Lismore Speedway

Last updated

Lismore Speedway
Location Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 28°47′44″S153°16′27″E / 28.7956°S 153.2742°E / -28.7956; 153.2742
OperatorMick and Kim Sauer
Opened1969
Former namesLucas Oil Lismore Speedway
Major eventsEast Coast Grand National, Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
Website lismorespeedway.com.au
SurfaceClay and sand mix
Length0.4 km
Bankingslight
Race lap record0:10.460 (Luke Oldfield, Sprintcar, 2018, Sprintcars)
Mark Robinson at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway Mark Robinson at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway.jpg
Mark Robinson at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway

Lismore Speedway (also known as Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway) is a dirt track racing venue located at Lismore Showground Lismore, New South Wales. [1] It hosts a variety of motor sports and other events throughout the year. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The track is often referred to as "The Home of Champions'.

History


The Speedway at its current location at Lismore Showground was founded on 22 November 1969 by Dutton Stibbard and Neil Mansell. [5] The Showground is used used for non-racing events such as markets and the regional show. It hosted a baseball game in 1972 and a cricket match in 1994. It was severely impacted by Cyclone Debbie which caused extensive flooding across the region, including flooding the Speedway track and buildings. [6] The facility celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018. [5]

The track has previously run both motorcycles and sidecars. [7]

Today it hosts a variety of Speedway racing events. These include Sprintcars, Speedcar, Super Sedans, V8 Dirt Modifieds, Late Models and other open wheel and sedan classes. Other entertainment at the track includes monster trucks. [8] [9] [10]

The track suffered from major flooding during the 2022 Lismore floods resulting in the remainder of the 2021/2022 season being cancelled. [11] New promoters, Mick and Kim Sauer, who took over the track from David Lander one week prior to the 2022 Lismore floods, set about restoring and revamping the Speedway with it reopening for the 2022/2023 season on November 5 2022. [12]

In a first for the region, Lismore Speedway ended the 2022/2023 season with a concert by Country Music Star Adam Brand on Sunday June 11 2023. [13] The meeting, held over the 2023 June Long weekend, saw the running of the NSW SSA Junior title on Saturday June 10 and four 50 lap feature races on Sunday June 11 for Production Sedans, Wingless Sprints, AMCA Nationals and RSA Street Stockers in what was possibly a first in Australia.

Lismore Speedway won the Speedway Australia Award for the Most Improved Speedway in Australia for the 2022/2023 season. [14]

Racing Categories

Categories that race at Lismore Speedway include:

Feature Events

Lismore Speedway regularly hosts the prestigious East Coast Grand National (ECGN) sedan race.

The East Coast Grand National is a sedan event steeped in wonderful history at the Lismore Speedway. The heritage of the race traces back to the mid-seventies. [15] In 2010, Tania Smith took honours in a race that season which honoured the late, great Lismore national titleholder and former ECGN winner, Grenville Anderson. [16] Darren Kane won the 2011 East Coast Grand National from start to finish in a race that went without interruption. [17] Production Sedans contested the 2021 ECGN in 2021. [18] In 2023, Australian Super Sedan Champion Matt Pascoe was crowned the East Coast Grand National Champion at Lismore Speedway. [19]

The track regularly hosts the historic Australian Speedcar Grand Prix (AGP).

The AGP is an annual dirt track racing meeting for Speedcars, also known as Midgets. The AGP has a rich history dating back to 1938, when it was first held at the Sydney Sports Ground. The AGP is one of the most prestigious and coveted titles in Australian speedway racing, attracting some of the best drivers from Australia and overseas. Past winners include legends such as Ray Revell, Bob Tattersall, Andy McGavin, Johnny Stewart, A.J. Foyt, Steve Kinser, Lealand McSpadden, Garry Rush and Max Dumesny.

The winner of the 2023 AGP held at Castrol Edge Lismore Speedway was Rusty Whittaker. [20]

Title Events

The track regularly hosts State and National titles including:

Track

The track is 400 metres long on the pole. [1] It is predominantly circular and constructed with a clay and sand mix. [1] The track is 15 metres wide which is designed to provide room for side-by-side racing.

The track boasts two major covered grandstands, a number of uncovered grandstands and catering facilities.

Meetings are often streamed live and available for replay at North Coast Speedways.

Lap Records

DriverDateLapsTime
Sprintcars
Luke Oldfield1 April 201810:10.770
Steve Caunt9 May 200920:22.279
David Muir20 April 201361:18.419
Matt Brown9 May 200981:28.705
Luke Oldfield1 April 2018101:54.717
Formula 500
Charlie Brown20 November 201010:12.826
Nathan Pronger8 May 201081:43.006
Chris Alcorn23 February 2008203:41.63
V8 Dirt Modifieds
Kevin Britten9 April 201110:12.902
Luke Oldfield26 December 200820:26.68
Luke Oldfield23 March 200861:18.64
Jai Stephenson1 November 201481:44.267
David Clark30 March 2013102:10.851
Ray Eggins24 January 2010123:06.445
Scott Cannon24 January 2009153:24.78
Mark Robinson15 March 2014204:53.912
Andrew Pezzutti26 December 2007256:34.47
Speedcars
Bryan Clauson31 January 201510:12.8
Michael Pickens31 January 201520:26.1
Sid Whittaker10 April 201061:23.394
Ken Stanaway7 March 200981:45.64
Hayden Williams31 January 2015102:11. 6
Matt Smith18 February 2011122:40.620
Grant Drainey19 January 2008153:38.91
Michael Kendall31 January 2014205:07.031
Brad Mosen31 January 2014256:10.554
Litre Sprints
Mike Davis20 November 201010:13.696
Tony Brearley8 April 201220:26.661
Kurt Wilson3 November 201261:20.073
Kurt Wilson15 January 201681:39.835
Craig Smith5 January 2013122:39.655
Kurt Wilson22 March 2014153:13.013
Craig Smith23 March 2013204:31.458
Tony Brearley7 January 2012255:57.198
Super Sedans
Matt Pascoe7 June 200810:13.977
Michael Nicola25 April 200961:29.139
Darren Kane26 March 201181:49.172
Wayne Randall29 November 2008102:20.780
Matt Pascoe21 February 2009123:08.057
Jamie McHugh8 December 2007307:26.65
Darren Kane26 March 20115011:49.553
Wingless Sprints
Trent Martin5 November 201110:14.439
Robert Mazzer6 January 201681:52.8
Mitchell Haynes16 January 2016102:20. 5
David Eggins5 January 2013122:59.067
David Eggins10 April 2010153:35.56
Mitchell Haynes19 April 2014204:50.573
Kevin Willis16 January 201610024:49.932
AMCA Nationals
Russ Hardy26 MArch 201110:15.053
Russ Hardy26 March 201120:29.647
Brayd Stephenson30 March 201382:01.706
Brayd Stephenson7 January 2012102:38.981
Ed Doherty8 May 201013:22.38
Shane Newstead2 November 2013153:54.416
Geoff Hayes15 November 2014205:06.549
Stuart Hall9 January 2016307:48.451
Junior Sedans
Ryan Gorton17 December 2011100:16.8
Mitchell Haynes26 March 2011200:34.8
Kurt Wilson7 June 2008601:44.6
Brock Armstrong7 February 2009802:16.1
Kurt Wilson1 November 20081002:54.4
Kurt Wilson23 February 20081203:01.9
Kurt Wilson4 April 20101504:18.3
Ryan Gorton17 December 20112005:59.2

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