Old Sydney Speedway

[Nailhead Bucket]

Great pics Dave. Where ya been hiding them ? I've not seen a lot of pics showing these old midgets with their clothes off.
I didn't realise they had pre-load torsion bars and weight jackers back then.

[28 fordave]

HOLD THE PRESSES! (Thanks to Quadcam)

The car in the workshop pictures is NOT "Trackburner" - it is the "Tornado".

In this format with Pearl paint, it was driven by Len Brock (after he had taken out the 1967 title with the Falcon motor in it).

It had previously been driven by Garry Rush, and was destined to be driven by Bob Tattersall, Brian Mannion, Ray Oram and others.

It was originally being built for Johnny Stewart to replace "Trackburner"; and a lot of parts from that car ended up on "Tornado" - after an accident, parts that Hedley and Phil & crew (including a young Chris ) had prepared for the new car went into repairing the old; and vice versa.

Chris says the new car was so lightweight and flexible that the weight wasn't being transferred from the right front to the left rear - so they had to stiffen the underside of the main rails! (add this thought to memory bank for current 28 fordave replica vintage midget project!)

Trackburner went to George Tatnell; and after all these years has been restored to the red #1 Stewart format.

[Nailhead Bucket]

Here's a coupla more from the McGee workshop:


Notice there - it's got brake handles BOTH sides - never saw that elsewhere!

Maybe the one on the left was for the weight jacker (?)

[Nailhead Bucket]

HOLD THE PRESSES! (Thanks to Quadcam)
The car in the workshop pictures is NOT "Trackburner" - it is the "Tornado".
In this format with Pearl paint, it was driven by Len Brock (after he had taken out the 1967 title with the Falcon motor in it).
It had previously been driven by Garry Rush, and was destined to be driven by Bob Tattersall, Brian Mannion, Ray Oram and others.
It was originally being built for Johnny Stewart to replace "Trackburner"; and a lot of parts from that car ended up on "Tornado" - after an accident, parts that Hedley and Phil & crew (including a young Chris ) had prepared for the new car went into repairing the old; and vice versa.
Chris says the new car was so lightweight and flexible that the weight wasn't being transferred from the right front to the left rear - so they had to stiffen the underside of the main rails! (add this thought to memory bank for current 28 fordave replica vintage midget project!)
Trackburner went to George Tatnell; and after all these years has been restored to the red #1 Stewart format.

Yep, I think both cars were at the LCR reunion day.

[Grazza]

Here's a coupla more from the McGee workshop:


Notice there - it's got brake handles BOTH sides - never saw that elsewhere!

Maybe the one on the left was for the weight jacker (?)

Built on a rachet system (hence the button in the middle of the nob). Very rough system at the best from what I remember, but they did work OK for the longer races, which were popular back in the day. But as I said before, who the hell had time to play with weights in a midget??

[Nailhead Bucket]

Yep Grazza, In listening to the old fellas talking, I'm given to understand that the old dirt surfaces (as opposed to clay) were less inclined to change during a race. Only issue was the tail getting lighter during a longer race as fuel was consumed. I imagine a weight jacker was pretty trick back then ?

[Nailhead Bucket]

Further to Dave's Stop Press:
This from a bloke who should know -

Early history re: Johnny Stewart Trackburner. I have previously commented on this issue, however from time to time a new theory of the car's history appears on FB.
At sometime in '59, Vern Curshaw from South Australia advertised a car he had assembled with major parts imported from the USA. These included V8 60 engine, quick change rear axle assembly, steering box.
My future father in-law and I travelled to Adelaide, purchased the car and returned to Sydney.
My first race in the car was 1960 at the Sydney Showground. I advised Don the engine was underpowered and definitely not top of the range Edelbrock. Sometime later we fitted a Don Mackay prepared Holden unit. And no, we did not need to lengthen the chassis to accommodate the 6 cylinder engine as it has been suggested on FB.

I next raced the car in NZ during a test, Australia V NZ. Australia won the Test. Following my return to Sydney I continued to drive the car for short period of a few months.

Sometime later Don sold the 13 car to Aub Cherry in S.A. At a later date the car was on sold to Sydney for Johnny Stewart to drive. Later it was then named the Trackburner. I then took over the newly acquired Don Mackay 76 Kurtis Offenhauser

There you have it, the early history of the Trackburner. I have posted 5 photographs of the car during my period, which proves beyond doubt (even to blind freddy) the Trackburner and the Don Mackay car that I drove are one and the same.

And remember folks I was there and you were not.

John Harvey
August 4 2013

[Nailhead Bucket]

Once again, for anyone not on FB this pic bobbed up. Another one I have never seen before. Credit to Tony Loxley's book :
A very young Ronald Mackay chats to Jeff Freeman in the Mackay Offenhauser.Wow ! Sadly Freeman never saw young Ronald blossom into a standout driver.

[QuadCam]

I believe that Ronald was one of the best ever drivers in Australia. After Tattersall vacated the ex Meacham Offy, Ronald won everything there was to win for several years. I hope that historians acknowledge just how good he was.
Chris McGee.

[Nailhead Bucket]

Not Aussie racing, but I wonder if one of these cars finished up in Oz in the hands of one G. Rush ?

[QuadCam]

Not Aussie racing, but I wonder if one of these cars finished up in Oz in the hands of one G. Rush ?

Many feel that Parnelli Jones was the best driver ever. His book is really interesting.

[Bob Honeybrook]

The current issue of Street Machine HOT ROD has a story on the Trackburner Midget for those who may be interested.

[QuadCam]

The current issue of Street Machine HOT ROD has a story on the Trackburner Midget for those who may be interested.

Would love a photocopy of that. The motor out of the Trackburner went into the Rod Farrell/Phil McGee FJ drag car "Actin' Ornery"

Chris.

[Nailhead Bucket]

The article in this mag also solves the riddle of the second " brake handle" on the Trackburner and McGee cars. It is indeed the weight jacker lever.
Also revealed is that Johnny Stewart never used a foot brake - only the handle next to the cockpit. Think about it

[Nailhead Bucket]

Hmmm. The car at 1.0 min. and at 1.47min. looks familiar - and it says " Fike Plumbing" on the side.