Australian Formula 500 Championship
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[edit]
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964/65 | Point Pass Speedway[4] | Point Pass, SA | Bob Lane (SA) |
| 1965/66 | Myrtleford Speedway | Myrtleford, Vic | Kevin Yeomans (Vic) |
| 1966/67 | Latrobe Speedway | Latrobe, Tas | Les Redpath (Tas) |
| 1967/68 | Carina Speedway | Bundaberg, Qld | Jack Threadgate (NSW) |
| 1968/69 | Myrtleford Speedway | Myrtleford, Vic | Bob Haag (Vic) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1969/70 | Latrobe Speedway | Latrobe, Tas | Jack Threadgate (NSW) |
| 1970/71 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | Viv Wilks (SA) |
| 1971/72 | Premier Speedway | Warrnambool, Vic | Viv Wilks (SA) |
| 1972/73 | Latrobe Speedway | Latrobe, Tas | Ken Redpath (Tas) |
| 1973/74 | Claremont Speedway | Perth, WA | John Andersson (WA) |
| 1974/75 | Carina Speedway | Bundaberg, Qld | John Andersson (WA) |
| 1975/76 | Heddon Greta Speedway | Kurri Kurri, NSW | Ken Nielson (WA) |
| 1976/77 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | John Andersson (WA) |
| 1977/78 | Arunga Park Speedway | Alice Springs, NT | George Higgs (WA) |
| 1978/79 | Fraser Park Speedway | Canberra, ACT | William Broadwood (WA) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1979/80 | Western International Raceway | Melbourne, Vic | Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| 1980/81 | Hobart Speedway | Bridgewater, Tas | LLoyd Thornley (NSW) |
| 1981/82 | Bibra Lake Speedway | Perth, WA | Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| 1982/83 | Archerfield Speedway | Brisbane, Qld | LLoyd Thornley (NSW) |
| 1983/84 | Newcastle Motordrome | Newcastle, NSW | Don Bowey (SA) |
| 1984/85 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | Don Bowey (SA) |
| 1985/86 | Arunga Park Speedway | Alice Springs, NT | Vince Chapman (WA) |
| 1986/87 | Bibra Lake Speedway | Perth, WA | Vince Chapman (WA) |
| 1987/88 | Tralee Speedway | Canberra, ACT | LLoyd Thornley (NSW) |
| 1988/89 | Sonic Raceway | Swan Hill, Vic | Clive Baxter (NT) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1989/90 | Carrick Speedway | Carrick, Tas | Roy Urpeth (NSW) |
| 1990/91 | Cairns International Speedway | Cairns, Qld | Graeme Odger (Qld) |
| 1991/92 | Wagga International Speedway | Wagga Wagga, NSW | Michael Pronger (Qld) |
| 1992/93 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | Don Bowey (SA) |
| 1993/94 | Arunga Park Speedway | Alice Springs, NT | Don Bowey (SA) |
| 1994/95 | Goulburn Speedway | Goulburn, NSW | Tony Pryor (NSW) |
| 1995/96 | Western Speedway | Hamilton, Vic | Tony Pryor (NSW) |
| 1996/97 | Latrobe Speedway | Latrobe, Tas | Philip Woodberry (Tas) |
| 1997/98 | Bunbury Speedway | Bunbury, WA | Trevor Harding (WA) |
| 1998/99 | Cairns International Speedway | Cairns, Qld | Luke Dillon (SA) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 1999/2000 | Newcastle Motordrome | Newcastle, NSW | Luke Dillon (SA) |
| 2000/01 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | Luke Dillon (SA) |
| 2001/02 | Arunga Park Speedway | Alice Springs, NT | Jason Loveday (SA) |
| 2002/03 | Goulburn Speedway | Goulburn, NSW | Lee Dillon (SA) |
| 2003/04 | Premier Speedway | Warrnambool, Vic | Darren Mollenoyux (Vic) |
| 2004/05 | Latrobe Speedway | Latrobe, Tas | Matt Brown (WA) |
| 2005/06 | Esperance Motor Raceway | Esperance, WA | Ben Devlin (WA) |
| 2006/07 | Maryborough Speedway | Maryborough, Qld | Ben McLeod (Vic) |
| 2007/08 | Lismore Speedway | Lismore, NSW | Michael Pronger (Qld) |
| 2008/09 | Tolmer Speedway | Bordertown, SA | Brock Hallett (Qld) |
| Year | Venue | City/State | Winner |
| 2009/10 | Arunga Park Speedway | Alice Springs, NT | Daniel Harding (WA) |
| 2010/11 | Goulburn Speedway | Goulburn, NSW | Liam Williams (Vic) |
| 2011/12 | Laang Speedway | Laang, Vic | Jessica Moulden (Vic) |
| 2012/13 | Carrick Speedway | Carrick, Tas | Marcus Kelly (Tas) |
| 2013/14 | Perth Motorplex Speedway | Kwinana Beach, WA | Brock Hallett (SA) |
| 2014/15 | Rockhampton Speedway | Rockhampton, Qld | Dylan Willsher (Vic) |
| 2015/16 | Gunnedah speedway | Gunnedah, NSW | Liam Williams (Qld) |
| 2016/17 | Riverview Speedway | Murray Bridge, SA | Liam Williams (Qld) |
