54 :OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA
TRACKS IN TIMEQUORN HALL
bring the clubs together and to take
some of the heavy workload off the usual
competition promoter, the Tasmanian
Motor Cycle Club. The TMCC still domi-
nated the positions in the TRRA but other
experts were able to help run the events.
That made two very successful meetings
in a row so the TRRA decided to return in
March for a third meeting. With racing so
new to many riders it was decided to
encourage younger new riders with two
races aimed at them; one for B grade
clubmen riders who used pump fuel and
the last race for riders who had been
unplaced for the day. Again, Max
Stephens dominated, winning the 350
and 500 races, and the pairing of Max
Eaves/Bill Denne taking out the Sidecar
race on their 500 Manx Norton.
The Tasmanian TT set down for the
November long weekend in 1952 was
switched from Valleyfield to Quorn Hall.have been basic but, unlike beach
racing, you didn’t have to wait for the
tide to go out and most of the 1½ miles
was sealed. It wasn’t until 1951, in front
of 2000 people for a combined car and
bike meeting conducted by the Southern
Motor Cycle and Light Car Club, that
racing was officially noted. The first
motorcycle race was for 250/350
Clubman machines and was won by
Devonport’s Pat Brown on a 348 BSA.
Interestingly the first car race was won
by J Taylor in a Jaguar; the same
surname as the owners of the nearby
Valleyfield property, where airstrip
racing had begun in 1949.
The success of the first meeting saw
the clubs combine to run another one in
January 1952 with Max Stephens able to
dominate the Junior and Senior races on a
350 KTT Velocette. The Tasmanian Road
Race Association had been formed toWith a sidecar mounted on his 500 Norton, Dave Powell (21)
chases George Martin’s pre-war R10 AJS (10).Visiting Victorian Ivan Tighe
on his 7R AJS in 1952.Ray Owen leads NSW rider
John Astley in 1952.Bill Gough on his home-
brewed 125cc special.