101-548: Sydney Showground Speedway , originally known as the Speedway Royal and later the Speedway Royale but often referred to as just The Royale or The Showground, was a motorcycle speedway track, which was located at the old Sydney Showground and used from 1926 until 1996. In 1937, The Showground was claimed to be the fastest speedway in the world by the tracks promoters. The 509 metres (557 yards) egg shaped track
202-547: A harness racing venue (though this excuse wore thin after the 'trotts' moved permanently to the Harold Park Paceway in the late 1940s). The only other major complaint about the track itself was that it was very narrow compared to other speedways. Where most tracks allowed three wide racing even in the corners, at the Showground there was barely enough room for two cars. The speedway's pits were located under
303-725: A combination of community campaigns and green bans placed by the NSW Builders Labourers Federation. As a celebration to commemorate the Stonewall Riots , the inaugural Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras pro- gay rights protest march was held on the evening of 24 June 1978. After the protest march, participants were subject to police harassment in Hyde Park , following the revocation of the original protest permit. Some participants headed to Kings Cross where police arrested 53 people, although most of
404-547: A diverse population, both resident and passing through at Kings Cross. Since the introduction of controversial lockout laws in March 2014 several nightclubs and pubs in the area have closed down. In February 2021, the NSW government announced the end of lockout laws in March 2021 hoping to revitalise the area. Kings Cross has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Events and celebrations Popular culture As of 2019, it
505-534: A fitting end to the Showgrounds life as a speedway. Rush's wins in the last two main events at the Showground were for the same team with whom he had raced for at the venue some 30 years previously. Visiting American driver Jay Drake set the Showground lap record at the 20 April Grand Prix meeting when he ran the 509 metre oval in 16.876 seconds. When asked what he thought of the famous track, Drake described it as "Awfully narrow". The old Sydney Showgrounds and
606-478: A flat oval track usually consisting of dirt , loosely packed shale , or crushed rock (mostly used in Australia and New Zealand). Competitors use this surface to slide their machines sideways, powersliding or broadsiding into the bends. On the straight sections of the track, the motorcycles reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). There are now both domestic and international competitions in
707-561: A high level of notoriety out of all proportion to its limited geographical extent. Hundreds of American servicemen on R & R (rest and recreation) leave flocked to the area each week in search of entertainment. Organised crime and police corruption were well entrenched in the area – one of Sydney's most notorious illegal casinos operated with impunity for many years, although it was known to all and located only yards from Darlinghurst police station. Much of this activity can be related with Abe Saffron , commonly known as Mr Sin or "the boss of
808-497: A journalist and publisher, campaigned against property development in the Kings Cross area during the 1970s until her sudden disappearance on 4 July 1975. A coronial inquest determined that Nielsen had been murdered, and although the case has never been officially solved, it is widely believed that Nielsen was killed by agents of the developers. Some of the projects she campaigned against were delayed, halted or modified due to
909-502: A large number of artists, including writers, poets and journalists such as Kenneth Slessor , Christopher Brennan , Hal Porter , George Sprod and Dame Mary Gilmore , entrepreneur Mayfield B. Anthony, actors including Peter Finch and Chips Rafferty , and painters Sir William Dobell and Rosaleen Norton . From the 1960s onwards Kings Cross also came to serve as both the city's main tourist accommodation and entertainment mecca , as well as its red-light district . It thereby achieved
1010-426: A maximum length of 30 centimetres (12 in)) attached to the rider's right wrist." The high compression ratio of the engine can also assist in slowing down a machine; if the throttle is closed, the engine may stop. Riders can stop the bike by deliberately laying down the bike on the track, and this technique is used to avoid riders who fall in front of pursuing opponents. Before cut-outs were introduced, an engine
1111-821: A number of countries, including the Speedway World Cup , whilst the highest overall scoring individual in the Speedway Grand Prix events is pronounced the world champion. Speedway is popular in Central and Northern Europe and to a lesser extent in Australia and North America. A variant of track racing , speedway is administered internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Domestic speedway events are regulated by FIM-affiliated national motor sport federations . The early history of speedway race meetings
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#17327804149341212-416: A record time of 59 seconds on a 342 metres (1,122 ft) track and produced an average speed of 83 km/h (51.86 mph). The speed on straight sections of the track reaches 110 km/h (70 mph) or more on longer tracks, but the limited speed on curves lowers the average. At the start of a race it takes between one and two seconds for the motorcycle to reach the "curve speed" (somewhat lower than
1313-422: A rider with a scheduled ride may go out for double points, in which the riders points will be doubled if he beats a rider of the opposing team. Any rider taking a tactical substitute ride or double points ride is denoted by a black and white helmet colour as rather than one of the four usual coloured helmets. If that rider remains unbeaten by either opposition rider his scored points are doubled and also count towards
1414-716: A second job, or amateurs. The United Kingdom has three main domestic leagues, the SGB Premiership , the SGB Championship , and the National League , as well as three 'junior' amateur leagues. It also has a youth championship. Speedway is one of the most popular sports in Poland and is governed by the Main Commission for Speedway Sport (Główna Komisja Sportu Żużlowego, GKSŻ) which is a part of
1515-405: A series of grandiose mansions with sprawling gardens of up to ten acres (4 ha). The remnants of these gardens helped give the area its leafy character, and many of the mansions are commemorated through street names such as Roslyn, Orwell and Kellett. Most of the grand estates were ultimately subdivided with all but a handful of the great houses demolished. One of the surviving homes, located nearby in
1616-426: A series of meetings over the space of a week in the summer. The final World Cup Champions were Poland in 2017. The Speedway World Pairs Championship was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. Competing countries picked their top two riders to represent them (or in some cases, those who were available). The first competition was held in 1970 and the final competition was held in 1993. From 1994
1717-608: A smaller scale, competitions are also held in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Ukraine and the United States. Some countries' top divisions feature highly paid star riders. In smaller countries and lower divisions, riders may be part-timers with
1818-481: Is a subject of much debate and controversy. There is evidence to show that meetings were held on small dirt tracks in Australia and the United States before World War I . On 13 November 1905 motorcycle racing was held at the Newcastle NSW Rugby Ground, a distance of approximately 440 yards. American rider Don Johns was known to have used broadsiding before 1914. It was said that he would ride
1919-493: Is argued that they are easier to handle. As speedway bikes do not use brakes , the clutch is used as a release mechanism at the start of races. FIM regulations state that the motorcycles must have no brakes , are fueled by pure methanol , use only one gear and weigh a minimum of 77 kilograms (170 lb). By using engine and rear wheel sprockets the gear ratio can be adjusted as required for track conditions. The use of methanol allows for an increased compression ratio to
2020-399: Is divided into a grid of four equal parts and the riders from each team must take their place in alternate grids or "gates". The colours also denote starting positions in individual events; Red is the inside gate (gate 1), blue starts from gate 2, white starts from gate 3 and yellow/black starts on the outside (gate 4). When an event dictates that there is a fifth rider at the start line, gate 3
2121-504: Is halfway along one of the two straight sections of the track. Starting gates are simple spring-loaded mechanisms that raise two or three strands of tape to start the race. The FIM regulations require licensed tracks to provide a garage or pit area for motorcycles as well as medical and press facilities. Track boundaries are marked by white lines or barriers on the inside and outside the track, any rider who crosses this boundary with both wheels will be disqualified unless they only did so in
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#17327804149342222-509: Is known as a tape infringement and can result in a false start being recorded and the rider penalised (disqualified, or in league matches in Great Britain, a 15-metre penalty or replace the disqualified rider with a team reserve). The race is started with the raising of the start tape mechanism operated by the match referee and the riders must proceed around the track in an anti-clockwise direction without both wheels illegally leaving
2323-547: Is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district , in the local government area of the City of Sydney . It is bounded by the suburbs of Potts Point , Elizabeth Bay , Rushcutters Bay and Darlinghurst . Colloquially known as The Cross , the area was once known for its music halls and grand theatres. It was rapidly transformed after World War II by the influx of troops returning and visiting from
2424-472: Is measured at a distance of 1 metre (3.3 ft) from the inner boundary. Tracks may be banked, but the gradient must under no circumstances exceed 5% in the straight, 10% in the bends, and must remain constant and grow from the inner edge to the safety fence. A white start line is marked across the track approximately mid-way along one of the straights. The starting area is also divided into four equal parts (known as gates) by white lines marked at right angles to
2525-428: Is moved to the centre with a green helmet colour, and white and yellow (or yellow/black) take gates 4 and 5 respectively. Riders must be able to get their bikes to the start line under their own power, without any external assistance and not by pushing the machine, then line up in parallel. A rider who is not at the start line within a reasonable period of time is also liable to be disqualified, although league matches in
2626-427: Is scheduled to ride four or five times. The team with the most points at the end of the meeting is the winner. Most league seasons end with play-offs – a series of meetings between the highest finishing teams to determine a league champion. The champions may be promoted to a higher division and the team finishing at the bottom are in some countries relegated to a lower division. The majority of countries supplement
2727-967: Is the current (2019) World Champion. The annual British Grand Prix is currently held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff , Wales. Scoring in Grand Prix events changed in 2005 with riders scoring 3–2–1–0 in their races and these points being carried forward to decide the winner of each Grand Prix. At the end of the series the highest scorer becomes the world champion. World Speedway Champions include Ivan Mauger (six-time World Champion), fellow New Zealander Barry Briggs (four times), Ole Olsen (three times), Ove Fundin (five times), Lionel Van Praag (inaugural World Champion in 1936), Hans Nielsen (nicknamed "The Professor", four-time World Champion), Tony Rickardsson (six times), Erik Gundersen and Jason Crump , both three-time World Champions, and
2828-940: The Polish Motor Union Polski Związek Motorowy (PZM). The PZM is a member of the FIM and the Union Européenne de Motocyclisme (UEM). The Polish Extraleague has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland. The first speedway meetings in Poland were held in the 1930s and league racing began in 1948. There are three championships in Poland: individual (IMP), pairs (MPPK) and team (the DMP consisting of three leagues). The Junior under-21 championships also has three competitions: individual (MIMP), pairs (MMPPK) and team (MDMP). There are three leagues: Extraleague , First League and Second League . In
2929-753: The Under-21 Individual World Championship . In total, seven Polish riders have been World Champions at Under-21 level. Speedway in Sweden is governed by the Swedish Motorcycle and Snowmobile Federation (SVEMO) . The first Swedish speedway league was founded in 1948 and copied the British format of league racing, including adopting the Swedish version of several British teams nicknames. The Elite League ( Elitserien )
3030-694: The 1928–1929 season at the Melbourne Exhibition Speedway , Australian Colin Stewart won the prestigious Silver Gauntlet, which required the rider to win the feature race 10 times in one season. He won it 12 times. He also achieved success at an international level, racing for Southampton Saints in 1929 and captained Glasgow in the Northern League in 1930 before moving to Wembley Lions in 1931, for whom he rode in just four matches, averaging 4.00 points per match. He also raced in
3131-676: The 1930 Scottish Championship which was won by Wembley Lions' Harry Whitfield . The forerunner of the World Championship, the Star Riders' Championship , was inaugurated in Great Britain in 1929, but was split into two sections, as it was felt that the British riders were not yet the equal of the Australians and Americans. Frank Arthur won the Overseas Section and Roger Frogley the British. The following year
Sydney Showground Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-497: The 1930s, with the official World Championship first held in 1936 . The present FIM Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) championship organised by Speedway Grand Prix (Discovery Sports Events since 2015) has taken place since 1995. The SGP uses a scoring system based on each riders overall final position. The rider who has gained the most points at the end of the tournament is declared the World Champion . Polish rider Bartosz Zmarzlik
3333-719: The 2022 season, the Extraleague and First League had eight teams competing and the Second League had seven teams. The GKSŻ organizes the Golden Helmet (Jerzy Szczakiel Memorial), Silver Helmet (Under-21) and Bronze Helmet (Under-19) competitions. Individual meetings such as the Criterium of Polish Speedway League Aces – Mieczysław Połukard Memorial , Alfred Smoczyk Memorial , Edward Jancarz Memorial, Jerzy Szczakiel Memorial and Individual international championship of
3434-583: The Allsvenskan, the top four teams at the end of each season ride in the play-offs in semi-finals and a final. The Allsvenskan Division One is the third tier of Swedish speedway with seven teams. The team finishing the season in first place are champions and can apply for promotion to the Allsvenskan, subject to having suitable facilities and sufficient finances. Other competitions include the Swedish Individual Championship and
3535-604: The Australian summer. The speedway's promoter, John Sherwood (Empire Speedways who also promoted the Brisbane Exhibition Ground ), was always looking for ways other than the racing itself to keep the crowds coming in. One of the more popular was the addition of Kings Cross strippers as trophy girls. From 1947 until 1974 the Speedway hosted the annual Australian Speedcar Grand Prix , following which
3636-578: The Cross". A positive influence in the area during that time was the Wayside Chapel , run by Rev Ted Noffs . His church was open most of the time, providing a "drop in centre" and counselling services to many of the itinerants who were drawn to the area. The Ted Noffs Foundation Inc , established in 1971, continues his work supporting young people and their families who are experiencing drug and alcohol problems and related trauma. Juanita Nielsen ,
3737-627: The Ekstraliga named after Zenon Plech are also popular. The Polish National team are the final champions of the now-defunct Speedway World Cup , having won the competition eight times in all. Poland has produced three Individual World Champions , Jerzy Szczakiel in 1973, Tomasz Gollob in 2010 and Bartosz Zmarzlik in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Polish junior team won the Under-21 World Championship in 2005 and 2006 and since 2003 four Polish juniors have won
3838-497: The FIM occasionally sanctions the use of stadiums that install temporary tracks such as the British Grand Prix held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff . Speedway uses a unique type of motorcycle, governed by the FIM's "Track Racing Technical Rules". In the past, bikes with upright engines were used (the name taken from the way the engine sits in the frame), but today most professional riders use laydown bikes as it
3939-513: The Martin & Angus Stand at the southern end of the track. This created a unique atmosphere with the place often filling with cigarette smoke and the smell of oil and petrol. Former dual Rugby international and part-time announcer at the speedway Rex Mossop once described the pits at the Royale as being like "Dantino's Inferno". The start / finish line at the Showground was on the eastern side of
4040-592: The Royal Easter Show and open air music concerts held at either venue. Traffic was also reportedly less of a problem on speedway nights than for the Easter Show or when sports such as rugby league or cricket used the SCG. The showground enjoyed a brief revival in 1988 as a Bicentennial Solo Test Match was held between Australia and Great Britain attracting around 15,000 spectators. Unfortunately for
4141-532: The Royale would attract huge spectator attendance. The track had a dolomite surface, which the speedway drivers and riders continually asked the owners, the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW , to mix in shale and clay (as used on tracks in England such as Wembley ) to improve traction but this never happened. A long stated reason for this was that the Showground was also used year-round as
Sydney Showground Speedway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-561: The Secretary of Newcastle Speedway Ltd. The Newcastle Herald reports the Grand Opening on 14 November 1925 attracted an audience of 42,000 at that time it was approximately one-third of Newcastle's entire population. After Maitland, Newcastle Showground is the second oldest Motorcycle Speedway track in the world. However, its first recorded motorcycle race was much earlier in 1908. The first Australian Motorcycle Speedway Championship
4343-540: The Showground Speedway is now owned by and is part of Fox Studios Australia and although it now has a paved surface the track, and its narrow width, is still clearly visible. The Sydney Showground Speedway, like other speedways of the era, saw its share of competitor fatalities. In total there were 29 deaths at the speedway between 1926 and 1973. In December 2000, a plaque was unveiled at the Fox studios site of
4444-485: The Speedways only annual car racing event from 1990 until 1993 when the event was moved from the Speedway due to the same complaints that closed the Showground as a speedway in 1980, but returned for one last time in 1996 as the Showground was to be closed and turned into Fox Studios Australia . The 46th Australian Speedcar Grand Prix was held on 20 April. The race was won by the only competitor who had previously raced at
4545-673: The Swedish Junior Individual Championship. The Swedish Individual Championship is contested by 18 riders in a Grand Prix format with 20 heats. The Junior Individual Championship is for riders aged twenty-one years and under. Speedway in Denmark is administered by Danmarks Motor Union (DMU) . The sport was introduced into Denmark in the 1930s but it didn't boom until the 1970s. Notable Danish speedway riders today include – Nicki Pedersen, Bjarne Pedersen and Hans Nørgaard Andersen. Former rider, Ole Olsen won
4646-524: The UK allow teams to elect to start the disqualified rider fifteen metres back from the tapes or replace the disqualified rider with a team reserve. This period of time is standardised to two minutes from a time determined by the match referee and usually indicated by a bell, a rotating orange lamp or a digital clock readout. All riders must be at the tapes under their own power before the two minutes have elapsed. Additional time between races will be allowed by, and at
4747-465: The World Championship three times and his success helped popularise the sport in Denmark. Since retiring Olsen has become an FIM Speedway Grand Prix race director. A popular Danish rider in the 1960s was Arne Pander, and in the 1980s Erik Gundersen, Jan O Pedersen and Hans Nielsen (who was also an active racer through the 1990s). Kings Cross, New South Wales Kings Cross is an inner-eastern locality of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia . It
4848-657: The World Pairs was merged with the World Team Cup. As of 2018, a new pairs championship, the Speedway of Nations , has now replaced the Speedway World Cup on the sport's calendar. Most European countries run their own domestic speedway leagues. The FIM affiliated governing bodies in each country operate league systems , normally comprising several divisions , in which the teams gain points throughout
4949-406: The advent of World Series Cricket in 1977 attracting a lot of the spectators, forced the speedway to close for regular meetings after 1981. What was hard to take for the promoter of the Showground, Brisbane based speedcar driver Ron Wanless, was that noise tests were conducted which proved that speedway meetings were actually quieter than sporting events at the neighbouring Sydney Cricket Ground ,
5050-405: The average), which is roughly estimated to be the equivalent of 2.5 to 3 seconds to reach 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) (or 0 to 60 mph ). The start of the race is an important aspect of the race overall. "Gating" correctly can help a rider gain an initial advantage over other riders but speed advantages can be made as a race progresses. Those riders willing to take a risk and opt for finding
5151-417: The charges were later dropped. Australia's first widely known transgender person, Carlotta , rose to prominence in Kings Cross whilst working in cabaret at Les Girls , The Tender Trap , and her appearance on soap opera Number 96 . From the late 1960s, drug-related crime was one of the area's main social problems. In 2001, despite controversy, Australia's first Medically Supervised Injecting Centre
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#17327804149345252-402: The discretion of, the referee if a rider has two consecutive rides, to allow the rider time to prepare. A starting gate consisting of two or more tapes is erected across the start line. The riders must situate themselves not more than 10 centimetres (3.9 in) from this and not touch it once the green light comes on, they must also remain stationary until the tapes are raised. Failure to do so
5353-478: The early decades of the 20th century. The illegal trading of alcohol, known as sly grog , was notorious in the area up until mid-century, led by rival brothel owners, Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh . For most of the 1900s, the "Cross" was an entertainment centre which hosted numerous clubs and cafes as well as the Kings Cross Theatre , one of Sydney's earliest movie houses. The area was also home to
5454-424: The engine producing more power than other fuels and resulting in higher speeds (approximately 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) when cornering). Machines used must: Machines used cannot: In addition, all motorcycles must have a safety cut-out device fitted; this is defined as a switch that "must cut off the circuit of the electrical supply by the simple action of pulling a lanyard or a non-elastic string (with
5555-405: The entire race course wide open, throwing great showers of dirt into the air at each turn. By the early 1920s, Johns' style of cornering was followed in the United States, where it was called Short Track Racing, by riders such as Albert "Shrimp" Burns, Maldwyn "Floppy" Jones and Eddie Brinck. Motorcycle Speedway can be traced back to the early 1920s. One track that staged speedway, amongst others,
5656-676: The event of a tie, the race is commonly awarded as a dead heat . If it is a tie for first place, they will both receive two points. A tie for second place earns each rider one point while a joint-last finish earns each rider zero points. Teams can use a tactical substitute rule once in a meeting. If that team is eight (six in World Cup) or more points in arrears, they may bring in the use of a different rider in their team lineup, to race in any heat except for heat 15. This may be different in World cup or event racing. If they are ten or more points behind,
5757-422: The extra riders safely. Speedway operates a sliding scale for scoring (known as the 3–2–1–0 method). Three points are scored for first place, two points for second place and one point for third place. A rider does not score when finishing fourth, or failing to finish, or if excluded from a race. These points accumulate over the competition, with riders points either counting towards individual or team placings. In
5858-463: The first of the next month. These CMA's are used in most professional leagues and are altered or weighted depending on the league the rider gained the CMA in. A rider that has no recorded average will receive an indicative CMA for the start of the season that is assessed on their prior experience in the sport. An international individual speedway championship has taken various forms since its beginnings in
5959-542: The former Speedway by longtime track announcer Jim Shepherd. The plaque overlooks the former start line alongside the Suttor Stand (built in 1909) which is now a cafe restaurant. The 29 who lost their lives at the Speedway Royale are Some of the more famous competitors who raced at the Sydney Showground Speedway include: † - Deceased * - Speedway World Champion Frank "Satan" Brewer
6060-628: The grippy parts of the track rather than the race line, are sometimes rewarded with extra speed allowing them to pass other riders either on the outside or the inside. Tracks used for professional speedway racing are regulated by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) who provide rules concerning construction, size and safety requirements. Speedway racing takes place on a level oval track consisting of two straights joined by two semicircles. Tracks must be between 260 and 425 metres (853 and 1394 ft) in length, this
6161-407: The interest of safety or were forced to by another competitor. The track surface consists of four layers of grading . The topmost of which must be of shale , granite , brick granules or other loose material of which no individual piece can be over 7 millimetres (0.28 in) in size. Competitors use this surface to slide their machines sideways (powersliding or broadsiding ) into the bends using
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#17327804149346262-560: The league system with one or more cup competitions. These are organised on a knock-out basis, the winner of each match proceeding to the next round and the loser taking no further part in the competition. The major speedway nations in Europe are the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland and Denmark. These countries run a number of leagues and have regular fixtures throughout the traditional speedway season that runs from March to October. On
6363-598: The local fans, Great Britain defeated Australia on the night. The last ever Solo Test Match to take place at the Showground was held on 1 January 1994 with Australia taking on England . Like the first ever Test at the Showground in 1934, Australia dominated and won 68 points to 40 in front of a crowd of just over 17,000. After 13 races held at the Liverpool Speedway, the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix returned to its traditional home as
6464-457: The local residents around the showground began to complain about the noise and also regarding the cars parking on the streets as the showground had very little in the way of designated car parks. With some residents having powerful friends on the City of Sydney council who made increasing restrictions on noise and parking and demanded that meetings be finished no later than 10:30pm (meetings traditionally finished around 11:30pm). This, combined with
6565-550: The locality's southernmost limit was named Queen's Cross to celebrate Queen Victoria 's diamond jubilee in 1897. Confusion with Queen's Square in King Street in the city prompted its renaming as Kings Cross, after King Edward VII , in 1905. During the early 19th century the Darlinghurst area, which extended to include current day Kings Cross, was one of Sydney's most prestigious locations, being far enough to escape
6666-436: The mid-19th to mid-20th century and advertised estates and subdivisions of land for sale. They illustrate the urban development of Sydney as large estates were divided up and transformed into the suburbs of Sydney. The estates and mansions are commemorated through street names such as Roslyn, Orwell and Kellett, as documented in the gallery of subdivision maps. The Kings Cross district was Sydney's bohemian heartland from
6767-589: The nearby Garden Island naval base . It became known as Sydney's night entertainment and red-light district , earning the nickname " Sin City "; however, many nightclubs, bars and adult entertainment venues closed due to the Sydney lockout laws . Today, it is a mixed locality offering services such as a railway station, gyms, supermarkets and bakeries as well as entertainment venues including bars, restaurants, nightclubs, brothels and strip clubs. The intersection of William Street , Darlinghurst Road and Victoria Street at
6868-582: The noise and smell of the central city but close enough for easy travel. An additional attraction was the commanding harbour views to the east and north and (from some points) views to the west as far as the Blue Mountains . In 1828, the Governor of New South Wales Sir Ralph Darling subdivided the area, then known as Woolloomooloo Hill, into large allotments which he granted seventeen estates to favoured subordinates and leading businessmen. They built
6969-549: The now-closed 520 metres (570 yd) Claremont Speedway in Perth and the 509 metres (557 yd) Sydney Showground , to smaller, purpose-built 300 metres (330 yd) long motorcycle tracks, such as Gillman Speedway in Adelaide and Mildura 's Olympic Park . Each track is between 260 and 425 metres long and it takes approximately one minute to complete four laps. For example, 10 time Australian Champion Leigh Adams set
7070-420: The passenger ship Oronsay to introduce Speedway Solo motorcycle racing to England. The first meeting in the United Kingdom took place at High Beech on 19 February 1928. There are, however, claims that meetings were held in 1927 at Camberley , Surrey and Droylsden , Lancashire. Despite being described as "the first British Dirt Track meeting" at the time, the meeting at Camberley on 7 May 1927 differed in that
7171-418: The purposes of choosing which riders to enter for each race. At the start of a season, a rider retains their last recorded CMA (or assessed CMA if they have never previously established one) until they have competed in six home and six away matches. A new CMA is then issued that comes into effect seven days later. These are subsequently updated on the 15th of every month from May onwards, and come into effect on
7272-589: The race moved to the Liverpool Speedway in western Sydney before returning to the Showground in 1990. NSW drivers Ray Revell and Andy McGavin won a record 5 Speedcar Grand Prix's at the Showground while Bob "Two Gun" Tattersall of the United States won the race four times in 1960, 1962, 1966 and 1969. One of the more unusual things at the speedway happened on 28 December 1975 when the so-called "Speedway Streaker" made his only appearance. Unlike
7373-543: The races were held in a clockwise direction. Races at Droylsden were held in an anti-clockwise direction, but it is generally accepted that the sport arrived in the United Kingdom when Australians Billy Galloway and Keith McKay arrived with the intention of introducing speedway to the Northern Hemisphere . Both featured in the 1928 High Beech meeting. The first speedway meeting in the UK to feature bikes with no brakes and broadsiding round corners on loose dirt
7474-481: The rear wheel to scrub-off speed while still providing the drive to power the bike forward and around the bend. The skill of speedway lies in the overall ability of the rider to control his motorcycle when cornering and thus avoid losing places through deceleration . The use of asphalt , concrete and tarmac for any layer is prohibited. The top layer must be levelled or "graded" at intervals during an event by tractors towing specially adapted rakes to evenly re-distribute
7575-580: The rest of the fence through blow-off valves or restriction ports connected to the other sections. They are mandatory for tracks in the British Elite League , Polish Ekstraliga , Speedway Grand Prix and Speedway World Cup . Neutral zones outside the track provide safe run-off areas for riders and their machinery to minimise the potential risk of injury to spectators. The majority of tracks are dedicated to speedway or other sports such as sidecar speedway and banger racing . For larger events,
7676-467: The rider's calculated match average (CMA). The sport produces Calculated Match Averages (CMAs or averages) for every rider, these are calculated from the following: CMAs scale from 3.00 to 12.00, any rider scoring above or below this range of values will be awarded the maximum or minimum respectively. These averages are used in leagues such as the Premiership in the UK to identify heat-leaders for
7777-530: The roof, and into what riders called "The Armpit", a tight turn leading onto the back straight where the Coronation Stand stood. Turns 3 and 4 went past Martin & Angus Stand and the pits before passing the Sinclair Stand in turn 4 and coming onto the main straight to finish the lap. Although the Showground was later universally known as a Speedcar track, from the late 1920s until the 1950s
7878-447: The season depending on results. Teams are placed into tables , placing them in order according to points accrued. Most commonly, each team races every other team in its league at home and away in each season, in a round-robin tournament . Meetings traditionally consist of two teams riding against each other with four riders in each race with two home team riders and two away team riders. Meetings usually feature fifteen heats and each rider
7979-423: The speedway was more well known for its motorcycle racing, hosting many Australian Solo Championship and Australian Sidecar Championship meetings as well as Solo test Matches between Australia and various visiting nations. The first test at the Showground was held on 15 December 1934 between Australia and Great Britain with Australia winning 35–19 in front of 50,000 paying fans. In March 1933, The Royale hosted
8080-490: The speedway, Australian speedway legend and 10 times Australian Sprintcar Champion Garry Rush from western Sydney. It was his second win in the Grand Prix as he had won the 1977 event held on the asphalt at the Liverpool Speedway . On Saturday 27 April 1996, approximately 25,000 fans saw Garry Rush win the last ever race held at the world-famous Sydney Showground Speedway when he took out the World Derby for Speedcars in
8181-488: The sports first two-time champion Jack Young who won in 1951 & 1952. Currently, no world team championship is contested for senior riders. The first such championship was the Speedway World Team Cup , which was contested annually from 1960 to 2000. It was replaced by the Speedway World Cup , another annual event, in 2001. Both competitions featured teams from the major speedway countries, usually in
8282-439: The start line and extending back at least 1 metre (3.3 ft). Additional rules govern the placement of warning systems such as lights and also the construction of the starting mechanism. The minimum track width is 10 metres (33 ft) on the straights and the bends must be at least 14 metres (46 ft) wide. The minimum widths give each rider adequate space to safely navigate the track. The start line and starting gate assembly
8383-499: The streaker was revealed to be local solo rider Reg McCarthy. The Speedway ran continuous Saturday night meetings until the close of the 1980/81 season with Sydney fans spoiled for choice with the Parramatta City Raceway running on Friday nights and the Showground as well as Liverpool Speedway both running on Saturday nights. Like other suburban based speedways around Australia such as Rowley Park in Adelaide ,
8484-709: The suburb of Elizabeth Bay , is Elizabeth Bay House , a quintessential example of Australian colonial architecture. Others, now used for other purposes, include Tusculum in Manning Street and Rockwall. A prominent past resident of this era was David Scott Mitchell . The estates that Governor Darling granted to the emerging merchant class and professional elite shaped the development of the area that came to be known as Kings Cross. The mansions built on these estates such as Tusculum remain today as leading examples of architectural design in colonial Australia. Subdivision plans also known as estate maps were produced from
8585-428: The surface. Tracks are watered before and, if needed, during meetings to prevent the surface becoming too dry and to protect the public and the riders from dust. Safety requirements include the use of suspended wire fences, air fences and wooden fences. Air fences are made up of inflated panels installed on the bends. The fence is designed to dissipate energy by allowing an impacted area to compress and transfer air into
8686-450: The track boundaries. Once a race is under way, no rider can receive outside assistance, including push-starts , from others. Historically, pushers were allowed at the start of the race. A white line at the 30-metre mark used to designate the extent to which a push was allowed but due to safety concerns, assistance is now illegal. Occasionally races can consist of up to six riders but this is rare as most tracks are too narrow to accommodate
8787-534: The track in front of the Suttor Stand. Running anti-clockwise as most speedway divisions do, the track then moved into the Bull Pens for turn 1, so called as this was where the cattle would enter the arena during the Royal Easter Show . The track announcers box was located close to the track above the Bull Pens. They then continued past the double decked Members Stand and the famous clock tower sitting on
8888-418: The two sections were amalgamated and Vic Huxley proved to be the winner. Huxley was also runner-up three times and won the first British Match Race championship in 1931. Speedway racing typically took place on purpose-built tracks, although in Australia bikes shared larger speedways with Sprintcars , Speedcars (Midgets) and saloons, with tracks traditionally ranging from 1/3-mile showground tracks, such as
8989-410: The unofficial Speedway World Championship , won by England 's Harry Whitfield from Australian's Billy Lamont and future World Champion Bluey Wilkinson . During the 1960s and 1970s the Showground was Australia's best known and best attended speedway regularly drawing crowds on a Saturday night in excess of 10,000 and often over 30,000 making speedway one of the best attended spectator sports during
9090-445: The usual streakers at sporting events who jump the fence and run around on the field until caught by either Police or Security , this streaker rode out of the pits on a Solo motorbike completely naked other than a full faced helmet (to protect the guilty) and riding shoes. He did a quick lap of the track before laying the bike down on the infield. He was last seen jumping over the fence being chased by laughing policemen. Years later
9191-430: The world. In 1926 Johnnie Hoskins took his Speedway show to Sydney's Royal Showground. A very wet Sydney summer nearly sent Hoskins broke, so he took the show on the road to Perth, where one good season made him wealthy again. He and his riders decided to take the show to England, as the word had spread about this exciting sport. 14 April 1928, Johnnie Hoskins, 13 Australian Riders and their motorcycles sailed from Perth on
9292-543: Was a huge success and its promoter was New Zealand-born John S. Hoskins. These pioneers introduced the Speedway signatures of No Left Footpeg and the Steel Shoe, ironically fashioned from worn coal shovels, manufactured in this Steel region. Following the success of Maitland, Speedway meetings were conducted at Newcastle Showground in 1924. These events were very successful and led to the construction of Newcastle Speedway off Darling Street, Hamilton. Johnnie Hoskins became
9393-460: Was actually from New Zealand but promoters advertised him as being from the United States to bring in larger crowds Motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway , usually referred to simply as speedway , is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only one gear and have no brakes . Racing takes place on
9494-463: Was also the site of some spectacular crashes, some unfortunate deaths and a lot of spectacular racing. Although solos were first to race at the showground on 21 July 1926, they were soon joined by sidecars and Speedcars (also known as Midgets but called Speedcars in Australia). In the 1950s stock cars began to appear joined much later by demolition derbies and jumping motorcycles over buses and
9595-507: Was at the West Maitland Showground, whose first speedway meeting was staged on 15 December 1923. This track had a motorcycle riding entrepreneur as its Secretary and his personal account has him inviting his friends and their associates to do a few laps one Sunday morning, the noise attracted the attention of the Showground committee and approval to race at the "Electric Light Festival" was won. Motorcycle racing under lights
9696-427: Was established (where users of illegal drugs can inject themselves at a safe injection site in clean conditions) at a shopfront site in Kings Cross. The injecting room is credited with reducing the occurrence of fatal overdoses in the injecting drug user community, as well as reducing the number of needles left in the street, with an interim evaluation report in 2007 claiming: The reduction in opioid-related overdoses
9797-543: Was established in 1982 and has ten teams. At the end of each season the top four teams ride in the play-offs in semi-finals and a final and the winner of the final are the Elitserien champions. The team finishing bottom of the league are relegated to the National league (Allsvenskan). The Allsvenskan has seven teams and before the introduction of the Elitserien in 1982 was the top flight speedway league in Sweden. As with
9898-408: Was held at Newcastle Showground in 1926. Ironically it was won by American rider Cec Brown. Visiting English and American racers were common, for they were highly paid showmen, often winning a year's salary in just one night. It was very successful, so Newcastle Showground held the championship again in 1927. Very fitting that Newcastle Showground held the first National Speedway Championship anywhere in
9999-454: Was much more substantial in the immediate vicinity of the MSIC than in other neighbouring areas. ... Counts of discarded needles and syringes collected locally indicated a decrease of around 50% following the establishment of the service. Today, the ongoing operation of tourist accommodation, the proximity to social housing and health care, and the convenient public transport to the city result in
10100-549: Was stopped in an emergency situation by removing the plug lead from the spark plug or shutting off the fuel supply. Races (known as heats) consist of four riders racing over four laps from a standing start . Riders wear different coloured helmets, traditionally in team events red and blue denote home team riders, and white (in British speedway, green has previously been used as an alternative to white, apparently for early interactive TV) and yellow/black quartered colours (latterly plain yellow) denote visiting riders. The starting area
10201-653: Was the third meeting held at High Beech on 9 April 1928, where Colin Watson , Alf Medcalf and "Digger" Pugh demonstrated the art for the first time in the UK. Proto speedway was staged in Glasgow at the Olympic Stadium (Glasgow Nelson) on 9 April 1928 and the first fully professional meeting was staged at Celtic Park on 28 April 1928. The first meeting in Wales was staged at Cardiff White City on Boxing Day 1928. In
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