The Roaring Season

This is the final chapter of the Bruce Wells Collection from Oran Park. I have to say, I've had an absolute blast working through these Oran Park photos. For much of the 1960s, Oran Park was a small club circuit, which operated in the shadows of the high profile NSW tracks like Warwick Farm and Bathurst. And as such, it tended to attract the budget racers, the weekend warriors who were out to have a bit of fun with their home-built specials. These Oran Park chapters have shown a side of Australian motorsport history that is largely forgotten, as many of these cars and drivers flew under the radar, and rarely made media reports.

Oran Park was the home of Sports Sedan racing, which, by the early 1970s, was the biggest thing in Australian motorsport. And many of the photos in these chapters show the early evolution of Sports Racing Closed cars, which went on to become Sports Sedan racing. This was where it all began. But Oran Park wasn't just about modified sedan cars, the number of amazing, budget built specials that have appeared among these chapters have been just as fascinating.

Oran Park is gone now, and it hosted V8 Supercar rounds right to the end, but to me, this charismatic race track has always been all about the cars and drivers seen here in these photos, the grass-roots racers who helped make it what it was.

The photos in this chapter are from two events, held in November 1965, and May 1967.

I assume the Mini Cooper and Cortina at the bottom of that last post are again John Harvey and George Garth, as seen in earlier chapters?

Well said Steve, I agree, especially the last paragraph. That is Leon Pedzik in the Chev exiting Energol onto the straight.

Dale.

Yes, John Harvey and George Garth. What a great shot. And the Porsche #76 would be Bill Hall. It had the engine turned around (amidship) and was supercharged.

Dale.

Wow, you're quick out of the blocks this morning Dale! Fantastic. Thanks for the ID on the Pedzik 55 Chevy, I was wondering how quickly someone would correctly call this one.

OK, time for the next batch:

Those Morry Minors look staunch.

Last two photos from 1965. Moving on next to 1967.

Alrighty, 1967. These are from a May 1967 event.

The John Leffler Mini appears a couple of times, can anyone ID the EH Holden Leffler is harassing?

I believ the Lotus Cortina is that of Chris Brauer, who later had the big Lakeside shunt in the ex-Jane Mustang.

I think the EH is driven by Tony Patch. Ex Warren Weldon car.

Dale.

Notice the 3 strips (normally masking tape) on the back of the Chev in photo 1. Remember we all went through this for first 3 club meetings being observed before full licence. Also a message to big boy's "I am new, give me room". That was here but obviously same in Aussie.
Also note the left rear losing a bit of its tread depth. wouldn't you love that car now.

Hey thats well spotted Rod! Interesting the Chevy is right hand drive. Were these cars sold new in Aus?

Dale Harvey wrote:I think the EH is driven by Tony Patch. Ex Warren Weldon car.

Dale.

Thanks Dale, brilliant.

Counting down towards the finish here guys.

I really love that Don Holland Cooper S. Got to see it in the flesh last season with owner Fred Sayers. Really neat little car.