I travelled some 440 kms yesterday to commentate a speedway meeting. A bit out of my usual zone, I admit, but the club who runs the speedway at Moruya was in need of commentary for one of their more important meetings of the year, the NSW/ACT Board Titles, and they asked me if I would do the job for them. As usual, I was happy to do so and I headed south early to get there for a 1400 race start time. Even though Moruya Speedway is equipped with lights, their autumn meetings are run as daytime shows in deference to the cooler weather.
As it turned out, they needn’t have bothered. Though it was tipping it down at home when I left, by the time I got to Lake Conjola, the rain had stopped and the clouds had begun to clear. The sky was blue and the temperature was 23 degrees by the time I arrived at the track and it stayed that way for the whole meeting. And we’re nearly half way through Autumn; amazing.
I have always wanted to do a show at Moruya for some very personal reasons. The track would not exist at all today if it weren’t for the efforts of a small group of enthusiasts (as is usually the case) who banded together, lobbied the local council, tapped local businesses for support and sponsorship and worked their collective butts off to make sure that it happened. Speedway is grass roots motorsport at its very best.
And foremost among that group of enthusiasts was a bearded larrikan by the name of Jack Hogg. Sadly, Jack passed away about 20 years ago after having lived a long and colourful life but he is immortalised at the track in the control tower and administration building which is named in his honour. I got to know Jack in the late 70’s when I was working as the commentator at Canberra’s Tralee Speedway. Jack would drive up from Moruya each weekend and share the commentary with me as we called the races. I don’t know, but I am guessing that he was in his 70’s by then but his wit was keen (his collection of mother-in-law jokes was legendary) and his shameless trolling for another bag of dounts from the donut van plus his unique turn of phrase made his a crowd favourite.
Unfortunately, we butted heads a few times. Jack saw me as an interloper who was after his job (I wasn’t – commentators are famously ultra defensive of their turf). The real problem was that, by that stage, Jack’s eyesight was far from good. Consequently he had become known for making some “bloopers” when calling the races and he was quite displeased when I tried (diplomatically) to cover for his mistakes in my own way. However, we soon established a great working relationship and Jack gave tacit assent to the club’s wishes, allowing me to do the majority of the race calling while slipped comfortably and brilliantly into the “colour” commentary role. Thus I became the straight man and he the comedy relief; it worked famously.
After moving away from Canberra I lost track (!) of the speedway scene there I was very saddened to hear of his subsequent ill-health and retirement from behind the microphone.
So I counted it a real privilege to be working in the box that bears his name yesterday and I determined to to an extra good job in Jackie’s honour. The racing was excellent (though provincial tracks do suffer from small numbers of cars in each division) and I was enjoying the novelty of working a new box. That was until the last few races of the heat races where their brand new radio microphone started to do some funny things. Sure enough, right on cue, it failed totally about two laps into the first 15 lap feature race. To say I was frustrated is an understatement but…
I was never a boy scout but the scout motto, “Be Prepared” came to the forefront. Fortunately I always carry in my speedway bag along with my binoculars, a clip board, a desk lamp (battery powered) and a jacket, a microphone and lead. So I quickly dug the mike out of the bag, connected it up, turned off the radio mike and continued with the commentary, missing, perhaps, about 4 laps of the race in the process. I called the rest of the programme that way and was able to save the day through a bit of preparation.
Afterwards I took the batteries out of the radio mike and they were the ones that had come with the mike. Not even heavy duty and I had been commentating non-stop for about 3 hours when they started to give trouble. They will be sending out for some Energisers before the next meeting!
The highway was all but deserted for the trip home and I enjoyed hounding the car through the many miles of twisty roads that make up the Princes Highway. It had been a beaut day, made even better by renewing an acquaintance (albeit spiritually) with an old mate and doing one of the jobs that I love most.
Oh, and something else. After the heat races when there was a gap in the programme for the officials to tally up pointscores and determine starting positions for the feature races, an older gentleman came up to the commentary box to speak to the young lady who was assisting me. They were obviously good friends and the young lady introduced me to him. He was the grandfather of one of the girls racing and we started swapping yarns about the old days, speedway and Jackie Hogg. Of course he knew Jack well and I listened avidly as he told me stories about the old days. “Yes”, he said, “I’ve enjoyed speedway for nearly my whole life. I only stopped racing when I was 83.” “PARDON??” I replied. “Oh, yes,” he said, “I raced for years.” I asked how old he was now and he said, “I’m 89. I turn 90 next month and, you know what? I’ve just bought a new Harley.” It’s not often that your writer is stuck for words but that was one occasion. He looked to me to be about 70! It was worth the trip just for that little cameo. Live long and prosper, Mr Robbie, it was a privilege to meet you.