Crasharama

Australia’s first stock car race was held at Sydney Showground’s Speedway Royale in December 1954, featuring pre-war Yank Tanks and an emphasis on biff and barge. Drivers received cash bonuses for flipping opponents. An estimated 40,000 spectators came to watch the debut of this new sporting spectacle, so many that squads of police had to be called in to control the crowds.

“There has been nothing like it since the Roman emporers used to feed a few Christians to the lions,” wrote Shaun McIlwraith in People magazine. Boosted by wide-spread coverage on cinema newsreels (TV was still two years away) the stock car cult quickly spread around Australia. This was one of the first examples of what we now call sports entertainment. 

The cars used and abused in those early days would make a modern enthusiast weep. 1936 Ford V8s were common, including one example that doubled as a mobile billboard on the road.  Examples of Chevrolet, Plymouth, Dodge, Studebaker and Oldsmobile were also converted. At least one Cadillac was turned into a stockie, as was a 1935 Terraplane and a 1928 Nash.

Promoted with showbiz flair, this new automotive spectacle attracted some interesting characters. Kings Cross nightclub promoter Abe Saffron competed in a few events, while Redex Trial star Jack Murray was proud of the fact that he rolled his stockie more than any other competitor.

An equally significant event was the 1955 tour by the Hollywood Hell Drivers. Headed by Warner Bros. stuntman Harry Woolman, this international troupe thrilled huge crowds around Australia by jumping cars over ramps, crashing through walls of ice, balancing on two wheels and doing crash-dives into parked vehicles. For stunts which didn’t involve destroying the car, Woolman drove a brand new Ford Customline V8.