Darryl Downing

Darryl Downing was born 25 / 6 / 1947 and is Married to Anne…. Anne and Darryl have 1 daughter and 4 grand children…. Darryl was born in Medindie and grew up at Walkerville…. Darryl Downing went to Walkerville Primary School, Adelaide High School and went also to Nailsworth Technical College…. Darryl worked for 16 years as a Panel Beater and then going on to E.T.S.A. ( Electricity Trust of South Australia ) where he worked for 26 years on Vehicle Maintenance…. As a 13 year old Darryl’s father took him along to Rowley Park Speedway where he fell for the Sport of Speedway straight away…. At the age of 20 got his first Production Car a F.J. Holden number 51…. Darryl Downing then raced another F.J. Holden, this time the number 85 ( pictured above ) that stayed with him for along time including an E.H. Holden, a white H.R. Holden and the Black L.J Torana…. Darryl at Rowley Park and circuits across the Country had alot of success but the one that kept on evading him was the South Australian Production Car title…. Darryl finished in the placings for several years including 2nd, 3rd and 4th but it wasn’t until Speedway Park in 1981 while racing the Steve Stewart owned Holden Monaro where he finally cracked the South Australian Title…. It was the Same year Steve Stewart won the South Australian Speedcar title in the famous yellow number 2 Speedcar owned by Alex Rowe…. Darryl Downing then stepped up to Sprintcars driving the number 97 Sprintcar where he immediately was competetive winning races including the 1991 Northern Territory Sprintcar Title…. Darryl sadly hung up his race boots at the end of last season ( 2006 / 07 ) but is still heavily involved as a Sprintcar team co owner along with his brother…. Darryl Downing is a True Champion who competed for such along time in Speedways all over the Country… He will be missed by all of us spectators.. ( Photo by Roger Ray )