St George Motorcycle Club ran Round 4 of its Interclub Challenge at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway today. Hardly an earth-shattering snippet, especially considering that there were no championships at stake and the weather was set to be pretty rank as well. But it was a significant day because today marked the very last Sprint Race meeting at the circuit before it closes at the end of the year to be redeveloped as another soulless housing estate, disappearing under lawns and streets as Sydney continues its relentless spread westwards.
The racing was excellent as it always is and, despite the weather forecast being proved correct with heavy rain for a couple of hours in the middle of the day, the riders adapted well and turned on a good show.
It was great to see my good friend Richard Zaja, from Canberra, win one leg of the Unlimited race on his CBR1000RR, Richard having first raced at the circuit as a “D” Grade rider back in 1987. As he said to me at the end of the day, “I’m going to miss this place, it’s been a great 22 years.” Many people came up to commentary during the day and expressed similar sentiments. Chief Steward for MNSW, Rob Johnston, who remembers racing going right back to when the circuit opened 46 years ago, was especially “misty” and I can’t say I blame him for that.
Sitting up in the tower I think I felt the ghosts of the greats who have graced Oran Park over the years. Ron Toombs, Brian Hindle, Gregg Hansford, Kenny Blake, Rob Moorhouse, and others who paid the ultimate price for the sport that they loved. And those who are still living whose names are etched in the folklore that will one day be Oran Park; Murray Sayle, Warren Willing, the Hinton family, Tony Hatton, Rob Phillis, Paul Feeney, Malcolm (Wally) Campbell, “Gentleman” John Woodley and his crazy Kiwi sidekick, Graeme Crosby and a host of others.
It was a nostalgic day and marks the beginning of the end of this once-great circuit. The curtain for bikes will come down on the weekend of the 21/22 November with the running of the Belray 6 Hour Race, an event which I am pleased to say that I have been asked to commentate at.
My thanks to Jan Blizzard and the whole St George Club for offering me the opportunity to call the last sprint race meeting at the Park. I feel very privileged and very honoured.