Longford Motorama – Tasmania

Covid tested the Longford Motorama event this year, so, the committee decided to run as a one-day event with the focus on the Village Green, a one block park in the centre of Longford. To spread the crowd a little they had displays at four corners of the

The first spot was given over to bikes with your scribe telling a constant stream of minibus-transported people how bikes started the racing at Longford (in 1953), and some of the stories about Tannery Corner as riders approached from down Tannery Straight and disappeared toward where Long Bridge once stood. Twice during the day the local Police Officer led a parade of bikes and cars around the streets for the pleasure of not only the spectators but those showing their vehicles. Although it was at “low speed” many were able to build a gap big enough to give their vehicle some revs as they passed the big crowd.

The Village Green was heaving all day with spectators taking advantage of this part being free and the park being crowded with cars and bikes many of which had raced at Longford or road cars and bikes from that era. One of the many highlights was the showing of footage of racing on big screens in the hall including a spectacular CGI simulated laps of the track in a Ford Cobra that can be seen by all by going to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTZEdxwZtI4

See OBA Issue 7 for the complete history of motorcycle racing at Longford.

BELOW LEFT A selection of bikes from The National Automobile Museum Of Tasmania. 1970 Honda twin raced by Tony Oliver (39), Trevor Jowett’s 350 AJS (22) raced at Longford, Matchless 500 G50 from the Chris McCausland estate, owned by Dwayne McCausland (0), and NSR 250 Honda (green plate 39), the last bike he raced before his death. BELOW RIGHT Starting to set up the tent at main entrance early in the morning.