HISTORY AND TRADITION AT EASTERN CREEK SPEEDWAY APRIL 23-24

News release from Eastern Creek Speedway.

Two of the oldest events in Australian speedway history – the New South Wales Sprintcar and Midget Championships – will highlight this weekend’s two night April 23-24 blockbuster at Eastern Creek Speedway.

Both have a wonderful heritage and 2022 marks the 79^th running of the state midget title, while it will be the 63^rd edition for sprintcars after what started in 1962 at Sydney’s former Windsor Speedway with a championship billed for hot rods.

With both events, the winners’ list includes some of the biggest names in the respective categories.

Arthur Murray came from stock cars to win the first NSW Hot Rod Championship for this developing class of racing that later transformed into super modifieds before sprintcars took over Australia in the early 70s.

Lance Burgess was the inaugural NSW midget titleholder in a four lap race during the 1937-28 season at Moore Park’s inner city Sydney Sports Ground track.

Australia’s late, great three times World Formula One Champion Sir Jack Brabham AO, OBE, won a NSW Midget Championship in 1948 at the nearby Moore Park Sydney Showground.

There will be an added incentive for midget drivers to win the 2022 state championship after Dennis Newlyn’s Speedway Classics magazine came on board as a sponsor for the race.

Speedway Classics is putting up an additional $2,000 bonus going to the winner in addition to the regular prize money pay out.

“I wanted to do this because of the title’s wonderful history,” Classics publisher and long time journalist/media man Dennis Newlyn said.

“The title also represents what my Speedway Classics magazine best typifies with its acknowledgement of the sport’s long and illustrious history. Also, having seen so many state midget championships over the decades, it just made sense to put my hand up on behalf of Speedway Classics as a title sponsor. Some of my best memories come from the mighty midgets, particularly at a track where I grew up, the hallowed Sydney Showground, watching this very race,” Newlyn added.

The race winner is also awarded the Neville Donnelly Championship Shield honouring a wonderful, dedicated, long time NSW association member.

Although the 2015 title is listed as “washed out,” the race actually commenced, then ran a number of laps and counted as a title, though no winner was declared when the rain hit before conclusion of the race.

Stats man Shaun McDonald also came up with a fascinating revelation in that the defending champion, Michael Stewart, won the 2021 midget crown one year exactly to the day he puts his title on the line this year – it was April 24 (2021) at Nowra Speedway.

He also provided the date when the previous NSW Sprintcar Championship was held: December 30, 2019 won by Robbie Farr at Valvoline Raceway.

Both Farr and Stewart have nominated for this weekend.

With these two wonderful events held at Eastern Creek Speedway, a new chapter in their magnificent history will be written on April 23-24.

Wingless Sprints and a huge fireworks display will support the titles.

General admission tickets are now on sale from www.easterncreekspeedway.com.au/events.htm

This will be a weekend not to be missed as history and tradition come together in two exciting nights of racing.