and the original surface was restored. During the time the track was asphalt a smaller motorcycle track was placed on the infield, the track running just inside asphalt track, but when the asphalt was dug up the bikes once again raced on the 400 metres (440 yards) D-shaped main track.
The Motordrome was also the site of the first ever visit by an official sporting team from the
Other famous competitors to race at the Motordrome during its life included
.The Newcastle Motordrome, originally known as the Jerilderie Park Speedway, was also known during its lifetime as the Newcastle International Motordrome. Due to sponsorship the venue was also known as the Winfield Newcastle Motordrome and finally the Wynn's Newcastle Motordrome.
In a sport where death or severe injury is often an accepted risk (especially to the motorcycle racers), the Newcastle Motordrome bucked the trend and never saw a fatal accident, though in 1975, when the speedway was still Jerilderie Park, it was where the career of the 1954 and 1959 Speedway World Champion Ronnie Moore of New Zealand ended when he crashed and was in a coma for several weeks after.
The speedway held its last meeting on Sunday 14 July 2002 after promoter David Lander sold the freehold for the site for a reported A$2.5 million to the ATB Morton development group ending 25 years of successful speedway at the venue.
Famous competitors
Some of the famous competitors who raced at the Newcastle Motordrome include:
- Rene Aas (
) (Solo) - Leigh Adams (
) (Solo) - Grenville Anderson () (Super Sedan/Grand National)†
- Bob Blacklaw () (Sprintcar)
- John Boulger () (Solo)
- Craig Boyce () (Solo)
- Steve Brazier () (Super Modified/Sprintcar)
- Barry Briggs (
) (Solo) - Kenny Carter (
) (Solo) - Peter Collins () (Solo)
- Rodney Combs (
) (Super Sedan/Grand National) - Jason Crump () (Solo)
- Phil Crump () (Solo)
- Glenn Doyle () (Solo)
- Max Dumesny () (Formula 500/Sprintcar)
- Sam Ermolenko () (Solo)
- Ove Fundin (
) (Solo) - Per Jonsson () (Solo)
- Mel Kenyon () (Speedcar)
- Steve Kinser () (Sprintcar)
- Oleg Kurguskin () (Solo)
- Rinat Mardanshin () (Solo)
- Ivan Mauger () (Solo)
- Gary Moon () (Sidecar)
- Shawn Moran () (Solo)
- Hans Nielsen (
) (Solo) - Ole Olsen () (Solo)
- Shane Parker () (Solo)
- Bruce Penhall () (Solo)
- Zenon Plech (
) (Solo) - Mick Poole () (Solo)
- John Pyne () (Super Sedan/Grand National)
- Ron Pyne () (Super Sedan/Grand National)
- Mick Markham (AUS) (superSedan/Hotrods/Spintcars)†
- Bob Brewer (AUS) (Super Sedan)
- Tony Rickardsson () (Solo)
- Garry Rush () (Super Modified/Speedcar/Sprintcar)
- Johnny Rutherford () (Speedcar)
- Rif Saitgareev () (Solo) †
- Billy Sanders () (Solo) †
- Bobby Schwartz () (Solo)
- Mitch Shirra () (Solo)
- Michail Starostin () (Solo)
- Brooke Tatnell () (Speedcar)
- George Tatnell () (Super Modified/Speedcar) †
- Darrin Treloar () (Sidecar)
- Ron "Sleepy" Tripp () (Speedcar)
- Bob Tunks () (Sprintcar)
- Simon Wigg () (Solo)
- "Big" Ed Wilbur () (Super Sedan/Grand National)
- Todd Wiltshire () (Solo)
† – Deceased
References
- ^ Sheperd, Jim. "The Jim Sheperd Collection". Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Speedcars Australia. "History of Midgets : 75 Years And Counting". Speedcars Australia. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.