ADELAIDE (SA)
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1948 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY.
Rowley Park Speedway was built in 1948 by a group of disgruntled speedcar drivers from Kilburn Speedway, originally the speedway site was to be the home of South Australian Soccer but the ex brickpit was deemed to be unsuitable and so soccer moved to Hindmarsh Oval.
The speedway was originally shaped with four distinct corners and a small rectangular saftey fence.
Rowley Park opened on the 21st of December 1949 under the promotion of Wal Watson who was one of those Kilburn Speedcar drivers.
In 1951 Watson sold the lease to former Sydney solo and speedcar driver Alf Shields, Shields ran the speedway up until 1954 when he sold the lease to a young Kim Bonython.
Bonython would go on to run Rowley Park for the next twenty years with great success.
In 1953 the track shape was changed to a more oval layout and a catch fence was added to the top of the original track fence, the track surface of shell grit and brick pipe clay was replaced with dolomite in 1953 through to 1955.
Further upgrades to the catch fence wer done in 1965 and this lasted lasted until the track closed in 1979.
During its heyday Rowley Park rivaled any speedway in Australia with crowds upwards of 15,000 attending, In 1965 it has been reported that a crowd of 20,000 packed into the venue to see Australia's first Demo Derby.
In around 1972 Bonython moved on and a group of former drivers took over the lease, Kevin Fischer, Cec Eichler, Rex Sandy and Ray Skipper, this would be for one season only 1973/1974, Thats when the Racing Drivers Association of South Australia took over.
The South Australian RDA would run Rowley Park from 1974 until it closed because of complaints from residents about noise and traffic problems.
Rowley Park Speedway closed on the 6th of April 1979.
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TED ROWLEY.
Rowley Park was named after Mr Enoch Proctor (Ted) Rowley one of Australia's best known goalkeepers in the early days of Australian soccer.
Ted Rowley came to Australia from Staffordshire (England) in May of 1900, Landing in Albany WA Rowley worked as a clerk with the railways and in his spare time he served a seven year dental apprenticeship.
During his eight years in Kalgoorlie (where his yncle lived) he became almost a legendry figure in the soccer world being regarded as WA's best goalkeeper, He also played 1 game of of Aussie Rules kicking 10 goals but gave the game away and sticking with the round ball.
He came to Adelaide in 1908 a qualified dentist establishing a partnership in Victoria Square which in 1918 he took over when his partner died.
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1949 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY. 21st December 1949. |
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1950 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY. 27th October 1950.
1950 - SOLO RIDERS
1950 - Johnny Oram.Photos: Dean Donovan. |
1950's Lubor Simek. |
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1950's - BERT MARKS. Speedcar's.
1950's - Dean Donovan
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1950's - ROY SANDS. Speedcar's.
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1950's - Adelaide driver Roy Sands. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1950's - BOB PLAYFAIR. Speedcar's.
1950's - Photo: Dean Donovan
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1950's - BILL WIGZELL. Speedcar's.
1950's - Bill Wigzell in a bit of trouble when a radiator hose bursts in his 22 car. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1950's - HARRY NEALE. Speedcar's.
1950's - Harry Neale would later be killed in an accident at Claremont Speedway. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1950's - RAY SKIPPER. Heavy Hot Rod's.
1950's - An early shot of Ray Skippers car after not avoiding an accident (labeled learners luck) Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1950's - HEAVY HOT ROD ACTION.
1950's - Ray Skipper in the 91 hot rod drives around Don Willison (sidecar rider) Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1950's - HEAVY HOT ROD ACTION.
1950's - Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1950's - REX SANDY. Speedcar's.
1950's - Photo: Dean Donovan
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1953 - HARRY NEALE. TQ's.
1953 - Harry Neale Three Quarter Midget at Rowley Park Speedway. Photo: West Coast Speedway News collection.
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1950's - ROGER MAY. TQ's.
Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1955 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDCAR ACTION.
1955 - Dud Lambert 50 - Bruce Rickard 15 - Arn Sunstrom - Ron Wood in Old Smokey. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1955 - ALLAN GOLDING. Speedcar's.
1955 - Allan Golding in the 12 car locked in battle with Murray Hoffman in the Tiger Kitten car as it was known. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1955 - HEAVY HOT ROD ACTION.
1955 - Pedro Kennedy in the 41 car, Barry Lambert 43 and Ross Hill in the 55 car known as Dog Box. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1955 - HEAVY HOT ROD ACTION.
1955 - Ray Evans in the number 3 car gets into Murray Parker in the 11 car. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1956 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY AUSTRALIAN 20 Lap SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP. 6th January 1956.
"Bill Wigzell - Suddenly 88" Official Group facebook feature
(research Jenny Wigzell)
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1956 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY SIDECAR ACTION.
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1956 - RICK HARVEY. Speedcar's.
Rick Harvey was a Motorcycle Cop with the South Australian Police force as well as an avid Speedcar racer at Rowley Park Speedway. Rick who was twenty seven years old at the time died while on duty in a road accident during 1956, along with his partner Constable John Raggatt and a third motorcyclist Giovanni Cragnolin.
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1956 - PETER SPICER. Speedcar's.
1956 - Photo: Dean Donovan
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1957 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY STOCK CAR PILE UP
1957 - Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1957 - ROY SANDS. Speedcar's.
1957 - Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1958 - GERRY HUSSEY. TQ's.
1958 - Gerry Hussey in the Albert Ludgate number 1 car. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1958 - ROSS GOONAN (NZ) Speedcar's.
1958 - Ross Goonan from New Zealand in the v6 60 Ford powered speedcar at Rowley Park. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1958 - BOB TATTERSAL. (USA) Speedcar's.
1958 - Kym Bonython brought this V8 60 powered speedcar off New Zealands Ross Goonan for USA driver Bob Tattersal to race at Rowley Park Speedway for the 1958 1959 racing season. Photo: Dean Donovan.
1958 - Bob Tattersall from the USA head to head with Harry Neale at Rowley Park during the 1958 1959 season. Photo: Dean Donovan collection.
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1958 - DEAN HOGARTH. Speedcar's.
1958 - Photos: Dean Donovan.
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1958 - KYM BONYTHON. Speedcar's.
1958 > 1959 - Kym Bonython inside Arn Sunstrom. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1958 - BOB LINDSAY. Speedcar's.
1958 - Bob Lindsay's racing ended after a bad accident at Rowley Park Speedway. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1958 - KEN DART. Speedcar's.
Rowley Park Speedway facebook Photo feature
1958 - Ken Dart in his SA 13 Speedcar at Rowley Park. Photo: unknown.
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1958 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY. 1958. |
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1959 - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP 2nd January 1959
The 1958 1958 Australian Speedcar Chamionship was hosted by Rowley Park Speedway on the 2nd of January 1959, This would be the very meeting that Queensland driver Steve Howman would loose his life in a speedcar accident.
Howman crashed heavily in a heat race, when failing to take the first corner crashing head on into the fence and end for ending the car, riping some of the body off the chassis and fracturing his scull. Howman died two days later in hospital.
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1959 - STEVE HOWMAN. Speedcar's.
Dean Donovan Pictorial feature
1959 - Queenslander Steve Howman is seen here with Bob Tattersall at Rowley Park Speedway. Photo: Dean Donovan collection.
1959 - The very accident that took the live of Queensland Speedcar driver Steve Howman at Rowley Park Speedway. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1959 - RON WOOD. Speedcar's.
1959 - Ron Wood in Old Smokey holds a lead over Rex Sandy at Rowley Park Speedway. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1959 - ARN SUNSTROM. Speedcar's.
1959 - Arn Sunstrom sits in the picture perfect Repco Holden powered speedway that he raced, Arn would loose his life in an on track accident at Rowley Park on the 24th of January 1959. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1959 - GERRY HUSSEY. Speedcar's.
1959 - Photo: unknown. |
1959 - The accident that took Gerry Hussey's life. Photo: Dean Donovan. |
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1959 - BRUCE KELLY. Sidecar's.
1959 - Sidecar Ace Bruce Kelly and his passenger celebrate a win at Rowley Park. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1959 - RON BURNS. TQ's.
1959 - Ron Burns in the 8 car runs inside of Len Talbolt in the 87 car. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1959 - FRANK LACEY. Hot Rod's.
1959 - Frank Lacey running inside Clem Smith. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1960's - NANAE OKAMOTO. Solo's.
1960's - Japanese rider Nanae Okamoto would later die after an accident upon returning to Japan. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1960's - JOHNNY MILLER. Speedcar's.
1960's - Johnny Miller in the Ford powered car, under powered but gave the others a hurry up. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1960's - BOB LANE. Speedcar's.
1960's - Bob Lane splits the field in the 24 car. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1960's - LEW MARSHALL. Speedcar's.
1960's - Lew or Lanky Lew Marshall as they named him. Photo's: Dean Donovan.
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1960 - LEN GOLDING. Speedcar's.
1960 - Len Golding in the ex Jack Brabham twin at Rowley Park. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1960 - GRAHAME McCUBBIN. Hot Rod's.
1960 - Grahame McCubbin stared in Hot Rods before moving into Supermodifieds. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1961 - RAY PLATT. TQ's.
1961 - Ray Platt in the NSW 4 car moves under Bert Miller. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1961 - TQ ACTION.
Photo: Dean Donovan
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1961 - 50 LAP WORLD SPEEDCAR DERBY.
January 1961 - Jack O'Dea 2nd - Leroy Warriner 1st - Peter Cuneen 3rd - Dean Hogarth 4th Photo: Dean Donovan.
1961 - Leroy Warriner from the USA won the 50 lap derby. Photo: Dean Donovan.
1961 - PETER CUNNEEN. Speedcar's.
1961 - Peter Cunneen at Rowley Park in the twin powered car at the 1961 Speedcar Derby. Photo: Dean Donovan.
1961 - Dean Hogarth finished 4th in the world event. Photo: Dean Hogarth.
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1961 - 50 LAP STOCK CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
1961 - 1st Clem Smith - 2nd Murray Parker - 3rd Ray Skipper - 4th Moss Marchant. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1961 - CLEM SMITH. Heavy Hot Rod's.
1961 - Clem Smith tears the fence apart and brings some of the lighting down. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1961 - G BOSISTO Heavy Hot Rod's
1961 - G Bosisto in the 56 machine will take no further part in this race. Photo: Dean Donovan.
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1962 - AUSTRALIAN TQ CHAMPIONSHIP.
1962 - Australian TQ Championship placegetters. Photo: Aussie Speedway Memories facebook.
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1960's - ROWLEY PARK SPEEDWAY PHOTO's
Dean Hogarth |
Murray Hoffman |
Rowley Park Hot Rods, pictured here 2 Y Block Fords. |
Previously owned by RDA President Ron Wood who wrote off the front end into the fence 2 weeks ago, Ron sold the number 11 Holden to Bill Curnow who repaired the car and is pictured here testing at Rowley Park. |
