Springfield Flyer.

[tauruck]

The oval was dirt before I really got into the racing but by the time I was 12 they tarred the track.
Speedway had died a slow death and 4 wheels ruled.

Not too many pics around of Sprint cars from the late 60s and early 70s but my hero was an American guy called Don Hamilton
who came over every year for a series of match races. He eventually brought Dick Zimmerman with him and Dick never left. He married a South African girl
and unfortunately died in a car crash a few years back.
The car in picture was brought out to SA by Dick and sold to a local guy.

[tauruck]

My dad died when I was 12.
People felt sorry for us kids and a friend of my mom gave me a book of tickets
for the stadium. These tickets covered all meetings even the ones that were sold out weeks in advance.
If I was sharper I could have been the richest kid in Joburg. Guys would have paid a weeks wages for a ticket.

The guy that put on the show was Buddy Fuller, ex Springbok Speedway rider and all round great guy.
He had bike stunts for the interval show along with the "cannon" where some guy drove an old 38 Chevy Coupe up a ramp shaped like a cannon filled with Oxygen filled tractor tires
ignited by spark plugs to create the boom heard for miles around.
He crashed the car into a pile of wrecks. No pics of that but it was quite a show.

[tauruck]

The track was my second home.
They had Midgets and about 4 other classes.
Unfortunately images are hard to find.

Uncle Buddy was my mentor and right up to when I was 17 he kept promising me a drive when I could produce a drivers licence.
Hockey won out but he did bail me out when I snapped the side shaft on my mom's Mercedes. He had the race mechanics fit the new part.
I used to "steal" the car to go to hockey practice via the freeway and the dirt parking lot.

[wobblywalrus]

That is a big track.  It must have been a lot of fun to watch.  Most of our dirt track racing on the west coast was on horse tracks.  The dirt that got kicked up by the tire of the guy in front had that special flavor.

[tauruck]

From playing hockey and not having access to store bought equipment I learned to work with fiberglass.
I'd make a new goalie mask for my brother every season from the time I was 13.

I eventually realized my dream of winning races at my home track but it was on a Suzuki RM123A.
I was SAs first "unofficial" supercross champion.
24 wins from 27 starts. The old man was proud and I remember the smile. He was old and grey
but his shiny pearly whites stood out from any distance.

[tauruck]

Bo, I think it looks bigger in the pics.
It was just over a quarter mile.

In the mid 80s it was demolished and is now a truck yard.
Television killed a lot of our sports here along with drive ins and road houses.

[Kiwi Paul]

Wow, Mike--that is a really impressive resume. Most of my early Motorsport involved spectating or crewing. No owning or driving for me. Not too much has changed, including financially.....but I am thankful that I can support my Family doing the work that I do (Metal Body Forming and Repair, General Antique and Classic Automotive Fabrication.....) and that I am still able to do it, and go to Bonneville each year.....

[tauruck]

Thanks Paul.
My early experiences formed my love for all things V8.
Hot rods, oval track and drag racing.
When I was old enough to race a car the oval was gone and like the young fool I was I got into road racing.
Not really my scene and all my crashes happened on right handers. There was a message in there.

This is probably a first but I got out of racing because my car was stolen and sold by my sponsors in the off season.
The two older guys behind me.

[Riaan Lingenfelder]

Hey Mike.
To think while you were crawling benches at the track I was crawling the carpets at home in nappies just a few kilometers away.
I was lucky to see some of the races in later years. Late 70s early 80s. But you are right. The initial spark was gone .
Today the ols South is a diferent South. You still race thru there like hell not to get hijacked or parts stolen at the stopstreets.

[Buickguy3]

   Great story, Mike,
     Land Speed racing will be a real fitting extension to it. The nice part is you don't have to build somebody else' idea of a race car. You can build your dreams and there are people here who will help and give you encouragement. Proud to call you friend.
    Doug 

[tauruck]

Coming from two of my best mates that means a lot.
Thank you.

This car is mine, I love it but all you guys have had a hand in the build.
Without the friends and the forum I'd still be walking around with a tape measure and scratching my head.

[Riaan Lingenfelder]

Mike.
I see a light at the end of my tunnel. And its not a freigjt train.
Its a slow rider.
Soon I can  get back on the horse with some Autralian assistance (sic) ......
And local content to boost....
Keep going buddy. Never have I seen more skill and commitment from a living being.....

[tauruck]

Thanks Riaan.
You're right about the light at the end of the tunnel.

I'll have the rest of the wheels including the 18s by months end.

I got 33kg of Epoxy resin for the body work, so I can start producing panels now.

You need to email me about the local content.

[Riaan Lingenfelder]

Well Mike.
Its simple. Eaton might be a big player Worldwide. But the SA operation needs some guidance. But the oposition seems to know talent when they see it. Australia seems to pouch more than sheep  from us

[lsrjunkie]

Cool pictures Mike, and an even cooler story. Always neat to learn a little about the events and circumstances that led your friends down the path that they're now on. Thanks for sharing brother!