Inducted 2008 Jeff Freeman was one of the best Australian midget drivers and arguably the most charismatic, rated on a par with the legendary US professional Bob Tattersall and the idol of thousands of fans. As a 20-year-old Freeman was introduced to speedway by coincidence when a date fell through

Inducted 2008 Bill ‘The Wizard’ Wigzell, as he affectionately became known, began his career at age 17 racing Solos at Kilburn Speedway. A year earlier, in 1947, Wigzell was hired by legendary car owner Alex Rowe as an apprentice motor mechanic. When Rowe was asked in 1953 by Rowley Park

Inducted 2008 In 1961 Dick Briton and Ian McManus started a mechanical workshop in West Ryde and both had the desire to go racing. They were told of a 1935 Oldsmobile that was partly submerged in the Parramatta river, which they pulled out and began modifying. They shared the driving

Inducted 2008 Mike Raymond’s interest in speedway began when his dad took him to the Sydney Sportsground and Showground in 1949. He began working at the Showground as a publicist and developed the Jeff Freeman and Johnny Stewart rivalry into a major story that was lapped up by the papers

Inducted 2008 Sherwood was a former road racer and Midget driver at the Penrith Speedway during the 1930s. He joined Frank Arthur during the 1940s to form Empire Speedways, who promoted both the Sydney Showground and Brisbane Exhibition Ground. Arthur and Sherwood were responsible for bringing English Stock Car racing

Inducted 2008 John Sidney’s racing career began in 1961 as an apprentice motor mechanic for legendary race engineer Jack Godbehear. Two years later Sidney began racing Speedway Sedans and won the Victorian Production Car Title in 1967 while setting up Improved Motors. He also drove supercharged for Alf Beasley and

Inducted 2008 Lionel Van Praag won the inaugural World Speedway Championship at Wembley on 10th September 1936. The Championship was decided by bonus points accumulated in previous rounds. Despite being unbeaten in the final, Bluey Wilkinson was not crowned Champion. Bonus points accumulated by Van Praag and Langton took them

Inducted 2008 Arthur “Bluey” Wilkinson derived his nickname from his red hair. He was born in Millthorpe NSW and at age four the family moved to nearby Bathurst. While at South Bathurst Public School, Arthur saved the money to buy his first bicycle by working after school as a paper-boy.

Inducted 2008 Jack Young’s father, Wally, was a keen follower of racing at the Wayville Showground during the pre-war years. Thanks to his “Ham Radio” he was able to follow the fortunes of Australian riders in England. Young left school at the age of 14 to help support his family