WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW 2012 > 2015
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2015 WA - SCOTT FISHER & DAVE (HAMMO) HAMMOND
While racing at the 2014 2015 Australian Late Model Championship in Kingaroy Brad Blake hooked up with two old mates from Bunbury, Scott Fisher on the left was a very talented solo rider that came up through the junior ranks and then star in the Seniors, Hammo was an ex Production Car driver that raced a Stingray Corvette during the years that John Fenton ran the Bunbury Speedway.
Scott Fisher in his Senior Solo Days with Keith Harvey
Brian Moyle recalls: In the early 1980's a mate by the name of Geoff Fisher approached us to help out with machining services on his sons Junior Speedway solo's, such as cylinder boring and honing, rebuilding cranks and head work, That young rider was Scott Fisher from Bunbury, Scott was a class act with a win record that was very impressive.
Scott went on to race Senior Solos at the highest level with great success and in more recent times Speedway Sidecars.
The last time we heard from Scott he was living in Queensland and doing it tough, health wise.
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2014 WA - GREG FREEMAN
Greg Freeman was a part of a Bunbury Speedway family back in the early 1970's, Greg's farther Ray was a local sign writer that brush stroked many of the race cars of that era, Greg's mother Glennis was also envolved in the club.
Junior Sedans was Greg's entry into Speedway and it was not long before he was racing and beating some of the best Standard Saloon Car drivers in the state.
Greg and his two brothers, Bruce who drive briefly in juniors in 1972, and youngest brother Trevor who raced juniors for a period all dropped out of Speedway until the mid eighty's when Greg returned to race Modified Sedans.
The choice of car was the tried and proven LJ Torana, Greg built this car himself on a very small budget and raced the car with much success, Later a second Torana was build and Greg went on to dominate the competition around the state.
Enter the Sigma, although a few were already racing it wasn't until the FRM Sigma's, built by Greg hit the track that there potential was realised, The cars ripped the opposition apart on the track and lap records began to tumble.
During this period Greg saw the potential of also entering the Sigma in the Street Sedan division, Greg built a Sigma for his young brother Trevor who also went on to dominate Street Sedans in WA, Trevor later left the sport after winning 3 state championships.
Greg However kept going, Building racing and on selling these much sought after Sigma's, his reputation as a driver and a car constructor was unriveled.
Today you will find Greg still building and racing cars but on the Black track circuits of Australia.
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2014 WA - DALE BRITTON & DENNIS NASH
West Australian Newspaper reported.
(Editorial Ken Brown)
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2014 NORM EATON (WA)
Norm Eaton was the president of the Boyup Brook Hot Hot Club in West Australia in the 1960's when the track was built, Norm held this position for an unknown period, Today Norm lives in Bunbury in a retirement village and is involved in the Bunbury RSL.
Norm centre is pictured with two of his RSL mates Audrey Needham and Eric Prime at a recent honour night.
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2014 BOB & LYNN CURRIE (WA)
Ralphy Taylor and Johnny Watkins called on Bob and Lynn Currie in Perth and came away with many memories from there speedway days.
Bob grew up in Northam WA and as a kid had a keen interest in pushbikes, After leaving school he became a car and truck mechanic
Bob started racing Supermodifieds in 1964 and soon became a big name at on the Claremont Speedway as well as thrilling the weekend crowds at Forrestfield, Wattle Grove and the small Bibra Lake circuit.
In 1965 Bob and Lynn started the Northam Speedway.
During the 1970's Supermodifieds made the transition to Sprintcars, and Bob was there along with fellow West Australians Barbagallo , Geneve and the two Matta boys Tony and Jimmy, They took on the best in Australia and the American Visitors, Over his career Bob has raced in most states in Australia including West Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
After Bob retired in 1979 he made up close to a hundred bikes of all kinds for disabled kids.
Bob has always been known as a quite humble gentleman, We thank and salute you Bob and Lynn Currie for the dedication and help over the many years to the sport.
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2014 JEFF GITTUS MEMORIAL (WA)
Our man on the ground Ralphy Taylor took his daughter Nikita along to the Jeff Gittus Memorial at Pinjar Park, and met up with a lot of mates, for Nikita this was all fairly new, but for Ralphy it was very special, meeting up with a lot of old friends, Also it was Nikita's birthday and she had just received a very special present from Mum, Dad and great mate Steve who had built a miniature working roadstar for her.
photo captions and information to follow.
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2013 ROSS TOWNSEND (WA)
Ralphy Taylor went along to the West Australian Motorcycle Championships and caught up with a few riders from the past, one of these being Ross Townsend, pictured here with Ralphy and Keith Madden Ross is on the right.
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2013 THE MADDEN BOYS (WA)
The Madden Boys farther was Titch Madden who also raced at Claremont, Boulder and other Speedways, The boys grew up alongside Stirling Highway in Claremont near the showgrounds, every Friday night the boys would go to the speedway to watch dad race.
Keith became a big name and won many championships, he raced against many great riders including internationals, Keith only on an older two valve Jawa would often beat his more fancied rider on there four valve machines, Keith also played a part in Mighty Mick McKeon getting started, he was also a successful martial arts expert and ran a security company assisting the Government of the day, He now lives Down South on a twenty five acre farm, with a race track, and still rides in mature age motocross events.
Butch was a great mechanic always and worked on all bikes and cars they raced, spent some time in the Armed Forces and is currently a Tec Teacher and lives in Dawsville near Mandurah in WA.
Robbie sadley became a paraplegic after hitting the safety fence on a solo in Fowlhouse corner at Claremont Speedway in the early 1970's, he has since gone on to change his direction in life and win middles for wheel chair racing, We salute you boys for your blood, sweat and tears you have put into the sport and thank you for helping make what it is today.
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2013 WARREN STANTON (QLD)
Warren had to do it hard all his life, with little money and little help, the true battler was a very successful rider of sidecars that was the underdog in so many ways.
Warren was never so lucky to gain the same sort of sponsorship that his farther Jeff Stanton from speedcar fame had secured earlier, but battled on to success at every track that he raced at.
Under powered machines and a lack of money held him back but he always managed to place in the top three, One of Warrens passengers Daren Barker was killed on the only one time he swung for a less experienced rider, Warren rode the big Claremont track as well as the smaller Bibra Lake circuit before he went to the eastern states, as well as competing in New Zealand, Denmark, Germany and England before settling in Queensland where he now resides and is building a new outfit, During his time in Europe he was fully paid to race on a sidecar team tour, We salute you Warren Stanton.
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2013 NOEL CLUTTERBUCK (WA)
Noel is a former solo road race champion that still has a passion for all things associated with his motorcycles and his wonderfull wife and family, Noel is often seen at Cecil Sumption's house reunions with the rest of the clan.
Noel is still building immaculate bikes at his Belmont home such as a mini solo bike for his grandson, Noels son has raced for many years at Wannaroo Raceway and to date has broken thirty two bones from racing accidents.
Ralphy Taylor who spent time with Noel best described the time as great memories, great family, great bloke.
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2013 RITUAL TO SPEED (WA)
Ralphy Taylor son of champion Harry Taylor had the pleasure of attending a gathering of gentlemen all with a common interest.
Colin Night, Noel Cavanagh, Cecile Sumption, Des Phillips, Keith Perry, Charley Lawson (the great Norton king) all Road Race, Scramble or Speedway bike champions.
The group meet on a regular basis at Cecile's home in Greenwood on a Thursday at 1pm and have done so for the last few years, The great man himself Chum Taylor is a part of the group.
Ralphy tells us that the group is open to any old riders that would like to keep the up friendships and trade a few stories.
We salute you gentlemen and your ritual to friendship and speed.
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2013 CECILE SUMPTION & KEITH PERRY (WA)
Cecile best known as a road racing champion during the 1950's and 1960's, his TT racing took in both solo and sidecar events.
Ralphy Taylor caught up with Cecile and his passenger Keith for a photo and chat, the pair still compete in vintage events with one coming up on the East Coast shortly, this event will see a roll reversal as Keith will be riding and cecile will be swinging.
Cecile has recently sold his HRD Vincent to a museum so the boys will be BMW mounted.
We salute you both Cecile and Keith true ledgends in road race history and still living the rush.
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2013 JOHNNY WATKINS (WA)
Johnny Watkins started out as a sidecar passenger with Graeme Harris in 1967 and rode with him for four years, he also swung for Bobby Woods, then Len Bowes at Claremont Speedway and under contract to Bowes at Boulder Speedway.
Johnny opted to ride and not swing during the 1971 - 1972 season, but returned to the chair in the following year.
In 1980 Johnny took up his position as swinger for the great Joe Drummond, this would continue until 1984.
Johnny Watkins swung for many champions and competed at many circuits Australia wide including Rowley Park and Sydney, he campaigned on many outfits including Vincents, Tandem Jawa's, Triumph's of many sizes, also in later days the Suzuki's and Honda's.
In 1984 Johnny hung the leathers and assumed the role of a steward, this would continue until 1988 when he retired from the sport.
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2013 GEORGE HIGGS (WA)
If it was not for George and Wally Higgs there would of never been a Bibra Lake Speedway, George and Wally started the first track at Bibra Lake and when it flooded out, they started the the second and moved a mountain of sand to fill it, so making one of the best little tracks in history, There work in starting the Perth tq Car Club and setting up the bikes, sidecars and every thing that raced at the venue, must put them in in the hall of fame, many loyal members have helped out over the years to keep the place running so thousands could enjoy the great times at all of those tracks,
Many thanks goe out to George and Wally, and thank you to the many Higgs boys and family members that are still racing after all these years, We salute you all.
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2013 DON JOHNSTON (WA)
Don raced from the 1950's right through to the 1990's, on many tracks Australia wide, he raced with all the greats and helped everyone from the great world champion Jimmy Davies, Harry Taylor, Tom McQuade, Graeme Harris and Dennis Nash and many more, He rode Vincents, Triumphs, Tandem BSA's, Tandem JAP's, and many different Japanese bikes, Don started on solo's before moving to sidecars.
The former Sidecar great Don Johnston has retired from professional Roo Shooting and Welding now days owing to a stroke, described as one of speedway and lifes true gentlemen and a sidecar ledgend in his own right by Ralphy Taylor, we salute Don Johnston.
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2013 BILL BROWN (WA)
Described by Ralphy Taylor as a legend in Motorcyle Sidecar engineering, Bill was the spanner man for his farther Harry Taylor and swinger Graeme Harris in the late 1950's and early 1960's, Bill is still rebuilding vintage sidecars at the age of 83, his current project is a twin engine Jawa outfit for a museum.
Bills son Peter is currently racing in the HQ Holden class at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth.
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2012 BUNBURY SPEEDWAY 40 YEARS (WA)
Bunbury Speedway opened 40 years ago this month and the Bunbury car club had a bit of a party to celebrate the event, there were many driver there from the past and the present.
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2012 RAY READ (VIC)
Ray started his speedway life in 1966 in Bunbury (WA) while working for the PMG. He competed at the local Blicks Raceway and commentated as well as starting a weekly radio programme.
By 1967 Ray had been transfered to Shepparton (VIC) via stints in Perth and Melbourne, While in Shepparton Ray once again picked up the microphone at the Goulbourn Valley Auto Club track, and a dozen other speedways.
This was boom time for Ray he had introduced Victorian Speedway to the world of local radio and formed the North Eastern Hot Rod Association.
By 1972 Ray was embedded into the administration of speedway as well as racing a EJ Holden Modified Saloon as well as Promoter of the Rushworth Speedway.
On retirement Ray moved back to Shepparton where he is currently writing a book on Speedway history called Speedways Spectacular Seventies.
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2012 HENRY OOSTERBAAN (WA)
Henry started his racing in a FJ Holden stockie at Wubin Speedway back in the sixtees, the Wubin track was also a circuit Henry helped to build, after Wubin closed Henry moved on with Dalwallinu District Hot Rod Club and helped build the Pithara Speedway.
Today you will catck up with Henry at our road race or around the houses circuit's racing his 1965 Alton Holden open wheeler and still enjoying his racing, as he was at the Albany Classic this year.
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2012 STAN GALE (WA):
Stan Gale is a man that many would remember from being President of the West Australian Saloon Car Federation in the early 70's, Today Stan resides in the Augusta Margaret River area and spends his time travelling through out Australia and working on his toys, pictured below is Stan on his recentially restored 1936 Harley Davidson, behind him stands his 1978 Ford F250, powered by a 353 turbo Detroit engine.
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2012 STUART ROBERTSON (NSW):
I met up with Stuart at a recent race meeting at Mildura Victoria, it was a $10,000 to win Late Model feature and he was crewing for his son David, Stu was a Newcastle Motordrome champion and raced against the best in Australia going on to place 3rd in 2 Australian Super Sedan Titals both at Newcastle, as i talked with Stu he recalled to me many of the names from WA he had raced against, some he mentioned are still running today like Bert Vosbergen, Ben Ludlow and AJ Nylander.