Bibra Lake To Close

[Stats]

END OF ANOTHER ERA

BIBRA LAKE TO CLOSE

By Ken Brown

The shock news that the Bibra Lake Speedway is about to close down has stunned the Western Australian Speedway community.

It really is the end of another era for the sport!

Jeff Connelly, the president of the Perth TQ Car Club, only received the bad news last Monday and is still coming to terms with the decision.

The club was simply told that their lease with the Jandakot Airport had been terminated.

The Bibra Lake Speedway opened in Hope Road, Jandakot on October 6, 1963.

The track has always been the ‘home’ of the Formula 500s here in the west, but it has run a diverse program ever since its early days.

Solos and Sidecars were part of the action in the beginning and that has continued virtually ever since.

The Quarter Midgets are also based at the Bibra Lake circuit.

On the infield of the main oval is the Junior Solo and Sidecar track.

Now all of these racing divisions have lost their home circuit.

Although the Production Sedans, Street Stock and Junior Sedan drivers could transfer to the Ellenbrook track, the majority of them live in the southern suburbs.

Bibra Lake hosted the Australian Formula 500 Championship on two occasions – 1982 and 1987.

The Australian Junior (Under 16) Solo Championship was also conducted on the inner track five times – 1984, 1987, 1990, 1995 and 2003.

The track has produced many Australian and WA Champions over the years.

Now 41 years of history will finish in just over a month time.

Bibra Lake will hold its biggest meeting ever – the Australian Sidecar Championship – on February 28 and 29.

A final ‘Farewell’ twilight meeting has also been planned for Saturday March 20 before the gates of this historic venue are closed for the final time.

It would appear that a rubbish recycling operation that is currently on Airport land will be relocated onto the Speedway site.

The Airport is developing an industrial/commercial area but cannot see their way clear to allow the Speedway to continue operating at the venue that it has occupied since 1963.

Big business has won out again!

It is a very sad time for the sport of Speedway in Western Australia.

[aussiegal]

this is such shocking news and a bolt from the blue. went there for the first time recently and was really impressed with the setup. a super track with fair racing. being new to aussie, was looking forward to seeing plenty of action there but i guess i'll just have 2 get foxtel

[Guest Sir Lunchalot]

How awful for the speedway fraternity in WA.

 

I guess the obvious question is where to now ? What about Kwinana ? I saw a website on Kwinana a while back and it looked quite a good set up and for the life of me I can't remember why they stopped running speedway there although that word "politics" seems to be in the back of my mind. The blurb on the website http://www.motorplex.com.au/ seems to still be saying that speedway bikes can be catered for.

 

Any sandgropers fill in the gaps for me ?

[whowasthatberntpersson]

This is terrible news, I was only talking to a young

lady recently, she's just started riding and guess where she was doing her training?

With the closure of Bibra Lake following the huge loss of Claremont I guess this leaves speedway in WA pretty thin on the ground?

I know Dave Cheshire was having some success with training schools, wonder where this will leave our friends in the West.

[aussiegal]

i heard they wouldn't be running at kwinanna this season due to the cost of competing there, something about the insurance being too expensive compared to the payouts for winning etc etc.....

[Ozyace]

Just two weeks after spruking to Rod Colquhoun, Leigh Adams, Jason Lyons, Bryn, Sir Lunchy, Poona, the service station attendant at Wogga and anyone else who would listen about how good it would be if next year we had a round of the Australian Titles at Bibra Lake, the powers that be do this. NOT FAIR

After being very impressed with what i saw at Gosford and super impressed with how they run things in Mildura i was in no doubt though Bibra Lake could have matched them, obviously the only problem being logistics an dates, everyone sounded keen even the gas man.

The question is where does that leave speedway in W.A. now? A couple of options.

These are my thoughts

1) Kwinana - not very spectator friendly as the speedway track has been placed on the inside of the main track (which is purpose built for Sprintcars) and aussiegal is right about insurances, prize money etc... a solution but not a viable one.

2) Bunbury - 2 an a half to 3 hours drive from Perth, i have seen some of the best racing ever here during the Tapp series. i know Dave Chesire went down a couple of weeks back there and is keen to get a couple of meetings for next season.... it's a maybe if no other option.

3) A new track - Chesh has had talks with a North of the river Junior MX club, to test the waters on the probability of building a new track in this area. He has had a positive response from the club, however it will be up to the local Shire, Government funding (which with Bibra going, maybe a blessing for Chesh) Glyn Taylor had the same idea for the same area about twelve years ago and it got knocked on the head.... a long shot and i wouldn't hold my breath.

 

This is terrible news for speedway fans and the young up and comers from W.A. the likes of Tai Woffinden, Daniel Harding, Bob King and others.

 

This Sunday there is a training school at Bibra Lake with Johno and Chesh starting about 9.30, it would be sad that what they learn from the school they can't put into practice after March 20 or to think there are some superstars out who will be lost to speedway forever because there is no facilities.

I think Johno might do a few laps on Sunday for the last time at Bibra, i'll be there and i might even wear my Orange shirt (whaddya reckon Lunchy).

It will be worth going down just to see Johno do a few laps, because i know from now on we are going to be starved of proper SPEEDWAY.

[aussiegal]

ozyace, do you know what they run at ellenbrook speedway, in the northern suburbs???

[Ozyace]

aussiegal

I was going to include Ellenbrook in my last post, however the track surface would have to get a complete overhaul, which i don't think will ever happen. The shape of the track itself is not a problem and i'm sure there would be plenty of good racing.

In answer to your question they race Speedcars, TQ (Formula 500's, Quarter Midgets), Sedans & 360 Sprintcars.

There might be some new developments about to come to light re: a track at the junior Mx club, i'll keep you posted.

Edited February 5, 2004 by Ozyace

[Stats]

Ellenbrook Speedway is a 500 metre clay track that runs only car divisions.

[aussiegal]

thanks for answering that ozyace, stats, that'll save us a journey as we much prefer the bikes to cars. lets hope something can be sorted in time for next season as it would be a crying shame for all the youngsters to be without a track, not to mention us fans

[mIcK50]

Well, just like everyone else, I'm suitably p**sed of over this news, especially since I had just started going to the speedway again after many years. I think the last time I went to the speedway was about the same time as when Charlie Cousins fell off the wheat silo!

 

I went to see the state title at Bibra Lake and thoroughly enjoyed myself, with a night of good racing and no injuries. It was very well organised and having Chum Taylor there to present the prizes was a very nice touch.

 

I hope the speedway fraternity rallies around the TQ Club and another venue can be found and in reasonably quick time.

 

Incidently, did you know that Chum Taylor once beat Ove Fundin in a tight finish at Claremont one night, by leaning forward over the handlebars of his bike? Judge / Timekeeper, Wally Clinton ruled that Chum had "won by a long nose"!