Australian Formula 500 Championship Explained

The Australian Formula 500 Championship is an annual dirt track racing championship meeting held in Australia for Formula 500 cars. Formula 500's in Australia evolved from the old TQ's (Three Quarter Speedcar Midget) of the 1950s and 1960s.

The first Australian Championship was held on 28 December 1964 at the Point Pass Speedway and was won by South Australian driver Bob Lane.

A 40 and 50 year reunion for the event was held in November 2004 and 2014.[1]

The current Australian Champion is Liam Williams who won the title at the Gunnedah Speedway in New South Wales.[2]

The championship was known as the Australian TQ Championship from 1964-1976, after which it was renamed the Australian Formula 500 Championship.[3]

The 2017 Australian Championship was held at the Murray Bridge Speedway in Murray Bridge, SA on 17 April and was won by Queensland's Liam Williams who won his 3rd national championship.

Winners since 1964

YearVenueCity/Statewidth=210px Winner
1964/65Point Pass Speedway[4] Point Pass, SABob Lane (SA)
1965/66Myrtleford SpeedwayMyrtleford, VicKevin Yeomans (Vic)
1966/67Latrobe SpeedwayLatrobe, TasLes Redpath (Tas)
1967/68Carina SpeedwayBundaberg, QldJack Threadgate (NSW)
1968/69Myrtleford SpeedwayMyrtleford, VicBob Haag (Vic)
YearVenueCity/Statewidth=210px Winner
1969/70Latrobe SpeedwayLatrobe, TasJack Threadgate (NSW)
1970/71Riverview SpeedwayMurray Bridge, SAViv Wilks (SA)
1971/72Premier SpeedwayWarrnambool, VicViv Wilks (SA)
1972/73Latrobe SpeedwayLatrobe, TasKen Redpath (Tas)
1973/74Claremont SpeedwayPerth, WAJohn Andersson (WA)
1974/75Carina SpeedwayBundaberg, QldJohn Andersson (WA)
1975/76Heddon Greta SpeedwayKurri Kurri, NSWKen Nielson (WA)
1976/77Riverview SpeedwayMurray Bridge, SAJohn Andersson (WA)
1977/78Arunga Park SpeedwayAlice Springs, NTGeorge Higgs (WA)
1978/79Fraser Park SpeedwayCanberra, ACTWilliam Broadwood (WA)
YearVenueCity/Statewidth=210px Winner
1979/80Western International RacewayMelbourne, VicMax Dumesny (Vic)
1980/81Hobart SpeedwayBridgewater, TasLLoyd Thornley (NSW)
1981/82Bibra Lake SpeedwayPerth, WAMax Dumesny (Vic)
1982/83Archerfield SpeedwayBrisbane, QldLLoyd Thornley (NSW)
1983/84Newcastle MotordromeNewcastle, NSWDon Bowey (SA)
1984/85Riverview SpeedwayMurray Bridge, SADon Bowey (SA)
1985/86Arunga Park SpeedwayAlice Springs, NTVince Chapman (WA)
1986/87Bibra Lake SpeedwayPerth, WAVince Chapman (WA)
1987/88Tralee SpeedwayCanberra, ACTLLoyd Thornley (NSW)
1988/89Sonic RacewaySwan Hill, VicClive Baxter (NT)
YearVenueCity/Statewidth=210px Winner
1989/90Carrick SpeedwayCarrick, TasRoy Urpeth (NSW)
1990/91Cairns International SpeedwayCairns, QldGraeme Odger (Qld)
1991/92Wagga International SpeedwayWagga Wagga, NSWMichael Pronger (Qld)
1992/93Riverview SpeedwayMurray Bridge, SADon Bowey (SA)
1993/94Arunga Park SpeedwayAlice Springs, NTDon Bowey (SA)
1994/95Goulburn SpeedwayGoulburn, NSWTony Pryor (NSW)
1995/96Western SpeedwayHamilton, VicTony Pryor (NSW)
1996/97Latrobe SpeedwayLatrobe, TasPhilip Woodberry (Tas)
1997/98Bunbury SpeedwayBunbury, WATrevor Harding (WA)
1998/99Cairns International SpeedwayCairns, QldLuke Dillon (SA)
YearVenueCity/Statewidth=210px Winner
1999/2000Newcastle MotordromeNewcastle, NSWLuke Dillon (SA)
2000/01Riverview SpeedwayMurray Bridge, SALuke Dillon (SA)
2001/02Arunga Park SpeedwayAlice Springs, NTJason Loveday (SA)
2002/03Goulburn SpeedwayGoulburn, NSWLee Dillon (SA)
2003/04Premier SpeedwayWarrnambool, VicDarren Mollenoyux (Vic)
2004/05Latrobe SpeedwayLatrobe, TasMatt Brown (WA)
2005/06Esperance Motor RacewayEsperance, WABen Devlin (WA)
2006/07Maryborough SpeedwayMaryborough, QldBen McLeod (Vic)
2007/08Lismore SpeedwayLismore, NSWMichael Pronger (Qld)
2008/09Tolmer SpeedwayBordertown, SABrock Hallett (Qld)
YearVenueCity/Statewidth=210px Winner
2009/10Arunga Park SpeedwayAlice Springs, NTDaniel Harding (WA)
2010/11Goulburn SpeedwayGoulburn, NSWLiam Williams (Vic)
2011/12Laang SpeedwayLaang, VicJessica Moulden (Vic)
2012/13Carrick SpeedwayCarrick, TasMarcus Kelly (Tas)
2013/14Perth Motorplex SpeedwayKwinana Beach, WABrock Hallett (SA)
2014/15Rockhampton SpeedwayRockhampton, QldDylan Willsher (Vic)
2015/16Gunnedah speedway Gunnedah, NSWLiam Williams (Qld)
2016/17Riverview SpeedwayMurray Bridge, SALiam Williams (Qld)

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.pointpassspeedway.info/reunions/reunions.html 1964 Australian TQ Championship Reunion's
  2. http://www.formula500.com.au/default.asp Formula 500's Australia
  3. http://www.speedwayandroadracehistory.com/tq---formula-500.html Australian TQ/Formula 500 Championship
  4. http://www.pointpassspeedway.info Point Pass Speedway