DARWIN BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY

DARWIN (NT)

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1947 - DARWIN MOTORCYCLE CLUB

The Darwin Motorcycle Club is the longest running motor sports club in Darwin, It all started when a group of riders who had been racing together decided they should form a club.

There were various tracks out at Nightcliff which were just scrub at the time, The main one being the "Drum course" which was at an old oil and tar drum dump, They used the drums to mark out the track.

Racing in these early days was mainly flat track as the bikes had very little suspension unlike the bikes of today, The popular bikes during this period were BSA Goldstar's, Triumph Trophy's, and the Matchless, Other more expensive bikes were also used such as Velocette's and Vincent's.

Bagot Park Speedway facebook feature.

Ian Dornbusch - number 2 unknown - Bob Ekins - Maurie Blake. Photo: Paul Dornbusch Bagot Park Speedway facebook

Maurie Blake. Photo: Lynette Schlein.

Photo: Charlie Caden.

Lofty Tarbottom. Photo: Lynette Schlein.

Lloyd Pierce leads Bob Ekins. Photo: Lynette Schlein.

Max Buck - Lloyd Pierce - Bob Ekins. Photo: Lynette Schlein.

Bob Oakes leads Bob Ekins. Photo: Lynette Schlein.

1960 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY

In 1960 The Darwin Motorcycle Club acquired land on the corner of Mcmillams Road and Bagot Road and constructed a flat track circuit, The Darwin City Council became involved and allocated two thousand pounds for the club to build a proper venue at this disused gravel pit. The gravel pit had previously supplied gravel to stabilize Rapid Creek road and the new sub division of Milner.

The club set about building the new venue, The committee begged, borrowed or stole nearly every piece of equipment in Darwin to construct the speedway.

1961 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY

By 1961 the Darwin Motorcycle Club and the newly formed Darwin Stock Car Club that had used a vacant block of land near the Winnellie Showgrounds for racing had combined and formed the Northern Territory Riders and Drivers Association.

In 1962 the members of the Darwin Motorcycle club that wanted to race scramble events set up a track at Hidden Valley and were granted a 99 year lease by the Darwin Council at a cost of one pound, That being for the entire region of Hidden Valley.

(Editorial Clint Holmes)

West Coast Speedway News pictorial feature

Photo's: Darwin Show Management

1966 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY

On the 5th of March 1966 held there first combined practice meeting at the Bagot Park site, There were nine Stock Cars and nine motorcycles and six races were held, John Chrisom was flagged as the first winner of a stock car race in Darwin.

Bagot Park Speedway was officially opened on the 28th of May 1966 by the Lord Mayor NH Cooper and Mr Ken Waters.and closed them in 1981.

1966 - Alan Davidson. Photo: unknown.

Ghost Tracks of the Northern Territory facebook pictorial feature

Photo's: unknown.

1971 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY

1971 - Sedan action Darwin style as Bob Worth 60 slams into Ross Forday at Bagot Park, Fans are never left short of thrills up north. Photo: unknown.

1975 - CYCLONE TRACY DESTROYS DARWIN

Christmas day the 25th of December 1974 the news spreads across Australia very slowly. no internet or 24 hour news service in those days, that a cyclone had battered Darwin.

The result of Cyclone Tracy was sheer devastation with 49 killed on land and 22 at sea, with over 70% of housing destroyed.

Right The deadly path of Cyclone Tracy. Image unknown.

Pictorial view of Darwin after the killer cyclone passed

1974 - Photo's from various unknown photographers.

1974 - THE NORTHERN TERRITORY NEWS REPORTED

Darell McInnis recalls: I was living, working and racing my hatch back torana super sedan at the time in Darwin when the cyclone went through.

1975 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY PROGRAMME SLIDESHOW

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1976 - CORY CATS Production Sedan's

1976 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY STOCK CAR SLIDESHOW

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1976 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY SPRINTCAR SLIDESHOW

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1976 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY PROGRAMME SLIDESHOW

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1977 - STEVE McCANN Solo's

Peter White's World of SPEEDWAY feature

1979 - BAGOT PARK SPEEDWAY

Barry Blake pictorial feature

Barry Blake recalls: Couple of memories from way back Darwin 1979, Brother Allan was the speedway manager at the time, Lived directly opposite the track, The couple of young lads in the pics are Brad and Allan junior.

1979 - AUSTRALIAN SALOON CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

1979 - Grenville Anderson.

1979 - Phil "Flyers" Meyers.

1979 - Adrian Anderson.

1979 - Keith Brumby.

Bagot Park Speedway hosted the 1979 Australian Saloon Car Championships over 2 nights, Track manager Allan Blake was also entered in the event, the only state not represented in the championship was Tasmania, 55 cars were nominated for the championship, because of the masive amount of drivers entered the entire programme on the first night consisted on sedan championship heats only, all drivers raced in 5 heats earning points, 12 points for a win, 10 for 2nd, 8 for third, 6 for fourth, 4 for fifth and 2 points for sixth. the 20 highest point scorers went into the 50 lap grand final to be held the following night, the remainder of the field went through to the 30 lap consolation race on the final night,

Support divisions for the 2nd night were Solo's, Sidecars, Stock cars and Sprintcars