BARCALDINE (QLD)
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1960's - BARCALDINE SPEEDWAY #1
Barcaldine's first speedway track was situated inside the old racecourse in the 1960's, A later was built closer to the town and opened around 1980.
(Editorial Allan Baker)
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2005 - BARCALDINE SPEEDWAY #1LOCATION
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1960's - BARCALDINE SPEEDWAY #2
The second track, situated on the common to the north of town, Barcaldine Speedway is said to have commenced in the 1980's as a stock car track, Motorcycle's also graced the the Barcaldine track, Drivers from Emerald and Alpha Speedways also supported the track.
Most of the club members worked for the Main Roads Department and equipment was readily available to build the racetrack, Officially it was designed as the Main Roads testing facility, to some degree that was true, main roads employees tested there race cars.
The track itself was 1/3 mile in circumference and egg shaped, From the tight turns it ran down hill, a drop of about three metres before the easier big end turns, Then uphill in the straight again, There were no safety fence's as such, Spectators were on a mound, Adam on the property gave Barcaldine Speedway a constant supply of water, The speedway ran early winter as it was too hot during summer for daylight racing.
From the 1980's the Duncan family were heavily envolved, three brothers Gordon, Bruce and Ian all competed in stock cars at the Barcaldine track, Gordon the oldest brother raced a Ford Cortina, the second brother Bruce had a fast little Mini that could mix it with the best of them and the youngest boy, Ian would fight for a drive in one of his brothers cars whenever he could.
The boys had a sister who ran the bar on race day while there dad Bob Duncan a Scotchman, was the Ambulance officer on duty, where was mum? Mum wouldn't go to the races, she couldn't watch here boys race.
Eric Hindmarsh was a major force within the club. Cars were of the modified production, Car and engine had to be of the same but engine modifications were free, cars ran on a handicap basis depending on how the car performed, Eric raced a LH Torana.
The main event at Barcaldine Speedway was the Artesian Cup, run in conjunction with the towns annual Artesian Festival.
The track closed in the 1990's after a big flood, Main Roads and equipment were deployed to clean up duties and repairing the race track was not a priority, When it was thought of again it was too late, Work orders and insurance issues had come into play and the Barcaldine Speedway was abandoned forever, The track was then taken over by short lived Moto-cross club before becoming open area for the the local model aeroplane club.
Others to race at Barcaldine Speedway were "Sarge OBrien, Rusty Sutton, Danny Maloney (Charger), Lin Rudd (Supercharged EJ Holden, Garry Kelly (Valiant), Allan Clarke, Gary Towers, Kevin Fry, Ron Ford, Allan Fraser, Bill Cramer, from the local club, as well as Greg Pearce from Jericho and Rob Arnold from Alpha.