BENALLA (VIC)
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1957 - BENALLA AUTO CLUB
The Benalla Auto Club was founded by a group of Hot Rod racing enthusiasts led by a local school teacher, Bruce Watt on the 17th of October 1957 in the town and they had secured the use of a piece of land about 3km to the North of Benalla, just off the Highway on the right hand side, it is here that a remarkable number of similarities between the Benalla and Euroa tracks start to become apparent and it appears likely that there was some close collusion between the members of both clubs during the design and development period of both sites.
The Benalla track was a circuit running clockwise over a lap distance of around one kilometre, with a long straight, left and right bends and a tight dogleg, it consisted of a dirt clay surface which was graded and watered, the track was reportedly quite rough and dusty, in contrast some other tracks which were established during that period, Benalla was never oiled, the only fencing concisted of a wire fence designed to keep the spectators at a reasonable distance from the action, There was no track fence as such and if the cars left the track they apparently just rolled out into the paddock, hopefully away from the spectators.
Our source reports that there was a free interchange of cars between Benalla and Euroa and that the cars were the old hot rod type saloon bodies with mudgaurds removed and roll bars and crash bars installed, our man drove a Ford V8 twin spinner rod with some success.
The track lasted only a couple of years and closed when the athorities insisted on a significant upgrade of fencing and other facilities, this was beyond the limited resources of the small Benalla club and it appears likely that many of the remaining members joined either Euroa or Yarrawonga (Wilby)
(Editorial Ray Reid)
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1958 - BARJARG CIRCUIT GYMKHANAThe Benalla Auto Club conducted its first motor gymkhana at Barjarg on Sunday the 11th of March 1958 to raise funds for the erection of a public hall, making a profit of 195 pounds from the event, The lap record on the day was set by Hoot Gibson in a Standard.
----------------------------------------------------------------------1958 - BARJARG CAR RALLY |
Another fund raiser was held on the 11th of May 1958.
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1959 - BARJARG CIRCUIT
The clubs first race meeting at the Barjarg 1.4km Oiled Dirt Circuit was conducted on the 25th of January 1959 and had over fifty entries with a profit of 325 pounds.
In March of 1959 CAMS inspected the Barjarg Circuit and issued a licience for open motor racing.