Australian Championship
SportMotorcycle speedway
Founded1926
Most titlesLeigh Adams (10)

The Australian Individual Speedway Championship historically known as the Australian Solo Championship is a motorcycle speedway championship held each year to determine the Australian national champion. It is organised by Motorcycling Australia (MA) and is the oldest continuously running national speedway championship in the world having been run since 1926 with the exception of 1942-1945 when racing was suspended during World War II and 1955-1961 when the championship was not held.[1][2]

The first Championship in 1926 was held at the Newcastle Showground in Newcastle. It was won by American rider Cecil Brown from Mick Brennan and Roy Hindle.[3]

Legendary Danish rider Ole Olsen (1976) and Australia's own Jason Crump (2007) are the only riders who have won the championship while being the reigning Speedway World Champion. Olsen's controversial win at the Liverpool Speedway in Sydney in 1976 was the last win by a non-Australian rider. His win was controversial as many of the riders at the meeting protested his eligibility because of his nationality. However, with Olsen available to ride the promoters of the speedway insisted on his inclusion knowing that he would draw a larger crowd.

The winner of the Championship receives the Billy Sanders Memorial Trophy named after the speedway rider Billy Sanders (1955–1985).

Past winners

Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1926 Newcastle Showgrounds Cecil Brown (United States) Mick Brennan (NSW) Roy Hindle (NSW)
1927
(2 laps)
Newcastle Showgrounds Pat Hamilton (NSW) J. Anderson Paddy Dean (NSW)
1927
(4 laps)
Newcastle Showgrounds Pat Hamilton (NSW) Tom Sharp Ted Rees (NSW)
1927
(500cc 3 laps)
Newcastle Showgrounds Paddy Dean (NSW) Ted Rees (NSW) Harold Murdoch (NSW)
1927
(500cc 4 laps)
Newcastle Showgrounds Ted Rees (NSW) Billy Lamont (NSW) Sprouts Elder (United States)
1928
(3 laps)
Claremont Speedway Sig Schlam (WA) Alby Taylor (SA)
1928
(6 laps)
Wayville Showground Alby Taylor (SA) Vic Huxley (Qld)
1929
(3 laps)
Wayville Showground Frank Duckett (SA) Paddy Dean (NSW) Tommy Benstead (NSW)
1929
(2¾ hp - 4 laps)
Davies Park Frank Pearce (Qld) Frank Arthur (NSW)
1929
(3½ hp - 4 laps)
Davies Park Max Grosskreutz (Qld) Alby Taylor (SA) Frank Pearce (Qld)
1929
(2 miles)
Claremont Speedway Sig Schlam (WA) Cec Walker (WA) Syd Parsons (SA)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1930
(3 laps)
Wayville Showground Jack Chapman (SA) Jack Ormston (England) Frank Arthur (NSW)
1930
(6 laps)
Claremont Speedway Arthur Atkinson (England) Jack Chapman (SA) Bill Dunne (WA)
1930
(2 miles)
Exhibition Speedway Reg West (Vic) Lionel Davey (Qld)
1931
(2 laps)
Melbourne Motordrome Harold Hastings (Qld) Max Grosskreutz (Qld) Frank Duckett (SA)
1931
(4 laps)
Bathurst Showground Harold Murdoch (NSW) Ken Kirkman (NSW) Bruce Webb (NSW)
1931
(6 laps)
Wayville Showground Ray Tauscher (United States) Jack Hanson (SA) Laurie Packer (SA)
1932
(2 laps)
Cumberland Oval Wally Little (NSW) Ken Kirkman (NSW)
1932
(3 laps)
Wayville Showground Arnold Hansen (SA) Max Grosskreutz (Qld) Dick Wise (SA)
1932
(4 laps)
Exhibition Speedway Bill Rogers (NSW) Lionel Davey (Qld)
1933 Exhibition Speedway Larry Boulton (England) Bert Spencer (Qld) Jack Bibby (Vic)
1934 Brisbane Exhibition Ground Vic Huxley (Qld) George Greenwood (England) Frank Arthur (NSW)
1935 Sydney Showground Speedway Bluey Wilkinson (NSW) Tiger Stevenson (England) Frank Varey (England)
1936 Sydney Showground Speedway Max Grosskreutz (Qld) Vic Huxley (Qld) Jack Milne (United States)
1937 Sydney Showground Speedway Jack Milne (United States) Wilbur Lamoreaux (United States) Vic Duggan (NSW)
1938
(3 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Bluey Wilkinson (NSW) Jack Milne (United States) Joe Abbott (England)
1938
(4 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Bluey Wilkinson (NSW) Wilbur Lamoreaux (United States) Clem Mitchell (SA)
1938
(5 laps)
Camden Motordrome Jack Parker (England) Cordy Milne (United States) Frank Woodroofe (SA)
1939 not held
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1940 Sydney Showground Speedway Cordy Milne (United States) Vic Duggan (NSW) Lionel Van Praag (NSW)
1941 Sydney Sports Ground Vic Duggan (NSW) Lionel Van Praag (NSW)
1942-1945 not held
1946 Sydney Sports Ground Frank Dolan Lionel Van Praag (NSW) Bill Rogers (NSW)
1947
(2 laps)
Tracey's Speedway Bill Rogers (NSW) Lionel Van Praag (NSW) Aub Lawson (NSW)
1947
(3 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Vic Duggan (NSW) Lionel Van Praag (NSW) Ray Duggan (NSW)
1947
(4 laps)
Brisbane Exhibition Ground Andy Menzies (Vic) Charlie Spinks (Qld) Keith Cox (Qld)
1948
(2 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Vic Duggan (NSW) Max Grosskreutz (Qld)
Bill Melluish
1948
(3 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Vic Duggan (NSW)[4] Norman Parker (England) Max Grosskreutz (Qld)
1948
(2 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Vic Duggan (NSW) Aub Lawson (NSW) Ray Duggan (NSW)
Alec Statham (England)
1949
(2 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Aub Lawson (NSW) Jack Biggs (Vic) Graham Warren (Qld)
Eric Chitty (Canada)
1949
(4 laps)
Brisbane Exhibition Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Bill Rogers (NSW) Ray Duggan (NSW)
Charlie Spinks (Qld)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1950
(2 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Graham Warren (Qld) Jack Biggs (Vic)
1950
(3 laps)
Tracey's Speedway Bill Kitchen (England) Bill Longley (Vic) Aub Lawson (NSW)
Jack Biggs (Vic)
1950
(4 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Jack Parker (England) Aub Lawson (NSW) Bill Longley (Vic)
1950
(Champion of Champions)
Sydney Sports Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Jack Parker (England) Jack Biggs (Vic)
1951
(3 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Jack Parker (England) Keith Ryan (NSW) Aub Lawson (NSW)
1951
(4 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Jack Parker (England) Aub Lawson (NSW)
Tommy Miller (Scotland)
1951
(Champion of Champions)
Brisbane Exhibition Ground Jack Parker (England) Aub Lawson (NSW) Tommy Miller (Scotland)
1952
(2 laps)
Maitland Showground Keith Ryan (NSW) Aub Lawson (NSW)
Lionel Levy (NSW)
1952
(3 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Keith Ryan (NSW) Jack Parker (England)
Lionel Levy (NSW)
1952
(4 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Lionel Levy (NSW) Aub Lawson (NSW) Jack Parker (England)
1952
(Champion of Champions)
Brisbane Exhibition Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Lionel Levy (NSW) Keith Ryan (NSW)
1953
(3 laps)
Sydney Showground Speedway Aub Lawson (NSW) Lionel Levy (NSW) Allan Quinn (NSW)
1953
(4 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Lionel Levy (NSW) Aub Lawson (NSW) Don Lawson (NSW)
1953
(Champion of Champions)
Brisbane Exhibition Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Lionel Levy (NSW) Keith Ryan (NSW)
1954
(3 laps)
Sydney Sports Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Ken McKinlay (Scotland) Lionel Levy (NSW)
1954
(Champion of Champions)
Sydney Sports Ground Aub Lawson (NSW) Lionel Levy (NSW) Rune Sörmander (Sweden)
1955-1959 not held
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1960-1961 not held
1962 Rockhampton Speedway Bob Sharp (NSW) Ivan Mauger (New Zealand) Keith Gurtner (Qld)
1963 Rockhampton Speedway Mike Broadbank (England) Keith Gurtner (Qld) Ivan Mauger (New Zealand)
1964 Sydney Showground Speedway Ken McKinlay (Scotland) Jack Scott (SA) Ray Cresp (Vic)
1965 Sydney Showground Speedway Bob Sharp (NSW) Brian Collins (NSW) Bill Bryden (NSW)
1966 Rowley Park Speedway Chum Taylor (WA) Jimmy Gooch (England) Dennis Gavros (SA)
1967 Rowley Park Speedway Jack Scott (SA) Göte Nordin (Sweden) Ken McKinlay (Scotland)
1968 Sydney Showground Speedway Jim Airey (NSW) Nigel Boocock (England) Eric Boocock (England)
1969 Sydney Showground Speedway Jim Airey (NSW) Ken McKinlay (Scotland)
Jack White (Qld)
Greg Kentwell (NSW)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1970 Sydney Showground Speedway Jim Airey (NSW) John Boulger (SA)
Kevin Torpie (Vic)
1971 Claremont Speedway John Boulger (SA) Bob O'Leary (WA) John Langfield (NSW)
1972 Rowley Park Speedway Jim Airey (NSW) Ole Olsen (Denmark) John Boulger (SA)
1973 Sydney Showground Speedway John Boulger (SA) John Langfield (NSW) Billy Sanders (NSW)
1974 Brisbane Exhibition Ground Steve Reinke (Qld) John Boulger (SA) John Titman (Qld)
1975 Sydney Showground Speedway Phil Crump (Vic) John Titman (Qld) Phil Herne (NSW)
1976 Liverpool International Speedway Ole Olsen (Denmark) Phil Crump (Vic) Billy Sanders (NSW)
1977 Brisbane Exhibition Ground John Titman (Qld) Phil Crump (Vic) Billy Sanders (NSW)
1978 Claremont Speedway Billy Sanders (NSW) Phil Herne (NSW) Lloyd Cross (WA)
1979 Olympic Park Speedway Phil Crump (Vic) Danny Kennedy (Vic) John Boulger (SA)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1980 Sydney Showground Speedway Billy Sanders (NSW)[5] Phil Crump (Vic) John Titman (Qld)
1981 Brisbane Exhibition Ground Billy Sanders (NSW) Phil Crump (Vic) John Titman (Qld)
1982 Claremont Speedway Billy Sanders (NSW) Gary Guglielmi (NSW) Glyn Taylor (WA)
1983 Speedway Park Billy Sanders (NSW) Glyn Taylor (WA) Phil Crump (Vic)
1984 Olympic Park Speedway Phil Crump (Vic) Billy Sanders (NSW) Gary Guglielmi (NSW)
1985 Pioneer Park Speedway Billy Sanders (NSW) Phil Crump (Vic) Stan Bear (Qld)
1986 Pioneer Park Speedway Troy Butler (Qld) John Titman (Qld) Alan Rivett (NSW)
1987 Olympic Park Speedway Steve Regeling (Qld) Steve Baker (SA) Glyn Taylor (WA)
1988 Riverview Speedway Phil Crump (Vic) Steve Regeling (Qld) Craig Hodgson (SA)
1989 Newcastle Motordrome Glenn Doyle (WA)[6] Stephen Davies (NSW) Jamie Fagg (NT)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
1990 Brisbane Exhibition Ground Glenn Doyle (WA) Leigh Adams (Vic) Stephen Davies (NSW)
1991 Arunga Park Speedway Craig Boyce (NSW) Glenn Doyle (WA) Glyn Taylor (WA)
1992 North Arm Speedway Leigh Adams (Vic) Shane Parker (SA) Mark Carlson (Qld)
1993 Brisbane Exhibition Ground Leigh Adams (Vic) Jason Lyons (Vic) Shane Bowes (SA)
1994 Olympic Park Speedway Leigh Adams (Vic) Jason Lyons (Vic) Jason Crump (Vic)
1995 Gosford Speedway Jason Crump (Vic) Craig Boyce (NSW) Leigh Adams (Vic)
1996 Newcastle Showgrounds Craig Boyce (NSW) Jason Crump (Vic) Tony Langdon (Qld)
1997 Brisbane Exhibition Ground Craig Boyce (NSW) Jason Crump (Vic) Ryan Sullivan (SA)
1998 Riverview Speedway Leigh Adams (Vic) Jason Lyons (Vic) Jason Crump (Vic)
1999 Olympic Park Speedway Todd Wiltshire (NSW) Jason Lyons (Vic) Nigel Sadler (SA)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
2000 Gosford Speedway Leigh Adams (Vic) Mark Lemon (Vic) Todd Wiltshire (NSW)
2001 Riverview Speedway Todd Wiltshire (NSW) Leigh Adams (Vic) Mick Poole (NSW)
2002 Wayville Showground Leigh Adams (Vic) Jason Crump (Vic) Ryan Sullivan (SA)
2003 Gosford Speedway Leigh Adams (Vic) Todd Wiltshire (NSW) Craig Watson (NSW)
2004 Gold Coast Speedway
Gosford Speedway
Olympic Park Speedway
Ryan Sullivan (SA) Leigh Adams (Vic) Todd Wiltshire (NSW)
2005 Gosford Speedway
Newcastle Showgrounds
Gillman Speedway
Olympic Park Speedway
Leigh Adams (Vic) Jason Lyons (Vic) Steve Johnston (WA)
2006 Gillman Speedway
Olympic Park Speedway
Newcastle Showgrounds
Leigh Adams (Vic) Todd Wiltshire (NSW) Rory Schlein (SA)
2007 Newcastle Showgrounds
Sydney Showground
Olympic Park Speedway
Gillman Speedway
Borderline Speedway
Jason Crump (Vic) Leigh Adams (Vic) Steve Johnston (WA)
2008 Olympic Park Speedway
Gillman Speedway
Borderline Speedway
Newcastle Showgrounds
Sydney Showground
Chris Holder (NSW) Troy Batchelor (Qld) Joe Screen (England)
2009 Newcastle Showgrounds
Olympic Park Speedway
Gillman Speedway
Leigh Adams (Vic) Chris Holder (NSW) Rory Schlein (SA)
Year Venue Winner Runner-up 3rd place
2010 3 rounds Chris Holder (NSW) Troy Batchelor (SA) Darcy Ward (Qld)
2011 4 rounds Chris Holder (NSW) Darcy Ward (Qld) Davey Watt (Qld)
2012 3 rounds Chris Holder (NSW) Davey Watt (Qld) Cameron Woodward (Vic)
2013 3 rounds[7] Troy Batchelor (SA) Dakota North (Vic) Cameron Woodward (Vic)
2014 3 rounds Chris Holder (NSW) Jason Doyle (NSW) Josh Grajczonek (Qld)
2015 4 rounds[8] Jason Doyle (NSW) Sam Masters (NSW) Justin Sedgmen (Vic)
2016 4 rounds[9] Brady Kurtz (NSW) Sam Masters (NSW) Max Fricke (Vic)
2017 4 rounds[10] Sam Masters (NSW) Justin Sedgmen (Vic) Davey Watt (Qld)
2018 4 rounds[11] Rohan Tungate (NSW) Brady Kurtz (NSW) Max Fricke (Vic)
2019 5 rounds[12] Max Fricke (Vic) Rohan Tungate (NSW) Chris Holder (NSW)
2020 5 rounds[13][14] Max Fricke (Vic) Jack Holder (NSW) Rohan Tungate (NSW)
2021 cancelled due to COVID-19
2022 Gillman Speedway[15] Max Fricke Justin Sedgmen Tate Zischke
2023 4 rounds[16] Jack Holder Jason Doyle Max Fricke
2024 5 rounds[17][18]

No third place is listed with two or more riders tied for second place. Additionally, with only one rider listed in second, third place was unknown
♦ 1990 ride-ff after top 2 tied on 14pts. 1998 ride-off after top 3 placings tied on 13pts
# Riders tied on points required ride-off for second and third place
All titles from 1962 to 1967 were determined by a single race. Titles from 1968 to 2003 decided on the traditional single meeting. From 1999 to 2003 a final for the top 4 point scorers was instituted
Since 2004 all titles have been over a 3, 4 or 5 round series

See also

Medals classification

PosRiderGoldSilverBronze
1.Leigh Adams 10 4 1
2.Aub Lawson 9 7 3
3.Billy Sanders 6 1 3
4.Jack Parker 5 2 1
5.Vic Duggan 5 1 1
Chris Holder 5 1 1
7.Phil Crump 4 4 1
8.Jim Airey 4
9.Craig Boyce 3 1
10.Max Fricke 3 3
11.Bluey Wilkinson 3
12.Lionel Levy 2 6 1
13.Jason Crump 2 3 2
14.John Boulger 2 2 2
Todd Wiltshire 2 2 2
16.Max Grosskreutz 2 2
17.Keith Ryan 2 1 2
18.Glenn Doyle 2 1
19.Pat Hamilton 2
Sig Schlam 2
Bob Sharp 2
22.Jack Holder 1 1

Notes

  • Eleven non-Australian riders have won the championship. Cecil Brown (USA) in 1926, Arthur Atkinson (England) in 1930 (2 miles), Ray Tauscher (USA) in 1931 (6 laps), Larry Boulton (England) in 1933, Jack Milne (USA) in 1937, Jack Parker (England) in 1938, 1950, 1951 [x2], Cordy Milne (USA) in 1938, Bill Kitchen (England) in 1950, Mike Broadbank (England) in 1963, Ken McKinlay (Scotland) in 1964, and Ole Olsen (Denmark) in 1976.
  • In the early years of the championship, multiple Australian titles were often held in the same year with some riders winning more than one title per year. Championships were run over anywhere from 2 to 6 laps and/or over 2 miles, often depending on the length of the track used.
  • Both Ole Olsen (1976) and Jason Crump (2007) were the reigning Speedway World Champions when they won their Australian titles. Jack Milne of the USA won the 1937 Australian Championship and later that year won the 1937 World Championship. Bluey Wilkinson won the 3 & 4 Lap Australian Championships in 1938 before also going on to win the World Championship later that year, Chris Holder also won both the 2012 Australian and World Championships.
  • Speedway World Champions to have won the Australian championship include Bluey Wilkinson (1935, 1938 [3 & 4 Laps]), Jack Milne (1937), Ole Olsen (1976), Jason Crump (1995, 2007) and Chris Holder (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2014).
  • Leigh Adams was the reigning Under-21 World Champion when he won his second straight Australian title in 1993. Jason Crump would win his first Australian title in 1995 and later that year won the 1995 U/21 World Championship.
  • Adams also became the first reigning Australian Under-21 Champion to win the senior title when he won his first championship in 1992. Chris Holder became just the second rider to hold both titles at the same time in 2008
  • Phil and Jason Crump are the only father/son combination to win the Australian Solo Championship.
  • Billy Sanders holds the record for most title wins in a row, winning four in a row from 1980 to 1983. Sanders also won in 1978 and 1985 giving him 6 titles in 8 years, but lost his title in both 1979 and 1984 to Phil Crump. Vic Duggan (1941, 1947, 1948 [x3]) and Chris Holder (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014) have both won 5 Australian Championships.
  • Leigh Adams holds the record for most title wins overall with 10. Aub Lawson holds the record for most podiums with 19 between 1947 and 1954. Lawson's total includes his record of 4 wins in the Champion of Champions (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) and his second place in the 1951 Champion of Champions.
  • Mildura rider Jason Lyons holds the dubious record of having finished second the most number of times (5 - 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999 & 2005) without ever having won the Australian Championship.
  • The winner receives the Billy Sanders Memorial Trophy in honour of the Sydney rider who tragically took his own life on 23 April 1985 just three months after winning his then record 6th championship.

References

  1. "Individual Australian Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  2. "Australian Speedway Championship Results". Australian Speedway Championship. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  3. "Indywidualne Mistrzostwa Australii". Speedway Fansite. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  4. "Norman Parker back in form in Championship". South Western Star. 30 January 1948. Retrieved 10 November 2023 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 91. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
  6. Oakes, Peter (1990). Speedway Yearbook 1990. Front Page Books. p. 10. ISBN 0-948882-15-8.
  7. "Aussie Title for Batchelor Archived 2013-03-15 at the Wayback Machine", speedway365.com, 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013
  8. Hartshorn, Michael (2015) "Jason Doyle claims Aussie title as Hunter riders dominate final round at Kurri Kurri Speedway", Maitland Mercury, 10 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015
  9. "Confusing end to Aussie title - Brady Kurtz declared Australian solo speedway champion", Mildura Independent, 10 January 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016
  10. "Sam Masters Storms to Aussie Gold", Speedway Grand Prix, 14 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017
  11. "Tungate Lands First Aussie Title", Speedway Grand Prix, 14 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018
  12. "Fricke indywidualnym mistrzem Australii! W nagrodę pojedzie w Grand Prix", Gazeta Wrocławska, 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019
  13. "https://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/8039/fricke-celebrates-aussie-title-double"/Fricke Celebrates Aussie Title Double, 14 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020
  14. "2020 Australian Solo Speedway Championship Series". Australian Speedway Championship. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  15. "Max Fricke retains the Australian Solo Championship". Gillman Speedway. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  16. "Holder is Aussie Champ". British Speedway. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  17. "Jack Holder set for Aussie title defence in January". FIM Speedway. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  18. "2024 AUSTRALIAN SENIOR SOLO CHAMPIONSHIP". australianspeedwaychampionships. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
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