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The demise of Oran Park
Farewell to the Grand Old Lady! Had many a good time, and have some long lasting memories from this place.
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Jim Budd Motorcycle Racer 
A very sad day for Aussie Motor Racing, my greatest memory there has to be Bryan Hindle beating Ago in the 350cc Race on his Yammie vs the mighty MV, I was there and I will ‘never’ forget that moment. Laynie thankyou for the images, great!
Cool. Did you ever get photos of that? That would be awesome to see. My memory of Oran Park … there’s several actually, mostly off-track. LOL But one was of Croz who after a particularly hot race stated he was thirsty. Someone gave him a beer as he did his lap of honour in the back of a Ford F100. By the time he got back to the pits you could not see the floor of ute for it was covered in beer cans ‘donated’ by the spectators. Or Billy Sayers who broke his neck in a crash at the end of the straight. After months of recovery, he walked out of hospital. Or how about, JB in the 1987 6 Hour clocking the 3rd fastest time outright to qualify the team in third, beating many other well-known and favoured riders, and he hadn’t raced for years. Best of all was the fact that he significantly beat former teammate Roger Heyes who refused to race with JB for that race stating that he was “so much faster than Jim because he had stayed racing, whilst Jim hadn’t!” [That’s just my personal glory moment – sorry if it offends anyone, but facts are and I’m just saying as it is.] I met Rough Red there once … later found out it was Mike Esdaile the Revs editor. Or the 1986 Motorcycle Sportsmen bus tour down for the 6 Hour – but what happens on the bus tour stays there. You know how it goes. Yes, many good times. The passing of an era. Gone but not forgotten.
Sorry Laynie, I actually took a SUPER 8 (remember that) of the win by Bryan and his victory lap, recently I had it transferred to a DVD, truly hopeless. The SUPER 8 had suffered over the years and the concept of ‘lifting’ a still image frame off the DVD (ex SUPER 8) is less than ideal, lets say hopeless!!
To me that was Bryan’s greatest win and I am currently developing web pages for Bryan, Kenny Blake and Gregg Hansford. Now see what you have started!!
All the best, Derek
I can hardly wait to see what you come up with. I have a soft spot for Gregg. Not only was he JB’s teammate but he was my friend also. He was a great person.
You might want to check out http://www.kennyblake.com.au
My memories of Oran Park?
1. The Rothmans Pro Series Round 2, August 1976. A 25 lap screamer between Gregg, Warren and John Woodley. The best race I have ever seen. http://www.halfofmylife.com/races-racers/great-races/the-best-race-ive-ever-seen/
2. “The Croz” borrowing Jim Scaysbrook’s “Captain Snack” TZ350 for the NSW Championship round in 1977 (or was it 78?) Croz had never ridden a 2 stroke before but he turned up on practice day and uttered the immortal words, “Which way does the track go and what’s the lap record?” After a few minutes out on the track most of the Senior and 350cc competitors had pulled in they were so afraid of some of the crazy things that he was doing. In the Senior race, Croz was lining up Stu Avant on the RG500 to take the lead on the last lap when he flung the bike into the wall at BP corner. I was standing on the infield, filming it with a Super 8 camera. Croz climbed up on the wall, took a can of beer from one of the spectators and yelled across the track to me, “Did you get that?”
3. Being afforded the privilege of heading the commentary team for the Six Hour last November, the last-ever motorcycle race at Oran Park.
My memories are many. Running up the hill at the back of the pits because the stairs were full of people, and running into Mike Esdaile – literally. Took me a while to figure out who he was, and not just some guy in the pits! Or Michael Dowson carrying his pram down the stairs through crowded people. Or the Stan Bayliss bus – it was everywhere that yellow bus. Or Kevin Magee blaming me for his first wife’s pregnancy (long story). or the 1985 Motorcycle Sportsmen Club bus trip to the 6 Hour. Don’t remember the race as such, but I do remember camping on the hill under the club marquee. Or JB racing the 1987 6 hour with Simon Pinnington. Or Billy Sayers breaking his back at the end of the straight, and being told he would never walk again. Ha he fooled them, he did. So many memories of a well spent youth.