Local NSW north coast businessman Brian King has a collection of cars that represent genuine American auto racing history that have been entered for the upcoming Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway, March 20-22, 2009.

Walt Adler Drove this car at the 1950 Indy 500

There are in fact very few people in Australia that are aware of the great cars Brian owns – a pristine 1948 Kurtis Offy midget, a fully restored Offy Dirt Car that raced in the 1950 Indy 500 and a 1975-model Edmunds VW midget that was driven by Larry Patton.

Brian's “secret” has been a revelation to the Australian vintage movement and these cars will certainly prove a major attraction at the Festival.

Sixty five year-old Brian King from Alstonville near Lismore, has been involved with engineering all his working life and is an avid collector of vintage cars.

The 225ci Offy Dirt Car that Brian owns was part and parcel of the tough Indy racing scene in the great era of the late 'forties-mid 'fifties.

The sleek white #27 machine was owned by Alden Samson and was driven in the rain-shortened 1950 Indianapolis 500 (won by Johnny Parsons) by Walt Adler.

Adler, from New Jersey, qualified the car at 129.940 mph and started out of position 29 in the 33-car Indy field.

The car at one point of the Indy 500 was placed as high as sixth before it was ultimately credited with a twenty-second finishing position when the race was flagged at the 123 lap mark of the 200 lap race.

It was the one and only appearance by Adler in the Indianapolis 500.

Meanwhile, the magnificent yellow #22 Kurtis Offy midget is a show-stopper.

1956 & 1957 URA championship winning car

The midget was built in 1947 by Californian Tom Sparks from a Kurtis Kraft kit and was raced initially with a V8/60 engine. The car's greatest achievement came in later years under Offy power when Don Cameron drove the midget to the 1956 and '57 United Racing Association Championships on the “red” circuit.

The car was owned by Doug Carruthers whose status in American midget racing has been well do*****ented over the years. His son Jimmy Carruthers took out the 1970 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Championship.

The Carruthers family were hit by tragedy in 1971 after Doug's other son, Danny, was killed in a Californian speedcar accident.

The car was rebuilt in 1980 by Chuck Porter and was later purchased by another Californian, Joe McPherson, in 1995.

Brian King bought the car off Joe McPherson earlier this year, and along with the other two purchased cars, freighted the three machines to Australia.

The beautiful #35 Don Edmunds VW midget was raced in west coast and USAC events in the 'seventies by Larry Patton.

The car was one of the first that came off the production line from the Don Edmunds workshop in Anaheim, California.

These cars are a magnificent addition to the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 20-22, 2009.

They will certainly be a major attraction at the Festival.

The Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 20-22 has received a tremendous boost after Californian midget driver from the 'sixties era Don Meacham announced his intention to attend.

David Lander , from DML Holdings, promoters of the event, said today he was delighted to have such a distinguished American speedcar star from the golden era on hand for the Festival.

“That's great news,” David Lander beamed.

“Don is a name well known to long serving Australian speedway fans. He brought to Australia what I have always considered to be one of the best looking Offy midgets ever to come out of America.

“The iridescent blue number three car with the wrap-around windshield was a showpiece,” he said.

Meacham, who raced with the United States Auto Club midgets at the height of their popularity in the 'sixties, will be participate in demonstration runs during the Festival.

Meacham visited Australia in the 1967-68 season as tourning partner to the legendary Bob Tattersall (Stroud Valvoline Offy) and Billy Mehner (Richardson Offy).

Meacham's debut at the Sydney Showground in February, 1967 was on a night that saw one of the most dramatic incidents in the long and illustrious history of the world famous “Royale.”

New Zealander Barry Butterworth almost incited a riot when he was disqualified from the feature race, ultimately won by Tattersall with Meacham in the runner-up spot.

Meanwhile, the Lismore Australian Vintage Speedway Festival promises to be one of the biggest nostalgic events ever attempted.

Two great days of exhibitions, static displays and demonstration runs featuring cars and bikes will be conducted.

David Lander wants as many vintage clubs to support his event which will be heavy promoted in the weeks leading up to the Festival with a strong media advertising campaign.

Lander is keen to have representation from Associations throughout Australia and welcomes participation from as many car and bike vintage clubs as possible.

For More information on the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, phone David Lander on 0408-222908.

The latest nomination for the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway next March is from former Sydney sidecar rider Ray Andrieux.

Ray will present his fully restored 1000cc Vincent machine for demonstration sessions and static display.

The HRD Vincent – the workhorse of Australian sidecar racing throughout the 'forties, 'fifties and 'sixties – has left a legacy of history and tradition.

It's very significant that one of the well known bikes from the great era of sidecar racing at the former Sydney Showground speedway will be present for Lismore Speedway's Australian Vintage Speedway Festival which promises to be the most ambitious nostalgic trip down memory lane ever attempted in this country.

Ray is delighted to have the bike back in his possession after he last raced the sidecar thirty years ago.

“I got most of it back after selling it thirty years ago,” he explained.

“I have spent the past two years finding parts and restoring it back to the way it was when I last raced it at the Sydney Showground in 1978,” he added.

The Andrieux Vincent was built by 1972 Australian Sidecar Champion Geoff Grocott in the 'sixties.

Grocott rode the machine for a time before in later years he changed the face of Australian sidecar racing when he won the National Championship riding a 750cc Kawasaki powered outfit.

The now well do*****ented Japanese invasion, which changed the face of Australian sidecar racing as Vincents ultimately disappeared off the radar, became reality courtesy of Grocott's sensational victory.

However, there will always be a very special nostalgic place in Australian speedway for the tried and proven HRD Vincent.

The Andrieux Vincent was also ridden by former National Champion, the late Garry Innis and Lee Fieldsend.

The HRD Vincent Andrieux that will be seen at Lismore was fitted with McGee fuel-injection and was one of the most competitive bikes of the era.

Ray throttled out many victories on the Vincent in both scratch and handicap competition where he rode off the 80 metre mark.

The Australian Vintage Speedway Festival welcomes former Sydney sidecar rider Ray Andrieux – a member of the Veteran Speedway Riders Association of Australia – to the 2009 Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway.