Western Springs Speedway bikes , 1976 World Zone Finals - Part 1

Sorry , no sound.
This is ultra- rare footage of the 1976 Australasian World Zone finals races.
The top riders from this round went on to race at the Sydney Showgrounds to qualify for a place in the world champs.
This pits walk-around includes a lovely mix of 2 and 4-valve 70's Jawa bikes & plenty of legends here including Ivan Mauger , Barry Briggs, Larry Ross and ( a very young ) Mitch Shirra - also Australian greats such as Phil Crump and Billy Sanders.
List of riders ;
#1 Graeme Stapleton ( NZ )
#2 Mitch Shirra ( Aus )
#3 Ivan Mauger ( NZ )
#4 Colin Farquharson ( NZ )
#5 Barry Briggs ( NZ )
#6 Ricky Day ( Aus )
#7 Billy Sanders ( Aus )
#8 Phil Crump ( Aus )
#9 John Boulger ( Aus )
#10 Roy Trigg ( NZ )
#11 Paul Fewings ( NZ )
#12 Colin Tucker ( NZ )
#13 John Titman ( Aus )
#14 Phil Herne ( Aus )
#15 Larry Ross ( NZ )
#16 John Langfield ( Aus )
#17 Dennis Sincock ( NZ )
#18 Robin Adlington ( NZ )
Final placings : 1st - Boulger ( Aus )
2nd - Sanders ( Aus )
3rd - Crump ( Aus )
4th - Mauger ( NZ )

[@nullanempty]

Thank you so very much to those involved with preserving all this Content. I started going to this Speedway in 1974 with my Nan & Pop. I can still feel the atmosphere, the smell of it and feel the cinders spraying me

[@DarrenSweetman]

Funny seeing myself in the pits as a 10 year old in my overalls. I still have John Boulgers winning race jacket from that meeting.

[@johnturner1073]

Great footage, just a shame we never got to see any of the races

[@nullanempty]

Kept waiting to see myself looking through the fence all those years ago ..

[@frenzalrhomb6919]

Did you find yourself in the crowd by the fence? How old were you at the time? I was 12-13yrs old, and I used to go to the Sydney Showground Speedway during the time period. We lived only 15 or 20mins walk away at the time. The reason I ask is that I have been to Western Springs Speedway in 1981, and I had a wow of a time. I was really impressed with the calibre of racing I saw, not that I really remember the night because of the Bikes, but the Midgets .... My God was I impressed, I can't say what exactly, it was that I expecting, but I remember being more than happy I went when I had the chance. Hope you get to see some Australian Speedway, one day ... By coming over to Australia, that is. Happy Travels, mate!!

[@nullanempty]

@@frenzalrhomb6919 no I haven’t seen the video of me yet but it’s playing in my memories and that’s cool. I started going to Western Springs when I was 5 for three years before moving to Oz. My Nan & Pop took me to all the big meets and I was always staying at there place in Glen Innes

[@Holden308]

1st - John Boulger (Aust). 2nd - Billy Sanders (Aust). 3rd - Phil Crump (Aust). 4th - Ivan Mauger (NZ). They were the qualifiers who went on to the Intercontinental Final. Crump and Mauger finished 3rd and 4th respectively in the World Final in Poland. Boulger and Sanders finished 10th and 11th at the IC Final and DNQ for the World Final.

[@zeroelliott]

Great stuff. I recall this like it was yesterday.

[@SteveMagr]

Really good film but no raced yet. Looking forward to seeing part 2

[@georgewhiteford9869]

Great footage. Shame there’s no sound!

[@mikew8269]

Any chance you have sorted part 2. Cool footage including Cowboy Colin Farquarson from HB.

[@louisegott665]

That's my favourite Uncle Dennis

[@mikew8269]

Shows Mitch wearing an Aussie race jacket.

[@Holden308]

Back then Shirra had lied about his age and was riding under the Aussie flag. He started riding at Kembla Grange near Wollongong south of Sydney at the age of 14 in 1973. It was only after he actually turned 17 that it came out that he was a Kiwi.