2024 Inductees
DAVE WILSON
2024 Inductee, Castrol Lismore Speedway Wall of Fame
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The Street Stockers have a very worthy recipient amongst the inaugural inductees on Castrol Lismore Speedway’s Wall of Fame. That person is Dave Wilson who had an outstanding career in the New South Wales Street Stock division over many years. He was the man who became a part of history with the annual running of the Stocksville event and put this title race on the map.
In keeping with his winning record in the category, he also became a personality of the sport. He made a very significant contribution because of not only his on-track success, but he was a very promotable product – particularly at the Newcastle Speedway.
One of the biggest events in Australian Street Stock racing during the 90s was Stocksville, promoted by David Lander at the Newcastle circuit. Dave Wilson won three consecutive Stocksville titles, but it’s how he won the magnificent trophy that earned plenty of promotion for the Newcastle circuit and the Street Stock division – before and after Stocksville. After his initial success, he then won Stocksville from the rear of the field – no mean feat against some of the best Street Stock drivers in Australia – on his way to the hat-trick.
But it’s not just one race, one title, or ongoing success that makes Dave Wilson such a champion. He’s also a multi-Australian Street Stocks Champion, NSW Champion, a prolific winner of the Lismore Speedway Track Championship and was also a Summerland Street Saloon Club track titleholder during his years in speedway.
In keeping with his highly successful title winning career statistics, he earned a high reputation for his dedication, commitment, participation and longevity to speedway.
He loved speedway and was there – ready, willing and able – to promote the sport. He always made himself available to mainstream media with track promotions and constantly presented a very professional image for the great benefit of speedway.
JUNE RANDALL
2024 Inductee, Castrol Lismore Speedway Wall of Fame
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When it comes to longevity as a track worker, June Randall rates right up there as one of the most loyal long time servants of Castrol Lismore Speedway. She has been a lap scorer at the track for more years than she cares to remember, but the actual time frame goes back decades to the mid-1980s.
It’s what she has done meticulously at every race meeting with precision and accuracy. June has always been there, seated in the communication tower doing her lap scoring job. She never missed a beat – or a car – writing the vehicle numbers and laps, recording every race for posterity and, in this case, a place in history as an inductee into Lismore Speedway’s Wall of Fame.
It’s so appropriate June is included in the first four icons to be named in the inaugural ceremony for the Wall of Fame. Her lap scoring job represents over four decades of sterling service to the venue. June says she has enjoyed every minute of the task that is more a labour of love than a job!
It’s largely because June and the entire Randall family represent the true meaning, fabric and core values of Castrol Lismore Speedway. June and her husband Col have been trackside at Castrol Lismore Speedway virtually since day one after regular seasonal racing commenced at the circuit in November 1969. Her husband Col later became one of the top drivers at the track and the apple did not fall far from the tree with their racing sons Wayne and Brendan. Wayne’s sons Brett and Justin, as well as Brendan’s off-spring Mitchell are all talented drivers.
Col’s last race was several years ago in a one-off drive in Paul Reeves’ AMCA at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway to celebrate his 80th birthday. Col was a regular-regular and rarely missed a Lismore race meeting. Amongst hundreds of heat and feature race wins over the years, 1979 was a highlight when he took out the Lismore and Grafton overall club point score. Top of the list, though, was winning a 30/30 feature with Wayne in his Torana sedan in 1991 at Lismore Speedway. That night, June, of course, was in attendance recording each lap of the race as a lap scorer!
BRUCE MAXWELL
2024 Inductee, Castrol Lismore Speedway Wall of Fame
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Bruce Maxwell was the likeable rogue who had a heart of gold widely known for his dedication to the Variety Club of Australia annual Bash event which raised money for underprivileged children. He was one of the strongest advocates for the organisation and a tireless worker. A man so deserving of Castrol Lismore Speedway’s Wall of Fame induction.
Bruce was a star on both sides of the fence as a former sedan and V8 Dirt Modified competitor. He was very much a part of the Lismore Speedway “furniture” as a track announcer who sat beside long serving Neil Marks calling the action after Bruce’s racing years finished. On the track he was a tough, ruthless competitor, a super showman who could “rev up” the crowd with his own brand of antics and entertainment. This never became more evident than when he was selected in the Australian Sedan Test team during the ‘seventies to race against the touring Americans at not only his Liverpool home track, but also at Canberra and other venues.
He was a walking headline and the mainstream media responded with coverage for the sport. The inaugural Bruce Maxwell Classic was run at Castrol Lismore Speedway on March 30 and 31, 2024 and will now be an annual event honouring this man who meant so much to so many people for so many years at the venue.
Bruce started his career during the 1969-70 Liverpool season in the sedan division, running for the NSW Production Sedans governing body. He soon rose to the A-grade ranks and won several major events in NSW in following years. He is also remembered for his later seasons racing V8 Dirt Modifieds at various venues. During his Liverpool racing days, he also was in the smash repair business and operator of Lucas-Maxwell Smash Repairs in western Sydney.
Bruce, 79, passed away in his Thailand homeland on November 17, 2023, after he sustained injuries as the innocent party in a road accident. There’s no doubt the passing of Bruce Maxwell has left a void in the sport that will never be filled.
Bruce was that kind of bloke. Through his Variety Club of Australia involvement, he was a man of the people and became friends with entertainers, namely John Paul Young, “Angry” Anderson, John Farnham, among others. This was the popularity and magnetism Bruce Maxwell possessed.
He was also a dedicated father. He was that kind of bloke who was also a journalist’s dream. He was never short of a quote, colourful or controversial comment. More than a charismatic character, there was also something inside Bruce that made him a very special person. While it’s an old cliché, it’s so accurate in the description of this wonderful man who was an all-round, knock-about good bloke – they threw away the mould when they made Bruce Maxwell. He was one of a kind!
PAUL O’NEILL
2024 Inductee, Castrol Lismore Speedway Wall of Fame
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The late, great Paul O’Neill exemplified and typified everything Castrol Lismore Speedway stands for in the long and illustrious history of the venue.
The sudden passing of Paul O’Neill aged 64 on March 12, 2024, hit not only the local racing fraternity, but also the Australian Speedway scene. Here was a man who gave his all on the Lismore track where his wonderful career started in his teens driving an FC Holden, literally days after he got his road driver’s licence.
It was not only his legendary track deeds that have rightly given his family the honour of his induction posthumously on Lismore Speedway Speedway’s Wall of Fame amongst the inaugural inductees, but also his company’s wonderful and incredibly generous sponsorship support and backing of the venue.
His award winning Lismore Nissan automotive dealership has for many years been there for Lismore Speedway as a loyal sponsor. A respected businessman in the community, that same corporate awareness has been provided in the Lismore business sector, while the company also has sponsored football in the district via Marist Brothers Rugby League teams. His dealership is also a proud backer of Lismore Wingless Sprint star Jacob Jolley.
Paul was a part of the Lismore Speedway scene going back to the days when his dad was one of the loyal workers who helped build the original wooden safety fence at the venue. 10-year-old Paul O’Neill looked on with great enthusiasm.
After initially driving the FC Holden to early success, he later sat behind the wheel of an XU1 Holden Torana in the days when Lismore Speedway sedans were categorised as A, B and C grade. He won his very first trophy in only his second appearance at Lismore Speedway when he took out a consolation race.
He rose through the sedan ranks and then his career gained considerable momentum during the ‘eighties after strong performances at Sydney’s Liverpool City Raceway. He enjoyed some wonderful Grand National Sedan years driving for local car dealer John Chant. Paul became one of Australia’s biggest names on the Grand National Sedan scene at Australian Championship level of success. He won the Australian Grand National Sedan Championship twice. Paul’s initial victory in the Grand National Sedan Australian title in 1986 was at Brisbane’s Archerfield Speedway.
He repeated the performance two seasons later when the title was held over two rounds. The first leg was conducted at Liverpool City Raceway, while the second and deciding round was the next night at the former Newcastle Motordrome. It was during this part of his career he gained selection in the Australian Grand National Sedan Test team for the memorable clashes against the Americans not only at Liverpool, but also his Lismore home track and other east coast venues as a regular team member. Victory in Lismore Speedway’s East Coast Sedan Grand National race ranks as one of his highest achievements at the track.
His star shone very brightly for many years and with his sad passing Paul O’Neill left a legacy of achievement in racing and the business world that will never be forgotten.