Australian Speedcar Grand Prix

The Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held in Australia for Speedcars. The meeting has traditionally been held in Sydney, but on occasions has been held on tracks in Victoria and in 2000 the race was held at Perth's Claremont Speedway, not long before the 1/3 mile Showground track closed.

The fist Australian Speedcar Grand Prix was held on 12 March 1938 at the Sydney Sports Ground and was won by Sydney based driver Les Dillon (Dillon would tragically become the first competitor killed in a crash at the Sports Ground just two months later). The next Speedcar Grand Prix wasn't held until 1947 and was the first of 33 times the race was held at the Sydney Showground until its closure in 1996.

From 1975 until 1984 when it was held at the Liverpool Speedway in Sydney the Grand Prix was run on asphalt due to Liverpool being a semi-banked 1/4 mile paved track during that time. Liverpool reverted to having a clay surface in 1985 and since 1986 the race has been run on the more traditional dirt track speedways. Drivers from the United States bookend the asphalt Grand Prix years with legendary four time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt winning in 1975 and 1976 in a Volkswagen powered car while 1986 National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame member Ron "Sleepy" Tripp would win the last two asphalt Grand Prix's in 1983 and 1984, also using a VW powered car.