RACA SPEEDWAY DINNER A SUCCESS

Feature photo: Dennis Newlyn (left) and RACA chairman, MC David Berthon.  Photo: Keith Nicholls.

The Royal Automobile Club of Australia presented a speedway nostalgia dinner at its stylish premises in Sydney CBD on Friday, April 28 

By Keith Nicholls

The wonderful night was organised by RACA chairman and Sydney radio station 2GB motoring correspondent David Berthon. Guest speaker was long time speedway writer/publisher and 2023 Speedway Australia Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Newlyn.

                   Photo:The RACA dinner. Photo: Keith Nicholls.

It was a night to remember the golden era of speedway at the Sydney Showground under the control of Empire Speedways P/L and also genial director the late John Sherwood.

MCd by Berthon, the night also featured old time race footage, not only from the Sydney Showground, but also film from the First Test between England and Australia at London’s Wembley Stadium in 1933 and some great coverage of the revival First Test at the Sydney Showground in November, 1967. A highlight was colour 1962 footage of a Saturday afternoon practice at the Showground featuring stand out Johnny Harvey (Mackay Offy) and 1964 Sunday afternoon Speedcar racing with Harvey, Jeff Freeman (Linklater Holden) and Johnny Stewart.

Berthon conducted a detailed interview with Newlyn, covering not only his writing career and work in mainstream media, but also the years of Mr Sherwood’s reign and the highlights. American Speedcar legend, the late Bob Tattersall, also featured in the discussion and the role played by Adelaide’s Kym Bonython discovering Tattersall who ultimately made 13 visits to Australia.

There were plenty of wide-ranging topics during the 25 minute interview where Newlyn exploited his knowledge of events with dates and results but seemed more interested in talking about Mr Sherwood’s promotional ability.

Berthon was a superb MC who controlled the night expertly, while as Newlyn so aptly said: “this really is a night to remember the legendary deeds of astute businessman and brilliant promoter John O Sherwood.”

Ten times Australian Sprintcar Champion, Garry Rush, the man who won the last race at the Sydney Showground when the ground closed permanently for speedway on April 27, 1996, attended.

Other notables at the dinner were well known ABC motor sport presenter Will Hagon, former Sydney Sun and Daily Mirror newspaper journalists, Phil and Noel Christensen, as well as former 2UE motor sport correspondent Jon Thompson.