New Zealand's home of speedway celebrates 85 years of dirt, dust and legends tonight as drivers compete for the Heritage Shield at WxC Speedway - Western Springs.
Auckland's Ken Mullins has been coming to 'The Springs' for almost six decades, originally as a midget driver but now as a car owner and supporter. He has witnessed first-hand the sport's transformation from daredevil heroes racing hell for leather without roll cages, to the sophisticated professional events held today.
"We see so many talented young drivers who can hold their own on any race track in the world at the moment, but there are some speedway names that will forever be remembered for the impression they made on the sport; guys like [Barry] Butterworth, [Ted] Tracey and others," said 77-year old Mullins, who was inducted into the New Zealand Speedway Hall of Fame in 2005.
"The quality of the cars is probably the best it has ever been. In the early days all the parts for your car, and the car itself for that matter, had to be made. You couldn't just walk into a race shop and buy parts to get you back racing after a crash, you had to make them yourself."
Despite the obvious changes over the years, the intense passion for dirt track racing from generations of fans has never faltered.
