ARTICLES

Genesis

19 November 2011 | The ARDC has always been racers representing racers.

At the half-way point of the last century rough dirt circuits were expanding off the back of abandoned World War Two airstrips. And the race events held on the primitive tracks attracted tens of thousands of spectators.

Men, women and children flocked to circuits like Parramatta Park, Schofields and Mt Druitt to watch high-powered cars thunder down dust-hewn roads, risking life and limb in every race.

Even future Formula One champion Sir Jack Brabham believed that the drivers on these dirt tracks were "all lunatics".

The danger that the early daredevils put themselves in was enormous, and with the huge crowds came huge gate takings. The race promoters were getting rich, while the racers were risking it all for glory and thrills.

RACERS FOR RACERS
In 1952 it became clear that Australian racing drivers needed more bargaining power with race promoters. If they were going to put their bodies and machines on the line, they deserved a fair cut of the takings.

The Australian Racing Drivers Club was formed by racing drivers, for racing drivers. Its charter was to provide motor sport competitors with collective bargaining power in negotiation with promoters.

To protect its members' interests it acquired use of Mt Druitt - and, briefly, Parramatta Park - forming its own management team and becoming its own promoter.

Grids were full, and while a reasonable percentage were home-made specials, most were cars of impeccable breeding.

In 1952 David McKay in his MGTC special (The Red Cigar) won the first ARDC-run feature race at Mt Druitt.

EXPANSION
The ARDC has always been about racing, but it has always been about the racers too. It soon dawned on the members that they needed a meeting place, away from the race track. They needed somewhere to discuss the charters of the club, but also to mingle, relax and share a beer.

A clubhouse was purchased at 360 Norton Street Leichhardt. It became the home of motorsport: a place where parties became legend, deals were done, and the cream of the emerging motor industry could meet and promote their products.

Membership was eclectic. High-powered businessmen rubbed shoulders with garagistes who built their own cars. But the ties that bound the racers were strong.

In 1954 club members gathered to farewell one of their own, as he joined a small but enthusiastic band of Aussies heading for the race tracks of Europe.

Five years later they welcomed Jack Brabham back as world champion.

THE LEGACY Led by the ARDC, motorsport boomed in Australia and purpose-built tracks flourished.

In 1954 the ARDC took control of what would become the greatest race track in Australia, and arguably the world - Mt Panorama. In partnership with the Auto Cycle Union, it ran car and motorcycle races on a domestic scale that rivalled international events.

And then in 1963 the ARDC's management came up trumps when it stole the long distance production touring car race, the Armstrong 500, from Phillip Island. The legend the ARDC created soon became known as Australia's Great Race.

In the last thirty years the ARDC has owned or managed tracks at Bathurst, Catalina Park, Amaroo Park and Eastern Creek. It has created the opportunity for young stars of tomorrow - on two and four wheels - to develop their craft.

And in the past sixty years it has provided a consistent foundation for motorsport... and will continue to do so as it expands into the future.