‘The quickest way round is on the bitumen’

The history of the Oran Park circuit.

By Neville Beyer

ISBN: 9 780646 990668 Paperback 280 pages Published by Greenfields Management Price: $30.00 Available from: www.oranparkracing.com.au

2020 marks ten years since the closure of Oran Park, the Sydney circuit that was the home of motor racing in New South Wales for almost half a century. The author is Neville Beyer, who was a flag marshal for the first meeting and went on to become circuit coordinator and chief official until the closure of the track. This comprehensive book, while heavily slanted towards the four-wheeled activity at the track, nevertheless covers the history of the establishment of the circuit on the western Sydney property that had housed car club gymkhanas since 1956. Partially financed by 5 Pound Loan Certificates issued by the Singer Car Club, it opened with a restricted meeting for cars using a circuit with a lap of 1,766 yards (1.614 km) on Sunday 18th February 1962. At that stage the circuit was simply bitumen sprayed thinly over a dirt surface, prompting track manager Jack Allen to sternly advise competitors to keep to the surfaced area to avoid dragging gravel and grass onto the racing surface. His quote is the title of the book. The first motorcycle meeting took place one year later on the same track, which was used only once more before a modified layout, measuring 1.96km, came into being and remained for many years. That opening meeting attracted no less a figure than World Champion Jim Redman, and from that day on, Oran Park was ‘the place to race’ hosting up to half a dozen motorcycle meetings per year. The motorcycle section of the book occupies just ten pages, but fortunately acknowledges the contribution of people like Les Johnson, Bruce Rands, Eric McPherson and Arthur and Jan Blizzard. All profits from the sale of the book are to be donated to motor sport charities.