Racing Drivers Association of South Australia. (RDA)

The first General Meeting was held at the Clubrooms, Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide on July 7 1936. The election of officers nominated at the previous meeting of the Dirt Track and Drivers Association were confirmed as President A.E. Poole, Secretary R.F. Edwards, Treasurer J. Dobbie, Commitee L. Packer, J. Wise, V. Green and Scrutineer S. Frisby…. The name of the Association to be The Racing Drivers Association of South Australia which incorporated in 1937. Foundation Members.. A.E. Poole, L. Packer, A. Ramsay, Wally Watson, R. Edwards, D. Ekins, J. Wise, V. Green, R. Lindsay, J. Briggs, G. Clarke, E. Challis, S. Frisby and M. Daniels. Mr. G. Tralagan of J.N. Taylor was the Vice President… Constitution and Rules were accepted in August 1936. Names mentioned in the first 3 months meeting were Mr. Alec Rowe and Mr. Rowland Jones…. August 1936 the first quote to erect Clubrooms at Camden Speedway on Anzac Highway was 25 . 5. 11. pounds…. September 1936 Mr. A.E. Poole was made the very first Life Member of the Racing Drivers Association….November 1936 had shown the strength of Drivers being united to the Promotors…. February 1937 Mr. A.E. Poole relenquised the Presidency and Mr. H. Hogan was elected as the new President of the R.D.A: Mr Roland Jones become Treasurer and new Clubrooms were leased in the Savings Bank of South Australia building at Rundle Street, Adelaide…. In 1938 2/6 per race meeting was collected per Driver towards an accident fund. In this year a visitors book was introduced…. In March 1939 it was moved by the Racing Drivers Association to purchase the Camden Speedway for 400 Pounds, 200 down and take over the over draught of 200. This was done by forming a Company known as Associated Speedways Limited, which in 1941 was disposed of…. In 1942 General Meetings were discontinued due to the War…. In 1945 Regular General meetings were reconvened…. Mr Rocky Marshall organised Speedway Meetings at Kilburn Speedway in 1946. This was done with close liason between the R.D.A. and the Velocette Motor Cycle Club…. In 1947 the very first meeting under lights was held at Kilburn Speedway…. In 1949 a Mr. Telfor was the Manager of Kirjon Speedway Pty. Ltd: ( Kilburn Speedway )…. Sir Jack Brabham and John Reeves competed at Kilburn Speedway in the Australian Speedcar Championships in 1949…. 1949 was the year the Racing Drivers Association moved to Rowley Park Speedway…. Messrs J.V Palmer ( Accountant ) and Pop Hargue represented Rowley Park Speedway followed by Alf Shield, Kym Bonython, Fischer, Skipper, Sendy and Eichler and then the R.D.A:… In 1949 Mr Rowland Jones organised a Shoe Box Derby with over 50 entries. As it was well known the R.D.A. for many years organised and ran many successfull Soap Box Derbies at various venues…. During the late 1950’s the late Bill Evans started Skyline Speedway and around the same time Bell Bay Speedway at Hamley Bridge ran some very successfull Speedway Meetings…. During the late 1950’s saw the Birth of many Country Speedway Clubs, causing much work and recognition for the R.D.A. being appointed the controlling body of Speedways in South Australia…. The 1950’s also saw the birth of new sections including T.Q’s / Formula 500’s which was largely due to the late Albert Ludgate…. Stock Cars which through the process of evolution become Modified Stock Cars, Super Modifieds, Hot Rods and eventually Sprint Cars…. Club Meetings were held at many venues over the years including Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide Savings Bank of South Australia Builing in Adelaide, Camden Speedway, Druids Hall North Adelaide, Prospect Town Hall, Norwood Town Hall and many Executive Meetings in Private Homes…. On January 15th. 1959 the first Club Meeting was held at the new premises purchased by the Racing Drivers Association on the Parade at Norwood, which was converted from a hardware store. These Premises were gradually upgraded and rebuilt into excelent Clubrooms….  

These Clubrooms are now in the hands of Motorcycling of South Australia Inc: The Racing Drivers Association was also a Member of CAMS and was involved in establishing Go Kart Racing in South Australia…. In 1979 the R.D.A. Membership was 630 plus and the home of Speedway in South Australia moved to its new complex built by the Racing Drivers Association at Speedway Park Virginia ( Speedway City )….

The Racing Drivers Association life members are 1936 A.E. Poole, 1939 H.S. Hogan, 1940 A.F Jackson, 1941 F.G. Claridge, 1947 R.J. Jones and Alec H. Rowe, 1948 Aub B. Ramsay, 1949 Wally Watson, 1956 J.C. Wilson, 1958 Roy Sands and Jack Self, 1959 David Johnson and John Cruett, 1960 Ern Sconce and Selwyn Harley, 1960 Gordon ( Joe Blow ) Schubert, 1961 Rex Cavenett, 1962 Sam Elsworthy, 1965 Ron Wood, 1966 Glen Dix, 1967 Bruce Little, 1968 Tom Byers, 1970 J.R. Schultz, 1971 Kym Bonython, 1972 Murray Parker, 1973 Dean Hogarth, Peter Dodd, D.C. McGowan and Dave Cooper, 1974 Collin Small, Peter Grainger, and R.E. Harris, 1975 Bernie Challin and Harold Spencer, 1976 Bill Wigzell, 1977 Laurie Jamieson, Lou Jarrett and Stan Miller, 1978 Doug Lambert, 1979 Bill Buist, 1980 Peter Glassenbury, 1981 Brian Flaherty, 1982 Col Hennig, 1983 Gary Hoffman and Ian Jones, 1984 Noel Bissett and Les March, 1985 Dave Weddell and Frank Midgeley, 1986 Graham Lock and John ( Little John ) Birmingham, 1987 Ron Harris and Joan Miller, 1988 Ian White, 1989 Freddy Gunn and Phil Herreen, 1990 John Moyle, Stan Wallace and Jeff Alexander, 1991 Geoff Bailey and Cary McCarthy, 1992 Roger ( Blakie ) Flatman, Brian ( Shine ) Graves and Darrell Joyce,1993 Zeke Agars and John Dawson,1994 John McCallum and Mal ( Rosie ) Rosenzweig, 1995 Ron Quigley and Jeannette Harris….

R.D.A. ( Racing Drivers Association of South Australia. )

The R.D.A Racing Car numbers for the 1974 / 75 season are as follows…. Speedcars…. number 2 Greg Anderson, 3 Doug Sunstrom, 5 Doug Lambert, 11 Rex Hodgson, 12 Merv Cook, 14 Graham Snellgrove, 17 John Garland, 18 Bob McMillan, 20 Colin Kane, 21 Gary Williams, 22 Steve Bond, 23 Ray Bowers, 24 Bob Lane, 25 Col Hennig, 26 Joe Brandler, 31 Ken Luscott, 34 Dud Lambert, 44 Alf Kamilow, 45 Nick Jackermis, 55 Grant Coombe, 57 Rolly May, 65 Laurie Jamieson, 69 Ted Bohlander, 77 Ron Wyatt, 88 Bill Wigzell, 91 Corrie Van Dyke and 97 Phil Herreen…. Modified Sprintcars…. number 3 Zeke Agars, 5 Peter Alexander / Graham Coad, 7 Glen Catford, 8 Ian Neil ( Waikerie ), 9 Trevor Jury, 11 Snowy White, 16 Murrat Williams, 17 John Evans, 19 Jeff Harris, 20 Russel Carlin, 27 Alan Jones, 30 Mal Summerville, 42 Dave Germein, 51 Bob Aylesbury, 55 Smokey Elliot, 62 Karl Hanson, 65 Bob Jenkins, 69 John Moyle, 71 Dennis Shipp, 88 Bill Wigzell, 92 Ray Wilson, 96 Glyn Morgan and 99 Phil Herreen…. Production Saloons…. number. 1 Robby Marchant, 2 Ivar Benneche, 3 Jeff Eeles, 4 Graham Treloar, 7 Chris Bannon, 8 Noel Bissett, 9 Lindsey Tuffin, 10 Tony Smith, 12 Fred Gunn, 13 Steve Stewart, 15 Allan Kempster, 16 Jim Hazeldine, 17 Leon Hazeldine, 18 Allan Johnson, 19 Rod Prime,20 Mick Sharland / Amile Barac, 21 Paul Jones, 22 Ian Jones, 23 John Chadwick, 24 Cary McCarthy, 25 John Hill, 26 Steve Round, 27 Robby Hartley, 29 Bert Evans, 30 Dave Clarke, 31 Ashley Hissey, 32 Bill Routleff, 33 George Dobie, 34 Jeff Marshall, 35 Ian Goodchild, 36 Bob Middleton, 37 Geof Cuttler, 38 Peter Collins,40 K. Leigh, 41 Robin Taylor, 43 Lindsey Tuffin, 45 John Fielder, 46 Geoff Bailey, 47 Peter Drew, 48 John Fitzsimmons, 49 R. Kent, 50 Ian Jaffer, 52 Kevin Rundle, 53 John Goff, 55 Trevor Durham, 56 Ron Gates, 58 Graham Keene, 60 Rudy Van Hagen, 61 Barry Stirling, 62 David Bice, 63 Kelvin Green, 64 Peter Wallace, 65 Victor Arbon, 66 Murray Saint, 67 Roger Paterson, 68 Trevor Clark, 69 John Hughes, 73 Rick Partridge, 74 Brian Worthley, 75 Mark Allan, 76 Jim Curnow, 78 Moss Marchant, 79 Ashley Gifford, 80 Colin Buckland, 81 Grant Tuffin, 82 Mark Rosenhain, 83 Alf Shippen, 85 Darryl Downing, 86 Bruno Goryan, 87 Rob Marchant, 88 Mal Leo, 89 Albert Slattery, 90 Brian Mullins, 93 Darryl Joyce, 94 John Crowhurst, 95 Gary Reuter, 97 Murray Williams, 98 Mark Sorrenson and finally 99 Tony Orlando….

Rowley Park Speedways final Racing Driver Associations Judge and Time Keepers / Handicappers.

Barry Frost 

Barry Frost was the Timekeeper / Handicapper for 5 years and then the R.D.A; Judge for the last 6 years at Rowley Park Speedway before going on to Speedway Park. Barry in 1979 was Married with 2 daughters and was a draughtsman for the Department of Mines and Energy…. Barry Frost has been involved with so many other Motor Sport events including the Clipsal 500 (time keeper), World Solar Challenge and as long standing President of the Austin 7 Car Club…. Bob Tattersal is the best driver Barry had ever seen….

Colin Zytveld 

Colin Zytfeld was born 8 / 9 / 1933, married with 3 children and worked for the South Australian Co-op as an E.D.P. Manager. took over from Barry Frost as one of the Timekeepers / Handicappers for the R.D.A. at Rowley Park Speedway for 6 years before going on to Speedway Park. Colin was Married with 3 children and was a competitor at Thunderbird Raceway at Virginia Fairgrounds racing an FE and an EH Holden.Stock Saloons…. Steve Brazier was Colin’s favorite Speedway Driver….

John Campbell

John Campbell was another of the time keepers / handicappers for the R.D.A at Rowley Park Speedway for 5 years before going on to Speedway Park. John was Married with 2 children and came with experience from the UK where he was a member of the British Motor Racing Marshalls.