Western Australia has a rich history in Drag Racing spanning over 60 years. From the early days of racing including locations such as Dowerin, Caversham, Bunbury, Busselton and Fairbridge the sport grew to be seen as a viable option for a stand alone, purpose built facility leading to the opening of Ravenswood Raceway on the 30th November 1969.
Of course 30 years of memorable racing at Ravenswood set the foundation of the sport for the next 30 years and opened the door to the world class venue that is the Perth Motorplex which opened in December 2000.
Since the inception of Drag Racing in the mid 1960’s the sport has seen the blood, sweat and tears of many people who contributed to the sport through their efforts and support in various ways including promotion, administration, officiating, racing, engineering, sponsorship.
These people have not been recognised and sadly too many are no longer with us.
So it is with great pleasure to announce the inauguration of the Western Australian Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
The Western Australian Drag Racing Hall of Fame will be a function of the Western Australian Drag Racing Association (WADRA), a club that can trace it’s lineage back to the inaugural Drag Racing Club in WA – the 1320 Drag Club which was established by the President John (Wheels) Dwyer in 1967, with a sub committee comprising Peter Pike (Chair), Liz Johns and Martin Delves.
While a significant amount of preparatory work has been done including the development of a timeline tracing the sports history in WA from 1964 through to the modern era and a shortlist of names of those instrumental in the success of the sport in Western Australia from the beginning – the work is ongoing.
The committee is now starting to contact those who were there right from the start to identify those who will meet the criteria to be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame.
The criteria to be eligible for consideration includes:
1; On-Track Achievement: Major Titles (Multiple wins in state, nationally recognised championships), Event Wins (Victories in premier Western Australian Drag Racing events (Goldenstates, Westernationals), Consistency: Regular Top 3 finishes or top qualifying results over several seasons, Versatility: Proven success across multiple Groups, Eliminators and/or classes, Records: setting of multiple National records
2; Impact on Western Australian Drag Racing: Long-Term Presence, Significant career based in the sport raising the standard of the sport and competition, Track Records: Holding or having held track records (elapsed time, top speed) in any class, Signature Performances: Memorable races that became part of the Western Australian Drag Racings folklore.
3; Legacy & Contribution: Mentorship, Actively guiding and developing racers in the sport, Promoting the Sport; Attracting fans and media attention or representing Western Australian Drag Racing nationally/internationally, Technical Innovation: Introducing or pioneering new racing technologies, setups, or tuning approaches in the local scene.
4. Integrity & Character: Sportsmanship; Respectful and fair competition, known for safe driving and respect for officials, Role Model, Positive influence on the racing community, both on and off the track, Dedication to Safety: Advocating or adopting safer practices that influence others.
As you can see to be eligible for consideration to be in the WA Drag Racing Hall of Fame the nominee will need to be able to meet several of the criteria set above.
A nomination form will be made available in due course – however the committee already has a short list of 40-50 potential inductees – which is not surprising given the 60 plus years the sport has been going in WA.
The inductions, 3-5 for the first few years before settling down to 1-3 in subsequent years, will ensure that the bar will be set high to be considered for inclusion.
The inductions will be performed during the season at the Perth Motorplex at marquee events (Goldenstates, Westernationals etc.) and thanks to Craig Glassby, Automasters will support this endeavor in providing the inductees with a plaque recognising their inclusion into the Western Australian Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
