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Rosedale Speedway turns 50

THIS month marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Rosedale Speedway. A crowd of 3753 motor sports fans attended the opening meeting of the new raceway on February 27, 1972. Feature races were won by Rosedale’s Ken Taylor in an EH Holden and Morwell’s Graeme Monds in a Mark II Zephyr. Speedway boomed in Gippsland in the 1960s and 70s with tracks opening at Nyora, Garfield, Moe, Morwell, Rosedale, Bairnsdale, Nowa Nowa and briefly at Heyfield. A track was later constructed at Drouin. Today four remain: Nyora, Drouin, Rosedale and Bairnsdale. Following the closure of the Rosedale horse racing club in 1969, which had operated for a century, a group of local motorsports enthusiasts set about building a speedway at the venue in 1971. Led by Traralgon business proprietor, Dave Williams, the new club set about constructing the one-third mile oval track. Existing buildings at the racecourse, including the administration block, grandstand, canteen, and broadcast and judge’s boxes were incorporated into the new facility. The then wooden track fence was partially completed for the inaugural meeting, with an open area in the back straight. The wooden retaining wall was subsequently replaced by a concrete structure. Speedway racing proved popular with large crowds attending the monthly Sunday afternoon meetings. Lighting was installed in 1979 and the venue switched to Saturday night programs. Further upgrades have been undertaken over the years, including a new surface, catchment fence and race control centre. A year after opening, the track attracted the best modified production sedan drivers in Australia for the annual two-day Coca Cola Classic. The race was first won by Australian champion, David House, from Canberra driving an XU1 Torana. House won the race again in 1975. In 1980, the track hosted the Australian Sedan Championship, won by Queensland driver, Arthur Wiedon, driving a Ford Cortina. It was the first of four national titles that the Toowoomba driver would win. In the 1970s and 80s, Rosedale was one of the premier venues for speedway sedan racing in Australia with the annual Coca-Cola Cla i d Trader’s Derby competitors fro the nation. Rosedale hos another Austr in 2003 when Laidlaw succe defended his n Production Seda championship VK Commodor The track ha been the venu for many Vic championship over the past f decades. Sixteen-year Kevin Andrew now a federal was the course commentator for the first meeting, ea role he filled for much of the first decade of racing. He was also the race caller at Glenmaggie Speedboat Racing and Wattle Speedw among other v and 80s. Racing returned to Rosedale in January following COVID restrictions and wet weather with local driver Daniel Stewart winning the Col Smith Memorial for standard saloons. The Mini Sprintcar Gold Cup will be contested at the next meeting on March 19.

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MP, e f way venues in the 1970s d t R d l i J

A teenage Kevin Andrews, now a federal MP, calls the action at Rosedale Speedway in the 1970s. Inset: The program from the first ever meeting at the Rosedale Speedway on February 27, 1972. Photos: Contributed.

Twilight athletics meet full of personal bests

With the scheduled Little Athletics Victoria Region Track and Field Event at Berwick, Sale Little Athletics Club held a Twilight athletics meet on Wednesday, February 9. Photo: Contributed

WITH the scheduled Little Athletics Victoria Region Track and Field Event at Berwick, Sale Little Athletics Club held a twilight athletics meet on Wednesday, February 9. A modified program saw athletes have a 100m sprint race, 200m run, a jump and a throw. Another 45 Personal Bests (PBs) were added to the season tally. Maddison Mizzi achieved four PBs. Archer Benfield, Harley McKenzie, Zaxton Relecker, Kobe Parsons, Melina Beanland and Thomas Johns all achieved three PBs. Another Sale LAC centre record was broken. Kobe Parsons broke the U11 boys’ shotput with a throw of 10.39m. This record has stood since 2001 and Parsons added 41cm to it. Another five athletes achieved their silver PB level by reaching 15 PBs. Zaxton Relecker U10, Maddison Mizzi U11, Kobe Parsons U11, Victoria Adams U12 and Taylah Mizzi U12 achieved 15 PBs between them. Sale athletes compete in the Multi Round at the weekend. The Junior Alberta Scoring System will be in place to determine age group champions. Placing ribbons will be awarded at each event. Overall age group champions will receive first, second and third medals at the end of the season. mes • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland Times • Th a and Times • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland TiT mes • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland Times T • Th a and Times • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland TiT mes • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland Times • • and TimesTimes • TheThe GippslandGippsland TimesTimes • TheThe GippslandGippsland iTiT mes • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland Times • hThT and Times • The Gipp lsland Times • The Gipp lsland iTi mes • The Gip ppsla dnd Times • The Gip ppsla dnd Times • Th and Times • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland iTi mes • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland Times • and Times • The G ppsland T mes • The Gippsland mes • The Gippsland Times • The Gippsland Times • W i sl ndad Timnmes t i The t Gipo psla know more? Th iT hThT i

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