An Open Letter to the Custodians of Motorcycle Sport Still Willing to Fight as Our Tracks Disappear
There is something that’s been eating at me for a while now: it feels as though Australia has lost its spark for the magnificent spectacle of motorcycle sport.
A bold claim? Just look around. So many Australians have never experienced the electric thrill of leaning against a speedway fence on a Saturday night. They’ve never watched a road race ignite corner by corner, inhaled the intoxicating scent of methanol, or felt their very bones vibrate as the bikes thunder past in a glorious blur of speed. Yet, the moment another circuit locks its gates or a beloved speedway falls silent, everyone asks, “What happened?”
The bittersweet truth is that many of those now mourning our lost tracks were nowhere to be found when the engines were still roaring. They didn’t grab a ticket or bring the kids along to share the magic. They didn’t stand out in the bracing cold, a hot pie in one hand and a program in the other, cheering until their voices cracked with joy. Now, as the grandstands sit in ghostly silence and the gates rust over, they wonder where it all went – as if this vibrant culture vanished by accident rather than through our own quiet neglect.
Across this wide land, our sacred racing venues are disappearing at a heartbreaking pace. Some are struggling to keep the lights on, while others are being slowly suffocated by urban sprawl until the complaints of neighbors drown out the music of the engines. Then come the developers with their shiny promises of “progress,” and another precious slice of our sporting heritage is buried beneath concrete and housing estates. A bulldozer can erase in a fortnight what took generations of passionate families to build, and once that cement is dry, there’s no turning back.
Progress isn’t the enemy, but any “progress” that strips away our culture without offering something equally soulful should stop us all in our tracks. A circuit is so much more than just dirt and fencing; it’s a living memory. It’s our identity. It’s the beating heart of a community that gathers, week after week, simply for the pure love of the ride.
This isn’t just about speedway, either. It’s about our motocross tracks, road circuits, dirt tracks, and hill climbs; the hallowed grounds where generations of Aussies learned to ride, race, and truly belong. These aren’t just plots of land; they are vibrant communities. They’re where lifelong friendships are forged, where families spend their most cherished weekends, and where young riders discover a passion that defines their entire lives. I think of the nervous ten-year-old lining up for their first race and coming away feeling ten feet tall. I think of the veteran riders who become mentors and the mates who become family. This shared love of two wheels stitches us together in a way that nothing else can.
When these places vanish, we lose more than just a venue; we lose our stories and our history. We rob the next generation of their chance to dream. We lose the very places that shaped us, handing our children a quieter, emptier version of the spirited country we grew up in.
In this issue, we are celebrating speedway with a major feature, because it is impossible not to be inspired by the people who have lived, breathed, and bled for this sport. Their passion is absolutely infectious. They are the noble custodians of a uniquely Australian chapter of our motorcycling heritage – people who pour their hearts, their savings, and their entire weekends into keeping the flame flickering, often with far too little thanks.
But simply honoring that history isn’t enough; we have to ask some tough questions.
Why do we fight to protect football fields and cricket grounds while treating our motorsport facilities as disposable? Why do governments cheer for grassroots sport but let these specialist treasures disappear under development? And why do we wait until the chains are on the gates before we decide they were worth saving?
Motorcycling has always been built on the backs of volunteers, families, and tight-knit communities – and that is exactly where its future remains. We need clubs that warmly welcome every newcomer, events that ignite the imagination of young riders, and leaders who recognize that our sport deserves the same reverence as any other. Most importantly, we need you to show up.
Buy that ticket. Take your kids along for the ride. Support your local club with everything you’ve got and share the stories far and wide. Because once a track falls silent, it rarely speaks again.
I want to challenge every one of you reading this—because saving our sport isn’t just about being there; it’s about lifting one another up in a spirit of true camaraderie.
To the clubs and event organisers: let’s stop working in isolation. When you run an event, reach out to every local club you can find and join forces. Pool your riders, your volunteers, and your magnificent audiences. A meeting promoted by one club reaches a circle; a meeting promoted by five reaches a community. Let the rivalry stay on the track, not in the marketing. When we stand together, everyone wins—the gate takings, the electric atmosphere, and the sport we all adore.
When you’re setting up events on Facebook, I urge you: add as many co-hosts as you possibly can. Every co-host invites your event into a whole new family of fans and future riders. It costs nothing and takes only minutes, yet it can be the spark that turns a half-empty paddock into a roaring, cheering crowd. Don’t be shy – flood the feeds, spread the word, and cast that net as wide as it will go.
If a club asks you to co-host – whether you’re a club or track sponsor, a business, a club, or a fellow enthusiast – jump at the chance! Say yes with all the enthusiasm you can muster. It is the most powerful, heartfelt way to support grassroots sport: simply telling the world about it. One click, one share, one co-host tick, and you’ve helped fill a grandstand, inspired a child, and kept a track alive for another glorious season. That isn’t just effort; it’s a beautiful gift that every one of us can give.
And here’s our promise: Old Bike Australasia Magazine will more than happily co-host every track or club event in Australia and New Zealand. If you’re running an event, send it through to us, ask us on as a co-host – we’ll say yes every single time.
This is how we fight back. Together. Loudly. Generously. This is how we ensure that the intoxicating smell of fuel, the thunderous roar of open pipes, and the heart-pounding thrill of the starting gate live on for the next generation.
If we don’t stand up for these places today, tomorrow we’ll be pointing our grandchildren toward empty fields where history used to happen. And that would be a tragedy far greater than losing any racetrack.
For those with the power to make a difference – if you are reading this, please, TAKE ACTION NOW!
Yours in motorcycling,
Shane Downey, Editor.
