The inaugural Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, held this past weekend at Lismore Speedway, brought together bikes, cars and stars from the past in two sensational days of nostalgia.

While inclement weather resulted in a late change to the programme format for the Saturday night “How it Was” re-enactment of a typical race programme of the ‘sixties’ golden era, the overall show during the evening was highly successful. Two three and four wheel machines went through their paces in demonstrations runs, much to the appreciation and adulation of patrons.

Many of the Dusty Heroes from our glorious past were in attendance including six times World Solo Champion Ivan Mauger, Sidecar National Champion Graham Young, 1970 National midget titleholder Bob Morgan, test riders Ricky Day and Greg Kentwell, as well as sidecar exponents Ray Andrieux and Greg Griffiths.

One of the major attractions was the Indy Offy Champ Car that competed in the 1950 Indianapolis 500 owned by local resident Brian King.

The fabulous ex-Barry Valentinna  Offy midget, owned by Perth’s Rex McKay attracted plenty of attention, while the Offy line-up was complimented by Graham Gallagher’s ex-Bob Tattersall #36 midget and the sleek 1948-model Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser also owned by Brian King.

The fabulous HRD Vincent sidecars were displayed and also took to the track for their exclusive demonstration run. Solo motorcycles – including two-valve Jawa, Weslake and JAP powered bikes were displayed.

Overall, the weekend represented the ultimate trip down memory lane. It all started with welcoming  get-together attended by over 200 people on the Friday night.

Check this website for further details and latest news on next year’s proposed Australian Vintage Speedway Festival.

By Dennis Newlyn

A highlight of the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival is the display of fabulous Offenhauser speedcars that graced the national scene of past decades.

The line-up of cars is only a percentage of the overall numbers that were seen regularly in Australian competition during the 'sixties.

That has led to the obvious question regarding the overall tally when these fabulous American engined cars were at their peak in car counts here in Australia.

We remember the days back in the 1961-62 season at the Sydney Showground when the never before promoted “all Offenhauser match race” was a star attraction on the programme.

American imports Bob Tattersall and Leroy Warriner took on Australian legend Ray Revell and Victoria's Jack O'Dea.

The burly O'Dea was aboard the ex-Tony Saylor Offy left here from the previous season after Tattersall rampaged across the country in the car winning almost everything, including the 1960 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix and World Speedcar Championship at the Sydney Showground.

The car looked very similar to when Tattersall stepped out of the yellow #55 machine and sold it to O'Dea. Only major difference was the number O'Dea ran - #65- instead of Tattersall's #55 of 1960.

So Australia fielded two Offys on that historic night watched by a crowd of over 20,000 fans!

As the 'sixties rolled on a lot more Offies stayed in the country under local ownership.

The numbers started to climb and to really get a better evaluation of just how many Offies were housed in Australia at any one given time, we firstly need to look to the Offy capital of Australia, Brisbane.

Around that 1967-'70 era their numbers were the biggest for weekly shows in Australia.

There came a time when a night at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground was almost on a par with a feature race on the sensational United States Auto Club (USAC) when Offies filled the feature race field.

Around the 1968 era Brisbane had plenty of Offies. A quick stock-take from 1968 revealed Offies were driven by Blair Shepherd, Bob Morgan, Ron Wanless, Barrie Watt, Gary Sacre, Gus McClure, Bill Goode and Barry Valentinna.

Shepherd and his WRM Performance Cars  Offy team were the benchmark. After originally buying the Cascio Offy (driven by Tattersall during the 1961-62 season) from Empire Speedways, Shepherd later visited America and purchased a sleek Offy (now restored and owned by Sydney's George Liebrand). The car first appeared here painted red and numbered three, but is best remembered as the black #99 that Shepherd drove to victory in the 1969 Craven Filter National Speedcar Drivers' Championship.

Wanless ran an ex-Warriner Offy, Watt had the ex-McGreevy - Joe James Offy, Sacre raced the former Saylors – Bert Marwood Offy, McClure was behind the wheel of the ex-Tattersall-Shepherd Cascio Offy, Goode campaigned the Offy brought here in 1964 by the legendary three times USAC Natonal Midget Champion Jimmy Davies, while Valentinna had the Johnny Pawl El Toro II Offenhauser.

To get an even better guide to the Offy numbers, Saturday, May 24, 1969 provides some interesting statistics.

That was the night of the 19th running of the Golden Fleece sponsored “Little Indy” speedcar 100.

The entry list was high on Offy representation – 11 IN TOTAL..

Goode, Morgan, Wanless, Shepherd, Watt and Sacre were joined by southern stars who pushed the total to the final number.

Lew Marshall was there driving the Eric Morton ex-Billy Humphries #72 Offy. He was accompanied by Ray Oram in the McGee Tornado which by this time ran an Offy instead of the Ford Falcon. Ron Mackay raced his father's Capital Motors Offy and his team-mate at the time, ten times Australian Sprintcar Champion Garry Rush, was aboard the ex Valentinna El Toro II Offy. Brian Cunneen fronted for the 100 lapper driving the ex-Tattersall-Valentina-Johnny Stewart -Hollywood Spring and Axle car from Tattersall's 1965 national campaign.

From that number we can add a few more in the nation to push the numbers even higher!

In Adelaide there were two Offenhausers. Former Rowley Park promoter Kym Bonython had the sleek ex-Warriner-Hank Green Offy roadster, while in that 1968-69 era Roy Sands possessed one of the nicest Offies I had ever seen, the “black deuce” #6. Over in Perth a couple of Offies ran – one being an ex-Warriner-Don Mackay Offy raced firstly by Perth's Garry Ellement and later Geoff Stanton.

Yet to be mentioned dealing with this specific time of the 1968-69 era is the Johnny Stewart former Tattersall car brought here for the 1967 international season by Bob Tattersall. Sadly, this is the midget Des Kelly lost his life in a race crash at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground in April, 1967.

Then, of course, there was a Merle Bettenhausen Offy from the 1969 season and the Harry Conklin Offenhauser that Tattersall raced in Australia during thast same 1969-70 season that stayed in Australia.

While it may be open to conjecture, a quick tally of the Offy numbers from the specific 1968-69 era comes up with a total of 18 OFFENHAUSERS!

I'll stand corrected, but crunch the numbers and see what you come up with. I reckon it's close to that same amount!

The figures stack up – just take for example March 23, 1968 at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground and the night of the quarter-mile World Speedcar Championship.

On that occasion the line-up included Bob Tattersall in the Kischell Offy which stayed here under Blair Shepherd ownership, Barry Butterworth (Mackay Offy), Ray Oram (ex-Meacham-Don Mackay Offy), Bill Goode (Mulcahy Offy), Blair Shepherd (WRM Offy), Barry Valentina (El Toro II Offy), Ron Wanless (Brennan Offy), Barrie Watt (James Offy), Gus McClure (ex-Cascio Offy).

Johnny Stewart was not in attendance who at that time had Lew Marshall as a team-mate driving the ex Tattersall Hollywood Spring and Axle 1965 era Offy.

Also include those other cars from interstate and it's a figure that again nudges upward of the final 18 mark.

Car is the McGee Ford Falcon powered Tornado originally from Sydney that has been superbly restored back to its 1967 era by Sydneysider Wayne Sansom.

The beautiful yellow #13 midget restoration has turned back the years to the night in February, 1967 when one of the biggest names of the 'fifties-'sixties era Len Brock drove the car to a sensational victory in the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix at the Sydney Showground.

The Tornado has a colourful past – much like Brock – and ended its years as a competitive racecar in Darwin.

That was where Sansom found the car and so began an association with the midget that during its era was also driven by Sydney's Ray Oram, Brian Mannion and  legendary American Bob Tattersall.

There was a time when the car was powered by an American Offenhauser engine, but the McGee Tornado is best remembered from the days of 1965-1967 when it had a Ford Falcon motor under the bonnet.

Sansom stumbled onto the car in Darwin almost by accident when he placed an advertisement in a racing magazine for the sale of a “dog-box.”

He received a call from an interested party in Darwin. After the sale and following more than six months of communication, it was then Samson realised the midget in possession of the Darwin race team was the famous former McGee Tornado out of Sydney.

Samson then completed negotiations to buy the car and transported it to Sydney for restoration to its former glory.

That was seven years ago and Samson only recently completed the job. The car had changed considerably over the years but Samson had enough proof from previous owners that this indeed was the original McGee Tornado that blazed a trail of glory around the Sydney Showground in the halcyon days of the 'sixties.

“The car came with the original steering box, the front spring was there and it also had the original rear coils,” Sansom explained.

“But when I got the car back, ninety-percent of the body panels, front and tail, fuel tank were in a different style from the original car.”

So the chase began as Wayne secured an array of items that were the same design used in 1967, including brakes, front stub, diff, “dog box,” and, of course, a fuel-injected Ford Falcon motor. It sometimes became a frustrating and painstaking assignment because he also needed to use exactly the same tyres and wheel rims the car ran back in the 'sixties.

“The car came back intact but I had to replace the running gear, while the car also had a different nose to the original one fitted. The car also had a Datsun motor fitted,” Wayne said.

In its racing days the Tornado was owned by Sydney engineer and camshaft/fuel injection proprietor Hedley McGee, while Hedley's son Phil was chief mechanic. Phil was the driving force behind Brock's great win in the 1967 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix.

Brock also ran the car when it was powered by an Offy, likewise in 1969 when another Sydney star of the day Ray Oram raced the car. This also was at the time the McGee team picked up sponsorship from the Quiet-A-Drive automatic transmission company. Oram spectacularly crashed the car on the pit corner at the Sydney Showground in 1969 and soon after the McGee Tornado was sold to high profile super-talented promoter of Adelaide's Rowley Park Speedway, Kym Bonython.

With an Offy motor fitted, the Tornado became the “house car” at Rowley Park and was driven by interstate and overseas visitors for the next few seasons.

When the Tornado was sold to Bonython a new era of highs and lows began in its history.

Phil's younger brother Chris takes up the story:

“Several Yanks were flown in each year to drive it. I understand that one of the Yanks put the car into orbit and the damage was probably not repairable. Kym’s crew chief, Mac Diamond flew out a back half from Don Edmunds (Californian racecar builder) and replaced the kicked up section and added torsion bars.”

Chris still holds fond memories of the sleek yellow #13 and was immediately impressed after viewing emailed photos of the car's completed restoration.

“The car looks great. It sure brings back a lot of memories. It's good that Alan Bonser is still around to re-create the lettering. I was only about 13 when the car was built. Phil built most of it with help from Ken Mason, Doug Hodson and Peter Nunn.

T he McGee Ford Falcon Tornado fully restored in 2009/

Howard Marks from Brisbane later owned and raced the car before it was then sold to Alice Springs interests and was later based in Darwin.

According to Wayne Samson the car was housed in Darwin at the time of Cyclone Tracey in the mid 'seventies and withstood the full brunt of the Cyclone when it swept through the city on Christmas Eve 1974.

The McGees debuted the original Ford Falcon Tornado in the summer of the 1965-66 and installed ten times Australian Champion Garry Rush as its driver. The car was state-of-the-art for its era and even had a specially contoured-designed seat built especially to suit Rush.

His stint behind the wheel was relatively brief and probably remembered for the photo of Rush driving the Tornado off the safety fence on the Sydney Showground pit corner in a spectacular “wall of death” incident.

It was not until the 1966-67 era that the Tornado really hit the headlines with veteran driver Len Brock at the wheel. In what many have rated as Brock's best ever drive, he raced to a sensational victory in the 1967 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix in Sydney after he held off the determined challenges of local Brian Mannion and American ace Bob Tattersall.

In the latter stages of the event a frustrated Tattersall nudged Mannion out of the way on the back straight as the latter spun to the infield. Tattersall made a desperate lung at Brock over the final two laps, but Brock held on and drove the Tornado into history.

Tattersall was later disqualified from the placings, Mannion was on the infield and denied what looked a certain runner-up finish and Brock was the hero of everyone in a great home town victory.

The Tornado also was one of the first cars in Australia to fit a cockpit roll cage. This was in 1969 shortly after the safety device was made mandatory in American speedcar racing.

Some of the greatest champions the sport has ever produced will be in attendance at the inaugural Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 21-22.

The two day Festival will feature cars and bikes from past decades, while demonstration runs and a “How it Was” fixture will be the Saturday evening highlight when many of the great names from previous eras will be introduced to the fans.

The restored Don Mackay Offy that was driven successfullly by the late, great Jeff Freeman. Photo: Brian Darby.

Arguably the finest international speedway rider of all time, New Zealand's Ivan Mauger MBE, OBE, will be on hand to participate in the activities.

Mauger is a six times World Speedway Champion, three time World Long Track Champion and member of victorious World Team Cup and World Pairs sides.

He became the first rider in the long and illustrious of the World Speedway Motorcycle Championship to win three consecutive world titles. His first victory was recorded in 1968 at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden, then followed with championship wins at London's Wembley Stadium (1969) and in 1970 at Katowice, Poland. Incredibly, Mauger dropped only one point to his opposition from those three great victories.

Meanwhile, five times Australian super modified/sprintcar titleholder Dick Briton will attend. Briton came through the transition era from super modifieds to sprintcars and is the only driver who won national titles in both categories.

When he recorded his fifth career victory in 1975 at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground he became the first driver to win the national title in a sprintcar.

The presence of former Australian Sidecar Champion Bob Levy represents genuine history for the sidecar category displayed at the Festival.

Levy created his own piece of Australian speedway sidecar racing history in 1966 when he won the National Championship at the Sydney Showground.

Owner and former sprintcar/speedcar star Rod Bowen pictured with his restored Offy that was part of the Don mackay stable during the 'sixties. The car was driven by Jeff Freeman who lost his life in a race crash at Sydney's Westmead Speedway on May 9, 1965. Photo: Brian Darby.

Levy on that occasion rode the HRD Vincent machine he throttled to victory, while four years earlier in 1962 he was passenger, with rider Bill Bingham, in their successful Australian Championship assault at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground. After his win as rider in 1966, he was the first sidecar competitor to win a national title as both passenger and then rider.

Another great Australian Sidecar Champion Graham Young will make an appearance at the Festival.

Young was a sensation of the sidecar ranks back in the 'sixties and in 1969 won the Australian Championship at the Sydney Showground.

He also took out the NSW Championship. While most sidecar riders of the era rode HRD Vincent powered machines, In addition to riding Vincents, Young later campaigned a JAP 880-engined sidecar while he also is remembered for the years he experimented with a Hillman motor adapted to speedway sidecar racing.

Young also tried his hand at speedcar racing during his great career.

The Festival also will feature trade and memorabilia vendors and static displays will be highlighted with the appearance of some of the most famous cars and bikes in Australian speedway history.

NOMINATIONS ARE STILL BEING TAKEN for the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival. Entries can be lodged by 'phoning the Lismore Speedway office during business hours 6621-2733; email: office@lismorespeedway.com.au or 0408-222908.

Lismore Speedway will turn back the hands of time next weekend when it conducts the inaugural Australian Vintage Speedway Festival.

The two day/night fixture represents a salute to Australian speedway's magnificent history since the inception of the sport in this country back in the 'twenties.

Cars and bikes from past decades will be featured in static displays during both days. Saturday night, March 21, will be the highlight of the Festival when Lismore Speedway will conduct a fixture run on the same format in a replay of the golden 'forties-'fifties-'sixties eras when bikes started the show and were featured in the first half of the programme before the car sections took over the second half of the meeting.

All of the categories on hand – including solo motorcycles, sidecars, speedcars, hot rods, super modifieds, sprintcars and sedans – will participate in demonstration runs on the track.

Promoter David Lander, who as a former super modified driver competed during the 'sixties at venues such as the Sydney Showground, Westmead and Windsor Speedways, always wanted to host a spectacular that paid tribute to the sport's illustrious past.

“This fixture is a celebration of the sport of speedway,” Lander acknowledged.

“We will have big numbers of vintage cars and bikes on hand for static displays, there will be memorabilia and souvenir stands trading on both days.

“The Saturday night show will really be a re-enactment of what used to take place at Showground venues across the country every Saturday night. The machines will only be demonstrating on the track at a controlled speed, but it will give fans the chance to see these great cars and bikes, some of the most famous in Australian Speedway history, in action,” Lander added.

There also will be a “Tribute to Speedway's Dusty Heroes” honouring former great champions of the past in attendance.

Legendary New Zealand speedway rider and winner of six World Championships, Ivan Mauger MBE, OBE, will be on hand. Mauger is hailed by many experts as the greatest speedway competitor of all time who during his time was an international superstar of the sport.

Former Australian Champions from the Sidecar, Speedcar, Super Modified and sprintcar categories also will be honoured on the Saturday night.

Many of the highly acclaimed American Offenhauser Speedcars that were brought to Australia during the 'fifties and sixties by big name American drivers that have since been fully restored to their former glory under Australian ownership also will participate in demonstration and static displays.

One of the most famous Offenhauser speedcars driven at venues throughout Australia in 1966 by American speedcar legend, the late, great Bob Tattersall, will be seen in action. The car is now owned by long-time speedway devotee Graham Gallagher.

Lismore Speedway next weekend remembers the “way we were” and takes a trip down memory lane in two days of nostalgia that will be heaven on earth for long time followers of the sport.

One of the most famous American Offenhauser speedcars in Australian speedway history – the ex-Barry Valentinna #23 El Toro II midget – will be one of the star attractions at Lismore's Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, March 20-22.

The car is owned by former Victorian speedcar star Rex McKay who will make the long haul from Perth to be a part of what promises to be one of the biggest and most celebrated vintage and nostalgic speedway gatherings ever held in Australia.

Restored Valentinna Offy in demonstration run.

The sleek yellow and black Valentinna Offy is a “picture perfect” restoration – exact to the most precise detail – to the days of the 'sixties when Valentinna raced the car successfully at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground and the Sydney Showground.

Valentinna was one of the first interstaters who made the break through and won a feature race at the hallowed Sydney Showground.

 A proud Rex McKay pictured with the magnificent former Barry Valentinna Offenhauser.

The part the car played in Australian speedway history is very significant. The Valentinna car was driven the very last time American speedcar legend Bob Tattersall raced in Australia – at Sydney's former Liverpool Speedway in April 1971 – and also represents the final occasion Tattersall competed in a midget before he succumbed to cancer on October 27, 1971.

The El Toro II Offy was built by the Kurtis Kraft company in 1950.

In 1966 Indiana's Johnny Pawl rebuilt the car for Barry Valentinna who purchased the midget (the second of two Offies raced by Valentinna in his career).

 Barry Valentinna seated behind the wheel of the beautiful EL Toro II Offy at Sydney Showground in 1968. 

Barry debuted the car during the 1966-67 season at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground. Over the next two years Barry raced the car successfully before he moved to New South Wales and based his racing operation out of the Sydney Showground during the 1968-69 season. A racing trip to New Zealand followed before Valentinna sold the car to Sydney Offy owner Don Mackay in 1969.

A new era in the car's history dawned. The car, painted dark blue and yellow and numbered 14, was driven by Garry Rush.

Rush turned in a big drive in the annual 100-lap race at the Sydney Showground in the 1970-71 season and was placed third, though denied the placing by officials who believed he was a lap down. (These were the days long before transponders and laps were recorded by infield scorers!!).

Former Australian Speedcar Champion Ron Mackay and American Hank Butcher also drove the car.  In 1971 the car was repainted red, numbered 3 and was raced at Liverpool Speedway by Tattersall.

Ray Oram then took the car to Western Australia where it raced as the Greatway Motors Offy.

It was then sold to Peter Brady and campaigned in Perth as the Swan Crest Offy, driven by Bob Goddard and Des Nash.

In 1973 Brady then sold the car to current owner and restorer Rex McKay in Victoria.

It was repainted orange/green and carried Vic #10 on the tail.

In the 1974 Australian Speedcar Championship at Ballarat's Redline Raceway the car was driven by WA's John Fenton into third placing. After damaging the Offy engine it was fitted with a 2 Litre Cortina engine. The car raced until 1979 when it was retired.

With the formation of the West Australian Classic Speedway Association in 1994, Hilton McGee, who owned the Leroy Warriner, Hank Green Offy ( now under Rod Bowen ownership), talked Rex into restoring the Kurtis Kraft midget. The job was completed in 1995 and the car was displayed with the Cortina fitted until 1997 when Mckay, who in later years resided in Perth, purchased an Offy engine while in USA.

With the Offy in the chassis rails, the car has been displayed and demonstrated at many Vintage shows. It was last seen on the East Coast at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground in 2006.

Meanwhile, Rex McKay wishes to thank Kevin Small and the staff at GKR Transport for their assistance in transporting the Valentinna Offy and equipment to and from Lismore for the Vintage Speedway Festival.

The man many astute experts claim the greatest speedway rider the sport has ever produced – New Zealand's Ivan Mauger – will be present at the Lismore Speedway Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, March 20-22.

The legendary six times World Individual Speedway Champion this week confirmed his intention to attend the event after speaking with promoter, David Lander.

It is a major coup for the Festival to have Mauger on hand as his presence adds even more prestige to this event.

“It's great to have Ivan at the Festival,” Lander said.

“His stature in world speedway bike racing through such an impressive list of world title achievements clearly makes him an icon of speedway and I am delighted he will be in attendance.”

Sixty-nine year-old Ivan Mauger from Christchurch throttled out a career with records that will stand the test of time.

Taking special place are the six World Speedway Championships achieved in an era of “one-off'” World Finals long before the introduction of the modern era's Grand Prix series.

Ivan is the only man in the history of the World Speedway Championship who recorded a hat-trick of title success – even more impressive in three different nations!

His first victory came in 1968 at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden, he then retained the 1969 championship at London's hallowed Wembley Stadium before he and the world title broke new ground when he won in 1970 after the title was held in Poland for the first time.

Even more incredible, Ivan dropped only one point in his three consecutive victories with 44 points out of a possible 45!

After Ivan won in 1970, two Americans George Wenn and Ray Bokelman honoured their earlier pledge and had Ivan's title winning bike gold-plated. The bike became a popular museum piece over the years – particularly in Ivan's home city at the Christchurch Museum.

He added to his World Individual Speedway Championship tally with victories in 1972 (at Wembley), at a wet and muddy Ullevi Stadium at Gothenburg in 1977, before he raced to a record breaking sixth world crown in Poland in 1979.

(Sweden's Tony Rickardsson equalled Ivan's six titles when he took out the 2005 World Grand Prix Championship.)

In what ranks the most consistent performance in World Final history, Ivan was never out of the top three title placings from 1967 to 1974.

That achievement is one of many that will obviously stand the test of time.

He also was the first person to win the World Speedway, World Longtrack, World Pairs, and World Team Cup, Championships (achieved 1971 with the World Longtrack win); he was the first rider to ever win the World Individual Speedway Championship and World Long Track Championship in the same year. (Ivan has three World Long Track Championships in addition to his speedway world crowns).

Combining both speedway and long track events, Ivan rode in a combined total of 52 qualifiers/World Finals, while he has a multitude of international victories including four European Championships, four British Championships, two Australasian Championships and was Inter-Continental titleholder in 1975.

Ivan first broke through in England when he took out the Provincial League Riders' Championship in 1963 and 1964. He also won the Northern Riders' Championship in 1964 and followed up with victories in 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972 and 1980.

He had an outstanding career in the British League and was British League Riders' Champion in 1971 and 1973.

He rode for five clubs during his years in England – Wimbledon Dons, Newcastle Diamonds, Belle Vue Aces, Exeter Falcons and Hull Vikings. For many years Ivan recored an astonishing 11-plus match average. League Championships and KO Cup successes are part of his career achievements in the years he spent in British League racing.

It was a far cry from his initial attempts to break into British speedway when he joined the Wimbledon National League club in 1957.

By his own admission he struggled. He could not come to grips with the demands of league racing in England and returned to New Zealand in 1958.

Somewhat dejected, Ivan marked time for a few years. The turning point was a letter he sent to Adelaide's charismatic promoter Kym Bonython asking for a chance to ride at the famous Rowley Park venue. Kym gave him an opportunity and Ivan's career was kick-started. He settled down at Rowley and those early years he spent in Australia set him on the road to stardom.

He was Australian Longtrack Champion in 1962 and Victorian Speedway titleholder in 1962 and '63. The time was right to again try England and in 1963 he was signed by Mike Parker to ride for the Newcastle Diamonds club.

After three years with the Diamonds, his career was now ready to step onto the international stage and in 1966 he rode in his first World Final. He finished an impressive fourth (at Gothenburg) with 11 points from a possible 15 in the year fellow countryman Barry Briggs raced to his fourth world title success.

Ivan's record at World Championship level spanned from 1966 to that memorable win in 1979.

Ivan was awarded the MBE in 1976 and the OBE in 1989. He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

He also was a two times New Zealand Champion.

For many years Ivan and his wife Raye have resided on the Queensland Gold Coast.

Christchurch gave the world of speedway bike racing three great champions who between them hold 12 World Individual Speedway Championships – Barry Briggs (1957, 58, '64 and 1966), Ronnie Moore (1954 and 1959) and Ivan Mauger (1968, '69, 70, 72, '77 and '79).

Lismore Speedway is indeed proud to welcome the great Ivan Mauger MBE, OBE, to the inaugural Australian Vintage Speedway Festival.

A representative from the ELF company will be on hand selling methanol at Lismore Speedway's upcoming Australian Vintage Speedway Festival March 20-22.

Anyone wishing to make a purchase to participate in demonstration runs during the Saturday and Sunday fixtures can do so at the ground.

Great news for the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival following the entry of WA's Rex McKay and his beautifully restored Offenhauser midget.

Car is the ex-Barry Valentina Offy out of Queensland which holds claim as one of the best-looking speedcar restorations on the current national scene.

Rex will make the long haul from Perth to be a part of the Festival which will be held at Lismore Speedway March 20-22, 2009.

The Valentina Offy, known as Eltoro II, was purchased by Barry from the Crown Point, Indiana workshop of Johnny Pawl in 1967. The car arrived in Australia in absolute mint condition and Barry enjoyed great success in the beautifully-engineered Offy. He recored victories at not only his home track – the world famous Brisbane Exhibition Ground – but was also one of the first Queensland drivers to break through for major success on the hallowed Sydney Showground during the 1968-69 season.

The Eltoro II Offenhauser was seen in Sydney throughout the 1968 summer racing season when Barry concentrated his racing operation at the Showground venue.

The car also raced in New Zealand before it was later sold to prolific Sydney speedcar Offenhauser owner Don Mackay.

Keep watching this website for a more detailed story on Rex McKay and his immaculate Eltoro II Valentina Offenhauser as well as some great photos of this magnificent machine.

The Offy midget that American legend Bob Tattersall drove to victory in the 1969 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Speedcar Championship will be displayed at Lismore Speedway's Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, March 20-22, 2009.

The car, which was judged the 2002 Vintage Classic Restoration of the Year by the NSW Vintage Speedcar Association, is owned by club member Graham Gallagher.

Known as the “Honker II” Offy, the #3 car was owned by Jack Stroud of St Louis, Missouri and was built in 1967 at the Don Edmunds Auto Research factory in California.

Great overhead shot of the Honker II in action with Graham Gallagher driving at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground.

It assumed the “BIG HONKER” race number (35) for the 1967 and 1968 seasons.

It was painted blue for the 1967 season then the championship colours of yellow and red for 1968.

Bob Tattersall drove this midget in USAC competition in 1967 and 1968 for Jack Stroud, finishing fourth in 1967 and third in 1968.

There was also a 1969 version of the “HONKER 11” which was also built at the Don Edmunds Auto Research workshops in California. It was similar to the 1967 model, with the exception that it incorporated parallel as well as cross rear torsion bars. It was also fitted with the latest 120 cubic inch Offenhauser engine, No 445.

The 1967 and 1969 versions of the “HONKER 11” had a very similar external appearance while for the 1969 season, were both painted yellow and red with racing number 3 allocated to Jack Stroud from the results of the 1968 season.

The Honker II pictured last July at Sydney's Bankstown Paceway during a demonstration run.

In 1969 Stroud won the car owners USAC championship and Bob Tattersall the USAC drivers championship with the 1969 version of the “HONKER 11” though the original 1967 Honker II played its part in the USAC Championship success in 1969.

Bob Tattersall used the backup midget (1967 version) for four meetings in 1969, at Jackson, Lansing, Davenport and Madison.

The midget was constructed to the specific requirements of Stroud and Tattersall. The modifications to the normal Edmunds built speedcar obviously had an affect as Tattersall enjoyed his best-ever season in American speedcar racing!

After consideration to the makeup of the 1969 USAC championship rounds with the number of ¼- mile dirt, ½- mile dirt, ¼- mile pavement, ½- mile pavement tracks on the schedule, Stroud decided to build a midget with the shortest permitted wheel base, space frame chassis, cross leaf front spring and cross ½ rear torsion bars.

The “Honker II” followed in the wake of the first “Big Honker” which also will be displayed at the Lismore Festival. Jack Stroud sold the “Big Honker” to newspaper publisher Hank Hansen in 1967 before many years later Gallagher secured the car and brought it back to Australia for a complete restoration to when it was here in 1966.

The 1969 design of the original 1967 Honker II (the car owned by Gallagher) was actually the third of the Offy midgets owned by Jack Stroud in this mid-to-late 'sixties era.

The other midget was formerly the Marquette Offy and under Stroud's ownership was raced as #25 until 1967.

This #25 midget was brought to Australia in 1967 and carried #2 on the tail. The car, known here as the Valvoline Offy, was sold by Bob TattersaIl. It is restored and currently owned by Rod McMahon in Brisbane.

THE HONKER 11:

USA 3:

SPECIFICATIONS:

Chassis: Edmunds – chrome molly space frame – incorporating Jack Stroud’s special requirements.

Chassis No: XLM048.

Engine: 110 Cubic inch Offenhauser: Serial No. 390.

Suspension: Front - Solid chrome molly axle with cross leaf spring.

Rear - Solid chrome molly axle with cross ½ torsion bars & external *****pit lever adjustable weight- jacker.

Brakes: 4 wheel magnesium Airheart hydraulic disc brakes with brake balance valve.

Fuel system: Methanol – Hilbourn direct mechanical injection.

Drive: Offenhauser dog – box, enclosed chrome molly drive shaft.

Differential: Halibrand aluminium midget quick change.

Steering Box: Schroeder cast aluminium.

Wheels: Halibrand magnesium alloy. Front 12 x 4.5, Rear 13 x 8.

Body: Edmunds – fibre glass nose, hood & tail.

Aluminium side & belly panels.

Colour: Yellow & red.

Racing No  35 – 1967/68, No. 3 – 1969.

The car American speedcar legend the late Bob Tattersall drove to victory in the 1966 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix and World's Championship at the Sydney Showground will be one of the prominent exhibits at the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 20-22, 2009.

The #35 Jack Stroud “Big Honker” Offy, which is owned by NSW Speedcar Association member Graham Gallagher, is one of the most famous midgets Tattersall ever brought to Australia.

Graham Gallagher runs the famous #35 Jack Stroud-Bob Tattersall Offy.

Proud owner Gallagher has had a close affinity with the Illinois-based Stroud family for almost two decades and he will also bring to Lismore another famous Stroud Offy nicknamed “The Honker II” that Tattersall raced successfully in America.

This is the car in which Tattersall used to win the coveted United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Championship in 1969.

Both cars are absolute showpieces and will certainly be very popular attractions at the Festival.

Tattersall made a clean sweep of the major events at the world famous Sydney Showground in 1966 driving the #35 “Big Honker.”

He started the campaign in January 1966 with a feature race victory and then followed up with the AGP and World's Speedcar Championship successes.

Tattersall also won major events in the #35 car at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground including the Golden Helmet title and the Australian ¼-mile Speedcar Championship.

The hallowed, lost and still much lamented Sydney Showground is the perfect backdrop for this great photo taken shortly after completed restoration of the #35 Big Honker. Tattersall raced this car to some great victories at the Sydney Showground in 1966.

Major wins also followed at Adelaide's Rowley Park Speedway and Claremont Speedway, Perth.

The #35 car was almost unbeatable in Australia with Tattersall at the wheel and the 1966 Down Under campaign represented one of the most successful visits by Tattersall in his 13 year association with Australia.

The “Big Honker Offy" was built in 1949 in the USA by Al Hendrix, chief Kurtis Kraft factory midget builder. It's interesting to note the car was constructed to Jack Stroud’s specific requirements from a basic Kurtis Kraft Kit.

The midget was raced extensively in the US Midwest for over 30 years.

In addition to Tattersall, some other famous US drivers who drove the "Big Honker" were Danny Frye, Bob Wente, Jimmy Davies, Aussie Billy Humphreys, Carl Williams, Bud Tinglestead, Eddie Johnson, Jud Larson, Mel Kenyon,Gary Byers, Shannon Finley, Danny Frye Jnr.,Chuck Weyant, Tommy Copp, Arnie Knepper, Dick Gaines and many more.

“The “Big Honker” was one of three midgets brought to Australia by Bob Tattersall that went back to the USA,” Graham explained.

“The midget was air freighted back to Jack Stroud at the conclusion of Tattersall’s 1966 Australian tour in late March 1966 and was raced in Bob’s USAC campaign with Jack Stroud until season end, December 1966. Tattersall finished fourth in the 1966 USAC midget championship,” he added.

The heritage of the car is as interesting and as colourful as some of the drivers who raced the #35 machine.

“The “Big Honker” was sold to a local automotive newspaper publisher named Hank Hansen.

Hank ran the midget for several years in the Midwest with Gary Byers and Billy Humphreys doing most of the driving,” Graham said.

“Hank sold the midget to long time car owner Joe Finley, who also ran the car for several years, winning several local championships. His drivers were Danny Frye Junior and Shannon Finley.

"Joe sold the car to Illinois interests who changed the power plant to a Sesco. It was then later sold to Garry Corley in St.Louis, Missouri who then sold it to me. Six owners in over 50 years is not bad for a race car,” he proudly stated.

(Keep watching Lismore Speedway's Australian Speedway Vintage Festival in the next few days for an in-depth story of Graham Gallagher's magnificent second Stroud car the “Honker II.”)

Graham Gallagher gives the Honker II a run.

BIG HONKER OFFY USA #35 TECH TORQUE:

Chassis: Kurtis Kraft: chrome molly single main tube .

Chassis No. 350

Engine: 110 Cubic inch. Offenhauser. (Serial No. 138.)

Suspension: Front. Solid chrome molly axle with cross-spring.

Rear. Solid chrome molly axle with parallel torsion bars.

Brakes: *****pit selectable 2/4 wheel Halibrand magnesium caliper hydraulic

disc brakes with foot and external hand operation.

Fuel System: Methanol – Hilbourn direct mechanical injection.

Drive: Offenhauser dog-box, enclosed chrome molly drive shaft.

Differential: Halibrand aluminium midget quick change rear end.

Steering: Nordon cast aluminium.

Wheels: Halibrand small slot- six pit – knock on type magnesium alloy. Front

12x4.5, Rear 12x6.

Body: Kurtis Kraft aluminium tail,side and belly panels.

Fibreglass nose and Hood.

Colour: White / Gold / Red.

Racing No. 35.

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 Lismore Speedway, 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.