Where and when did speedway start?

Speedway culture began in Australia on January 1, 1901, at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during an illuminated Night Cycling Carnival featuring motorized tricycles, followed by official motor bicycle races in 1902. While commercial promoters credit Maitland Showground in 1923, historical archives held by Nomad Dirt Culture prove track motor racing existed two decades prior across NSW showgrounds.

Did speedway start in Maitland in 1923?

No. The 1923 Maitland event was a grass-track novelty show where riders were disqualified for putting a foot down to slide. Speedway and illuminated night motor racing actually originated earlier, starting at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1901 and Newcastle Rugby Football Ground in 1905.

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Unearthing Speedway History: The Legacy of Bruce Hall and Newcastle Motordrome’s Heavy-Metal Era

August 4, 2026|Jocelyn Dare

NEWCASTLE, NSW

Before high-tech telemetry and massive corporate haulers, Australian speedway was forged in red dust, raw iron, and local pit-lane grit. At the center of Newcastle Motordrome Speedway (Tomago) through the late 1980s and 1990s was Bruce Hall—a die-hard Holden competitor who personified the true spirit of Australian grassroots motorsport.

Famous for steering his bright lime green and purple #28 HQ Holden Sedan, fondly dubbed "The Hulk," alongside his classic #13 HJ/HX Holden, Hall was a fixture in Newcastle’s legendary Street Stock fields. Trading paint against iconic local competitors of the era like Jared Green, Daryl Keim, John Arnott, David Wright, and Ross Snowden, Hall spent over a decade captivating trackside fans.

Today, grassroots preservation efforts continue as family, friends, and speedway historians call on the Australian motorsport community to help track down archived track programs, pit photos, home video footage and personal scrapbooks from the 1990/91 and 1991/92 Newcastle seasons.

"Motorsport isn't just recorded in official record books—it lives in the dusty photo albums, trackside programs and home tapes stored in sheds right across the country," says Jocelyn Dare, Founder. "Preserving the stories of drivers like Bruce Hall ensures the heavy-metal era of Australian dirt track racing is never forgotten."

Help Us Bring Newcastle Speedway History Back to Life!

Did you or your family spend weekends on the hill at Newcastle Motordrome (Tomago) in the early '90s?

💬 COMMENT: Drop your memories, pit stories, or names of local legends who raced alongside Bruce Hall below!
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