From the cinder of the 30s to the thrill of modern race nights, for nine decades, generations of Speedcar drivers, crews, volunteers, and fans have built a living legacy—one lap, one pass, one grandstand at a time.
In 2025/2026, we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the first SA Speedcar event held at the Camden Motordrome on December 28, 1935, with further meetings held through to April 4, 1936. They were thin in numbers, with visiting drivers from VIC, NSW, and the UK. ?Some of the drivers who competed that first season included Aub Ramsay, Bert Woodman, Ted Poole from NSW, and Ralph Secretan and Bud Stanley from England. One of the pioneering South Australian drivers that season was the late and great Alex Rowe.
It all began with these fearless pioneers with hand-built cars carving lines into local tracks. Through the golden years of Rowley Park Speedway—where the lights, the brick pit, and the roar became legend—our sport grew up in full public view. Names were made, rivalries were born, and the Saturday-night ritual stitched Speedcars into SA’s motorsport DNA.
As the venues evolved and the cars advanced, one thing has never changed: the closeness. Speedcars bring the action right to the fence. Open wheel, short wheelbase, elbows-up racing—every pass still feels personal. It’s why families keep coming back and why drivers and fans stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the pits swapping stories after the chequers.
Thank you, South Australia. Here’s to the stories behind every car number, the friendships forged in the pits, and the next kid who gets hooked on the sound of a Speedcar on song. Ninety years down—now let’s make the next chapter even louder. Be part of the 90th celebration. Follow us for results, features, and giveaways—and be sure to bring someone new to the track this season for our shows at Murray Bridge Speedway and Borderline Speedway.
#creatingheroessince1935 #90thanniversary #saspeedcars #speedcars #southaustralia #southaustralianhistory
- Alison Dwyer on Sep 14, 2025
- Article Date: 9/14/2025