MIDGETS - EVOLUTION
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The Tony Saylor - Offenhauser # 55
Raced by Bob Tattersall in 1959-60 Australian Speedway season - #55 is then sold to Victorian Jack O'Dea who runs it as V#65 - onto Werner Greve as NSW #13 then - Don Mackay purchased the Speedcar and had drivers Len Brock, then Nick Collier, who was killed in a race crash in the car as #5 on 27.2.1965, drive the car - when it returns to the track now black and gold as # 76 novice Ray Oram is at the controls, until he relinquishes the drive to Mackay's new driver Lew Marshall. When the more experienced Ray Oram returns to the Mackay camp he now teams up with Mackay's leading driver Barry Butterworth to race the Offy in the unfamiliar white, blue and red Mackay colours as # 7. The Speedcar is then sold North to Bert Marwood who gives the drive to Queensland's Gary Sacre as Q12 until Sacre's unfortunate passing, then ex Sydney driver, living in Queensland, Johnny Stewart becomes the next driver. The car is then sold on to Victorian Stud Beasley for his comeback to Speedway racing, who runs it with the cage as V#3 . Another driver to steer the car for a short time in Victoria was Ian Fullarton until it was retired and sold to Sydney driver Gordon Benny. Gordon restores the car back to the #55 Saylor's / Bob Tattersall Offenhauser era.
Many thanks to Bill Bowling for this great and informative research into this car's history in Australia.
Bob Tattersall in his first Offy drive in Australia in 1959-60 Season - the Tony Saylor # 55.
Bob had previously driven a V860 at Rowley Park - S.A in 1958
Car owner Tony's actual surname was Suligoy but adopted the easier version - Saylor.
Former S.A. & Sydney Midget driver Gordon Benny buys car and finishes restoration as #55 in 2003.
Victorian Speedcar Ace, Stud Beasley runs the car as V#3 in a career comeback.
Johnny Stewart in Q12.
The Marwood Offy.
Gary Sacre in Q12.
The Marwood Offy.
Photo by Bruce Durie.
Ray Oram in
Don Mackay's #7.
Sid Middlemass ( left)
congratulates
Gordon on the
restoration of #55.
Saved from extinction - #55 The Saylor's Offy now resides at the National Motor Racing Museum at Bathurst NSW on a loaned display.
NZ Ace, Barry Butterworth
drives # 7 for Don Mackay.
One of Australia's top drivers, Lew Marshall, drives #76 for Don Mackay.
Early in his Speedcar career , ex Jockey, Ray Oram drives the car as #76 for Don Mackay.
'Leadfoot' Len Brock drove the car as # 5 for Don Mackay.
27.2.65 - Nick Collier tragically lost his life in the Mackay #5 after going across the Finish Line in a race where he set a new flying 1 lap record.
German driver, Werrner Greve drives the ex # 55 as NSW # 13.
Victorian, Jack O'Dea buys the #55 and renumbers it Vic.# 65.
Thank you again to Bill Bowling for his research. Bill is writing a book on Offenhausers in Australasia and I hope he will publish it one day.
Click here.
