DRIVER NOMINATION FORM
DRIVER NOMINATION FORM
DRIVER NOMINATION FORM
CLUB HISTORY
17TH NOVEMBER 2018 - SOUTH EAST PETROLEUM SUPERMOD COUNTRY ROUND
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CLUB HISTORY
Overview
In early 1974 the basic groundwork for the Esperance Speedway was started by four keen young men in Kerry (Casper) Castledine, Marcus Gray, Gavan Jones, Eddie Cartlegde and with guidance from local clergyman Father Kevin Glover. (Father had the guidance and know how to go through official channels).
An application was made to the Esperance Shire Council for land, They offered a limestone pit on Norseman Road adjasent to the Esperance Golf Club, However the golf club strongly objected to this. The council then granted land 14km North of Esperance in a gravel pit east of Shark Lake.
At the inaugural Annual General Meeting, John O'Donnell was elected President, Jeff Bain and Gavan Jones (Secretary), Danny Dunn (Treasurer) and John Goodlad (Vice President) along with their committee.
The foundation members started the hard task of building the speedway track, giving up many hours of their free time. From dawn to dusk, seven days a week, they carved out the circuit with machinery they had begged and borrowed from local supporters.
Earthworks went ahead quickly with Brian Bradley, John O'Donnell, Allan Walters, Tony Lorretta, Stan Polmear and the Dickerson boys from D&D Pavers. The bush was cleared with a 4 cylinder Caterpillar dozer.
The earth backed safety fence was constructed with 2000 railway sleepers, wired together horizontally and perpendicular trenched in with the use of a digger. Second hand sleepers were obtained from the nearby railway line that was being upgraded at the time. Sometimes the sleepers had to be carted at night when trucks were available. The boundary perimeter fence was erected with chain mesh, trees were planted around the boundary and the club was granted permission to use the water from Shark Lake to water the track until a dam could be sunk on site.
After only four months of hard work by the dedicated volunteers, the Esperance Speedway Association Inc. ran their first race meeting at the unique 365 metre track on a Sunday afternoon, the 28th of December 1974 with 2,000 spectators in attendance. Officials used the back of a truck with a tarp over a frame to shelter from the hot sun while officiating the racing.
The men building the track had to still find time to their own race cars for the first meeting.
The Divisions racing were A and B class Productions, Supermodifieds, Formula 500's, A and B grade Solo's, Stock Bikes and Tq's. Go Kart enthusiasts also graded a track on the infield for use before the Go Kart Club was constructed years later next door to the Esperance Speedway.
Visiting drivers from Norseman, Kalgoorlie, and Balladonia made up the fields for this opening meeting and from then on the Esperance Speedway would form a cornerstone for the town of Esperance, quality dirt racing entertainment for the locals nearly 45 years later.
Just like then, today the Esperance Speedway is built and run on the back of hard work from it’s dedicated members, volunteers and sponsors.
Life Members
Murray Parsons
2021-22
Jim Williams
2018-19
Trevor Bale
2009-10
Liz Plecas
2003-04
David Reed
1997-98
Eddie Kendall
1987-88
Doug Bishop
1982-83
Neville Mansted
2020-21
Mark Clancy
2016-17
Christine Stapely
2008-09
Roy Parkins
2002-03 (dec)
Kerry Castledine
1996-97
Jock Murray
1987-88 (dec)
Rollond Brown
2020-21
Leanne Aldrick
2015-16
Colin Symonds
2006-07 (dec)
Lorraine Bale
2002-03
Les Lang
1994-95
John Goodlad
1985-86
Judith Clancy
2020-21
Mark Humphrys
2014-15
Don Macalpine
2004-05
Kevin Casey
1998-99
Des Plecas
1992-93
Jim Kelman
1984-85 (dec)