Motor Racing Programs

OVER the years I have made a practice of copying covers of borrowed Western Australian motor racing programmes. In Around the Houses they made splendid illustrations. They will also make splendid illustrations in the on-going project Around the Raceway.

During my own days as a driver and spectator at Caversham and Wanneroo Park I naturally bought programmes, and to my great surprise I discovered them in a cardboard box in the backyard shed in November 2005. I thought I'd given them away years ago. (I also found a boxful of old copies of Racing Car News from the same period; I thought I'd given them away, too).

Whenever I lay hands on a programme these days, I automatically copy it. Sometimes, I scan the cover; on some occasions I have just photographed it using a digital camera, which gives much the same results as a scanner. Many of the older programmes here were photographed long ago using a 35 mm camera, and are not so sharp. I will continue to add covers to this site as they come in.

Programmes have gone through many phases, and were often regarded as nuisances by the Club. From time to time there would be loud exclamation - "we forgot the bloody programme!" - and a roneoed adition would be hastily prepared. For years they were contracted out, and financed by advertisements, but in recent years the Club has been producing desk-top published 8 page programmes without advertising, which are now handed out free at smaller Club meetings. "Proper" programmes are naturally produced for such major events as the Super V8 Round and SuperTrucks. (And yes, I know I spell the word "program" over there on the left hand column, just so it fits the space.)

If you have any Western Australian motor racing programmes not on this list, could you email a colour scan to me? The cover, please - also, if possible, those pages containing entrants lists with car numbers. I would love to add them to this Page, and credit the source. My usual size is 600 pixels across x height.

** Indicates new (30 Mar 2008)