Speedway: Western Springs Speedway to celebrate legends

Western Springs Speedway. Photo / Doug Sherring

Springs Speedway will celebrate its 90th anniversary at the famous venue on Saturday night with their Jubilee Legends meeting.

The event will reflect on some of the great memories from nine decades of racing at the track and will invoke plenty of passion with unsuccessful attempts over the past few years to push speedway out of Western Springs.

Nine-time New Zealand champion Michael Pickens is the most decorated active driver and he is especially fond of Western Springs.

"The history of the place is truly second to none," Pickens told the Herald. "I have driven most dirt tracks in the world and the atmosphere that place has got doesn't compare to anything to be honest.

"You can't ever re-create that – it is something that is just part of the venue and it will never change.

"It is no different to the Mecca of speedway and that is Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the Indy 500. When you walk into that place you get goosebumps. Same with Western Springs, just because of the drivers that have been before you.

"The absolute best of the best have raced at Western Springs.

"You can't take that history with you. If you move the speedway from one place to another, sure the facilities will be improved or modernised but history is something you can't change."

Pickens has as many iconic moments at Western Springs as any driver throughout its storied history but his memories of the place take him back to his childhood.

"I guess as a young fella going to watch the international guys - in particular the 50-lapper - and watching Sleepy Tripp and Ted Tracey and those guys would be my earliest memory and something that has always stuck with me," he said.

While he has lost count of how many wins he's had at Western Springs the first major title of his career in the 2002-03 season is the one that stands out.

"I will never forget winning my first New Zealand title there – that was obviously a pretty big moment in my career. New Zealand titles are pretty special to any New Zealander driver."

A full schedule of sprint cars, midgets, TQs and F2 midgets will be on show with the late great Barry Butterworth honoured by the reverse order feature.