The Final Meeting at the Royale was held on Saturday the 27th of April 1996. The Main event being the World Derby for Speedcars. On the programme were Solos, Sidecars, Vintage Midgets, Vintage Modifieds and Modern Speedcars. The crowd was estimated at approx. 25,000. The evening ended with the fans milling around the infield amongst the vintage machines that lined the edge of the track.
The "King of the Royale", Mr Jim Airey did a lap of honour on Mick Poole's bike.
Solo ace and multi National Solo Champion, Phil Crump wearing his Aussie Test jacket.
New Zealander and Multi World title holder Ivan Mauger did some laps with Crump. The track had too much clay content for these two legends to do fast laps.
Phil Crump and Ivan Mauger and the Members Stand.
Ivan Mauger and Phil Crump get ready for some demo laps.
Partners of old, Geoff Grocott and Peter White on Grant Bond's big 1100 outfit .
Doug Tyerman and Ray Murray hit the dirt once more on an outfit.
Trike legends of the past, Arthur Lincoln and Bob Levy (hidden) Rob Lewis and Doug Robson, Peter White and Geoff Grocott, Doug Tyerman and Ray Murray.
Max Butterworth driving the Capitol Motors/ Barry Butterworth Chev II # 27 and Johnny Harvey driving the Johnny Stewart Shell Trackburner # 1
Sid Middlemass and the Wells Repco Volvo # 54. Sid and this car will forever hold the 50 lap Speedcar record at the Royale.
Some famous old cars on the infield, # 28 the ex Jack Brabham Twin, # 54 the ex Lew Marshall Holden, # 9 the ex Dean Hogarth Sesco, # 26 the ex Allan Marshall Jeep, # 23 the ex Jack Moller Holden, # 35 the ex Bob Tattersall Offenhauser.
Headed, on the pole, by the ex Bob Tattersall Offy # 35 the vintage speedcars of the VSA of NSW do their final laps of the Royale, their home for 61 years.
Photos by Brian Darby...Copyright.
Bob Blacklaw punts the famous ex Bill Warner Super Modified, Mooneyes, around the Royale.
The match race heats for the modern speedcars on the final night were good entertainment. Jay Drake on the inside, Warrenne Ekins on the outside followed by George Ito in 3 and Brooke Tatnell in 8
Northern Territory's hard charger Warrenne Ekins.
A bit of fun on the infield on the final night with Jay Drake, left, Ekins centre and Ito on top of car.
Garry Rush, leading the World Speedcar Derby on his very last lap of the very last race at the Sydney Showground Speedway in the now famous Dark Esslinger midget # 2.
Rush, the victor, acknowledges the fans.
Placegetters for the 1996 World Speedcar Derby and the very last Speedway event at the Royale.
l to r. Jay Drake of the USA 3rd, Garry Rush 1st and Michael Figliomeni of Western Australia 2nd.
And so, the end of an Era.
1926 to 1996, 70 years of Speedway at one of the World's greatest Speedway venues comes to an end.
On the 10th of November 2000, we of the Vintage Speedway movement dedicated and unveiled two plaques, seen here draped with a black curtain on the wall in front of what was the old Suttor stand, to remember those who raced and those who lost their lives at the Royale. Where the three gentlemen ( one is Nick Collier Jnr., another is Bill Bingham) are standing, on what was the main straight, in this photo, is where the photo of Garry Rush (above right) was taken 4 years previously when he won the 1996 World Speedcar Derby, the final event at the Royale. On the Dedication Day we had a representation of the sections that ran at the Royale.
The two Remembrance plaques, permanently mounted on the wall on the old main straight in front of what was the old Suttor stand.
Sid Middlemass
"the eyes of a racer"
