The Australian Speedway Masters Series (also known as the ''International Speedway Masters Series'' and the ''Series 500'') was an annual

Motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...

series of races held each Australian speedway season between 1995 and 2000. The first of its type for motorcycle speedway in Australia, the competition featured the best riders from Australia racing against the best riders from around the world. The series was the brainchild of promoter and television commentator David Tapp who did most of the ground work as well as providing the television commentary.International Speedway Masters Series
/ref> After being run over 13 rounds in 1995, the years 1996, 1997 and 1998 saw the series run over 10 rounds, 1999 was run over 11 rounds and the final series in 2000 was run over 13 rounds. Events were run in the traditional 20 Heat format with Semi-finals and an "A Final". Although Australian riders won the series from 1996-2000, incredibly in the inaugural 13 round series in 1995 saw no local rider won a round. The inaugural Series 500 meeting was run at the

Bunbury Speedway text-top, 300px, The main straight during a 2014 meeting. The Bunbury Speedway is a motorsport venue located in Bunbury, Western Australia. It features a dirt oval track. The track is a significant contributor to the sport of speedway in Aust ...

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

and was won by multiple Long Track World Champion

Simon Wigg Simon Antony Wigg (15 October 1960 – 15 November 2000) was an English speedway, grasstrack and longtrack rider who won five World Long Track Championships and finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989.Rogers, G.(200 ...

who was right at home on the long track. Bunbury also hosted Round 1 of the 1996 series and in a repeat of 1995 Simon Wigg emerged victorious. The then reigning World Champion,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

Tony Rickardsson Tony Rickardsson (born on 17 August 1970) is a Swedish former professional motorcycle speedway rider. He competed in the Speedway World Championships from 1989 to 2006. Rickardsson is notable for winning six Speedway World Championship titles in 1 ...

was the inaugural series winner in 1995.

Notable Riders

Some of the riders who competed in the Speedway Masters Series between 1995-2000 include: *

Leigh Adams Leigh Scott Adams (born 28 April 1971 in Mildura, Victoria)Oakes, P.(2004). ''British Speedway Who's Who''. is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. He is a multiple Speedway Grand Prix winner and World Team Champion. He also w ...

Craig Boyce Craig Boyce (born 2 August 1967 in Sydney, Australia) was a motorcycle speedway rider who primarily rode for the Poole Pirates in the British Elite League. After retiring from riding, Boyce became manager of the Australian national team unt ...

Marvyn Cox Marvyn Cox (born 11 July 1964 in Whitstable, Kent) is a former Speedway rider . Cox was twice a winner of the German Individual Championship in 1993 and 1995, when he raced under a German licence. Domestic career In 1984 he was signed by Oxfor ...

Jason Crump Jason Philip Crump (born 6 August 1975) is an Australian international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a three-time Speedway World Champion, a World Cup winner and a former World Under-21 Champion. In a 21-year career in Speedway, Jason ...

* Glenn Doyle *

Charles Ermolenko Charles Ermolenko (born 9 November 1968) is a former international speedway rider from the United States. Speedway career Ermolenko rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1991 to 1997, riding primarily for Wolverhampton Wolves. He was ...

Sam Ermolenko Guy Allen 'Sudden Sam' Ermolenko (born November 23, 1960 Maywood, California) is a former speedway rider. In 1993 he won the Speedway World Championship in Pocking, Germany.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway ...

Billy Hamill William Gordon Hamill (born 23 May 1970, in California, United States) is an American international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a former Speedway World Champion, winning the title in 1996. Career Early career Hamill began junior speedwa ...

Greg Hancock Gregory Alan Hancock (born June 3, 1970 in Whittier, California) is an American former professional motorcycle speedway rider. As of 2023, he was one of only six riders to have won the individual World Championship four or more times. In addit ...

* Peter Karlsson *

Mark Loram Mark Roysten Gregory Loram (born 12 January 1971) is a former British motorcycle speedway rider who won the World Speedway Championship in 2000 and won the British Championship in 1997, 1999, and 2001. Career Born in Mtarfa, Malta, Mark ...

* Shane Parker *

Mick Poole Michael David Poole (born 23 April 1955) is an English retired football goalkeeper who played professionally in The Football League, North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. Poole began his career with Rochdale A.F.C. ...

Joe Screen Joseph Screen (born 27 November 1972 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire), is a former British international speedway rider. His major speedway honours include winning the World Under-21 Championship in 1993, the British Championship in 1996 and 20 ...

* Andy Smith *

Jan Stæchmann Jan Stæchmann (born 5 June 1966 in Kolding, Denmark) is a former professional motorcycle speedway rider and manager of the Danish national team. Career In 1991, he won the British League Division Two Riders Championship, held on 14 September a ...

George Štancl Jiří Štancl Junior also known as George Štancl (born 19 August 1975 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic) is a former international speedway rider. Career Štancl began his British leagues career with Sheffield Tigers in the 1994 B ...

Ryan Sullivan Ryan Geoffrey Sullivan (born 20 January 1975, in Fitzroy, Victoria) is a retired Australian international Motorcycle speedway rider who has won the Australian senior, Under-21, and Under-16 championships during his career. Sullivan achieved ...

Piotr Świst Piotr Świst (born June 20, 1968 in Poland) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Poland. His surname "Świst" means 'whizz' in Polish. Career Świst spent his first 13 seasons in Poland with Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski from 1985 through t ...

Kelvin Tatum Kelvin Martin Tatum MBE (born 8 February 1964, in Epsom, Surrey) is a former British international motorcycle speedway and grasstrack rider. Career Tatum attended Brighton College from 1977 to 1980. He started riding speedway bikes at Hackn ...

Mark Thorpe Mark Thorpe (born 26 March 1969) is a former speedway rider from New Zealand. Speedway career Thorpe is a three times champion of New Zealand, winning the New Zealand Championship in 1993, 1994 and 1996. He rode in the top tier of British S ...

Tomáš Topinka Tomáš Topinka (born 5 June 1974) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from the Czech Republic. Career He participated in Speedway World Cups for Czech Republic team. He rode in the British leagues from 1993 to 2011 and was a King's Lynn Star ...

Olli Tyrväinen Olli Tyrväinen (born 11 January 1960) is a former international speedway rider from Finland. Speedway career Tyrväinen reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1989 Individual Speedway World Championship. He rode in the ...

* Craig Watson *

Todd Wiltshire Todd Wiltshire (born 26 September 1968 in Bankstown, New South Wales) is a retired Australian motorcycle speedway rider who competed at the highest level of the sport, finishing a career best third in the 1990 Individual Speedway World Champ ...

Rune Holta Rune Holta (born 29 August 1973 in Stavanger, Norway) is a speedway rider. He grew up in Randaberg Norway, but has been a Polish citizen since 2002, allowing him to represent Poland in international competitions and was a member of their Speedwa ...

Tracks

Some of the tracks used in the Speedway Masters Series included: *

Avalon Raceway Avalon Raceway is a dirt track racing venue located in Lara, Victoria, Australia. The track is based on a clay sand mix, is oval shaped and is in length. History The track opened in 1976 thanks to the efforts of brothers Doug and Norm Drew, d ...

* Borderline Speedway * Brisbane Exhibition Ground *

Claremont Speedway The Claremont Speedway was a racing circuit in the grounds of the Claremont Showground in the suburb of Claremont in Western Australia's capital city of Perth. The speedway held its first meeting on 14 May 1927, and its final meeting on 31 Ma ...

* Fraser Park Speedway *

Gosford Speedway Gosford is the city and administrative centre of the Central Coast Council local government area in the heart of the Central Coast region, about north of Sydney and about south of Newcastle. The city centre is situated at the northern extre ...

Newcastle Motordrome Newcastle Motordrome was a dirt track racing venue located on the Old Punt Road in Tomago, New South Wales, just north of the Hunter River and north of the city of Newcastle. The ¼-mile speedway operated from its opening in 1977 until it wa ...

* Olympic Park Speedway * Olympic Park Stadium *

Parramatta City Raceway Sydney Speedway (known commercially as Valvoline Raceway and formerly as Parramatta Speedway, and often referenced as Sydney Speedway I to differentiate with its successor) was a dirt track racing venue on the site of the Granville Showgrounds in ...

Premier Speedway Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

* Rockhampton Showground *

Wayville Showgrounds The Adelaide Showground holds many of Adelaide's most popular events, including the Royal Adelaide Show. The Showground (also popularly known as the Wayville Showgrounds) is located in the inner-southern Adelaide suburb of Wayville, just so ...

Series 500 winners

References

{{Reflist

External links

1995 International Speedway Masters Series final

1996 International Speedway Masters Series final

1997 International Speedway Masters Series final

Notable Riders

Tracks

Series 500 winners

References

External links

See also