The birth of speedway

I found this bit in www.pipeburn.com

I thought that the Aussies amongst us might find it a hoot.

" Here’s something I bet you didn’t know. The first ever speedway race was held in Maitland, about two hours north of Sydney, on the 15th of December 1923. Now we’re not saying that us Aussies invented the sport, but I’m proud to say that we had the brains and the lack of civility to see a bike going sideways on dirt while throwing up a bloody great wall of dirt and think “hot damn, that’d make a good night out!” Just for the record, a Norton ridden by a "W. Crampton" won in a time of 3 minutes 37 seconds, with a Harley in second and a Douglas in 3rd.

Newspaper clippings from the era suggest crowds of 70,000 were not unusual for the bigger events in the late 20s and 30s. Hell, with that much danger and carnage on offer, why wouldn't you go? "

OOOH somebody uses pipeburn, eeehhhh?

I think it is GREAT way to keep up with the other freaks in bikedom. :flower: