CANBERRA (ACT)
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CANBERRA MOTOR CYCLE CLUB
The Canberra Motorcycle Club was a dirt track based club, that had very little interest in Road Racing, Those Road racers in the ACT at the time had to join one of the New South Wales based clubs such as Bankstown - Wiley Park, Saint George, Willoughby or Annandale - Leichhardt so they could obtain a licience to ride at Sydney's Amaroo Park and Oran Park.
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CANBERRA ROAD RACING CLUB
The local riders found this situation of living in the ACT and being controlled from New South Wales un-workable, so they got together to form there own club, The Canberra Road Racing Club, This would lead to motorcycle racing events being held on a street circuit at Macarthur Park.
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1978 - MACARTHUR PARK CIRCUITThe Macarthur Park circuit was to be a perfect street racing circuit, The entire sub-division was brand new with no homes in the area, the road surface was smooth and free from repairs, the whole area had been cleared and free from trees along the circuit's edges.
The housing lots were not sold until 1982, after racing had finished.
Just ten months after the formation of the club they held there first open meeting around the 2.8km loop on the 7th of October 1978 with practice on the Saturday and Sunday the 8th of October being the race day.
It has been reported that crowds in excess of three thousand attended on Saturday and around ten thousand on the Sunday.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------1978 - MACARTHUR PARK OPEN MEETING 7th & 8th October 1978S t u A v a n t w i n s o p e n e r |
1978 - CANBERRA TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTED
research John Campbell
1978 - CANBERRA TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTED
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1979 - MACARTHUR PARK MEETING 3rd & 4th November 1979
There were over 140 riders entered in the 16 events. The 7th race was interrupted when kangaroos invaded the track. Trail Bike riders herded them off and racing was restarted. Admission was $2 for adults and children free.
1979 - CANBERRA TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTED
5th November 1979
research and editorial John Campbell
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1980 - MACARTHUR PARK CLOSED MEETING 2nd November 1980This was a closed Club meeting for the Canberra Road Racing Club.
Fifty members had nominated and were expected to race on the day.
The initial newspaper article that was released encouraged spectators but the next day a correction noted that there was to be no spectators.
research and editorial John Campbell |
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1981 - MACARTHUR PARK 2nd LAST MEETING 7th & 8th March 1981
The Canberra Road Racing Club held there second last motorcycle road race meeting at the Macarthur Park circuit on the weekend of the 7th and 8th of March 1981.
1981 - CANBERRA TIMES NEWSPAPER REPORTED
9th March 1981
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1981 - MACARTHUR PARK FINALE MEETING 1st & 2nd November 1981
The Canberra Road Racing Club held its Finale meeting at the Macarthur Park circuit on the 1st and 2nd of November 1981. There was poor weather but there were some 6,000 spectators at the event.
Sidecars were included for the first time with 17 outfits expected. Over 200 entries were received including 22 A Grades, 50 B Grades, and 100 C and D Grade riders.
This final meeting was sponsored by Robbos Motorcycle Wreckers, The first day was for practice.