Windsor

The Windsor RSL ( Returned Soldiers League) Speedway, was situated off Argyle St., South of the Historic town of Windsor NSW. The Windsor RSL Club overlooked the race track. A Governor Macquarie town steeped in Australian history and Australiana architecture, a lot of the building work was carried out by convicts. The Speedway opened on 3rd October 1949 and finally closed on 10th November 1968. Windsor was the venue for the first Australian Hot Rod Championship, the forerunner to the Australian Sprintcar Championship. All sections of Speedway ran at this track, which had a smaller inner track utilising both straights of the larger outer track. It has been stated that the outer track was 650 yards ( 595.1 mtrs) and the inner track was 440 yards ( 402.3 mtrs) with the straights 70 feet wide and the corners 90 feet wide. ( Although a 1950 programme states the track circumference was 586 yards ) In 1957 the track was narrowed to 50ft all the way around. I went to Windsor Speedway in my early teen years and it was a six penny Steam train ride from Central Station, Sydney.

The battle of the twins.

Charlie Cam in the air cooled V Twin midget # 27 runs outside his good mate Bill Shevill in another twin, the Ron Ward Windsor # 3 car at the Windsor circuit.

( Bill said in later years, he and Charlie started racing the moment they left home at Sans Souci on raceday )

Charlie was one of only two competitors to lose their lives on this track.

Charlie Cam on 12-8-1956, the other was Terry Fullerton in a Speedcar on 20-7-1958

The forerunner to the Australian Sprint Car Championship. It was held at the Windsor RSL track in 1963.

An advertisement for the Final meeting in November 1968.

Don Read lifts the left front behind a very intense Ron Burns.

Ralph Grimson was a Feature race winner at Windsor.

Jack Brabham ( now Sir Jack ) drove the # 28 J.A.P 880 twin at Windsor.

Winner of the 1949 World Speedcar Championship, Bob Playfair in the pits at Windsor in his Ford V860. # 17

The famous Cunneen brothers, Peter in # 18 and Bryan in # 38 had their debut drives at Windsor in October 1956.

Col Barr in front cops a wheel from the 'King of the Compacts', 'The Red Baron', Alan Streader.

Arthur Trudgitt (here at Cumberland) was a regular at Windsor on bikes..

Phil Leth was another Windsor regular.

"Chook" Hodgekiss and Ern Adlam rode at Windsor.

Peter Speerin, here on a Carruthers HRD rode a 1200cc tandem J.A.P outfit at Windsor in 1950.

Bill Shevill in # W3 climbs over Merv Ward in # 4 to see who can get into the corner first. These blokes were gladiators !

Fred Tulk in the Doug Donnelly Holden. Fred only passed away in 2002.

Solo rider, Phil Leth also drove Stockies at the Windsor circuit. Phil about to flip in # 9.

Bill Warner # 26 tails Tim Mitchell # 2 and Allan Walch # 25 Heading through Pit turn, Aust. Title 1965.

Victorian John Mills # 77 spun during Heat 2 in the 1965 Title. Kerry Johnson # 44 and Barry Pinchbeck # 4 try to get past.

Grahame McCubbin in Studebaker Vic 13. leads Dick Britton in the Jaguar # 6.

Colin Davidson lines up in his Stockie # 61 at Windsor in his first meeting at the track, 10/4/1960

....and has his first roll-over on the same date.

The programme from the Final meeting in 1968, it's numbered No.1 but it was the last.

The writings in the last programme from Windsor, full of optimism and confidence for a new season.

Obviously they did not know when this was written it was to be the Final meeting.

From the programme dated 10th November 1968.

Click on page 2.

Graham Clayton, Historian with the Windsor Historical Society, has been researching the Windsor RSL Speedway history now since 2001 and is keen to continue his research into this historic old Speedway. If you have any information or material that may be of help to Graham with his research he would be most grateful to hear from you.

Contact Graham on:

Phone :Home 02 4572 5339 Work: 02 9857 1455

Email Graham Clayton: graham64clayton@yahoo.com.au

A collection of Windsor Stock Car photos from the career of Doug Graham # 53.