SEYMOUR (VIC)
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1971 - GRANITE PARK RACEWAY
Another club that evolved in the early 70's (1971) and drew on a local enthusiastic population, Seymour Auto Club had two great advantages.
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Firstly it had a ready made membership list with the Army Camp at Puckapunyal who loved to race cars, secondly it secured a piece of land south of the town (ex army) which had a natural surface, This lead to its tital of "Granite Park Raceway", The inaugeral president of the Seymour Auto Club was Seymour businessman Noel Smyth.
Seymour had its grand opening meeting on December 12th, 1971 announcing itself as " The Best Track in the North.(of Victoria) An excellant attendance of both competitors and spectators was guaranteed as the Seymour club had managed to secure the "Wynn's A Class Saloon Car Championship" final.
The 7/10 mile track was established as a short circuit (again) running clockwise. Wide bends aided fast racing and it was not long before the local two wheel fraternity expressed their interest in leasing the track for bike meetings. The Hartwell Motor Cycle Club ran regular bike meetings at Granite Park Raceway.
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(Editorial Ray Read)
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(youtube link. click on link to play)
1970's MOTORCYCLE RACING BY Carey Jones. |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwTqBPYCbsI |
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1974 - TERRY ROONEY
OZ Classic Dirttrack facebook photo feature
1974 - Terry Rooney on George Rooneys 500 JAP at Granite Park. Photo: Brett Rooney collection.
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A & B grade Saloon Car Championship season top point scorer's
1974 - Barry Hall - Fred Sutherland - Jack Cricelli - Allan Harris - Romek Kwiesinski - Trevor Peters. Photo: Ray Reid.
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1974 - GRANITE PARK RACEWAY SLIDESHOW
(use controls to pause - forward or reverse 8 images)
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BARRY HALL Production Sedan's
Year unknow. Photo: Michael Doherty Aussie Speedway Memories facebook.
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1977 - GRANITE PARK CHANGES DIRECTION
In 1977 the Seymour Auto Club handed the running of the track over to Greg Wood Promotions, Later the track would be taken over by "Black Flag Promotions" run by Maurie Forrest and Andrew Jones. Seymour changed its track to a conventional Speedway in 1981 and survived as a car circuit until 1997 when, with only ten remaining members it closed due to increasing costs of insurance.
(Editorial Ray Read)
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1980 circa - GRANITE PARK RACEWAY
Romsey Grasstrack facebook Pictorial feature
1980 circa - A wet day at Granite Park Raceway. Photo's: Rick Wason collection.
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2012 - GRANITE PARK RACEWAY WALKABOUT
In October of 2012, Speedway Historian Chris Mann visited the old track, and photographed the derelict remains, the many other tracks within the original circuit are part of a Rally Cross practice set up that took over once the speedway closed.
In May of 2013, Our roving scribe Allan Baker visited the site and took some shots from outside to locked venue.
(use controls to pause - forward or reverse 8 images)
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1974 - GRANITE PARK RACEWAY NOW & THEN
Check out the 2012 photo and the 1974 photo of the FJ leading the pack, both photos taken from roughley the same spot, both showing the shed in the background.
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Chris Mann recalls: The FJ Holden in the photo above started as a broken down car at Des Fowlers Garage at Voilet Town on the old Hume Highway sometime in 1967>1968, it had run a bearing and the owner was keen to keep going to Sydney, so a deal was struck and Des Fowler purched it from the owner.
Then Peter Byrne (my uncle) and Neil McIntosh fixed the bearing and stripped the car to make it into a speedway car for racing at Euroa, Peter and Neil campaigned it for a few years as E14, the engine was the standard grey but Peter fitted twin carbies etc, he ran second in the Andy's Cup to Eric once, Then around 1973 Kevin McFarlane raced it for a few years in the Golden Fleece colours, Kevin worked at Dick O'Bree's depot which was on the North side of the overpass at Euroa on the Shepparton road near the North Easter Hotel & Euroa Timber Yard, Then around the same time as the ASCF sage 1976 Kevin parked it up, Then he gave it to Brett Petrie in 1979, so this car then became the Petrie FJ, around 1982 Brett Petrie headed to Melbourne for study, Ray Petrie gave the FJ to Allan Luscombe, so this became the second Luscombe FJ, which is the one that he restored for his daughter to race, this is also the car that he sold to Steve Visser, who then sold it to its current owner.
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2017 - GRANITE PARK RACEWAY
