SPEEDWAY has been an enduring passion for Phil Simpson and his family for more than 30 years, writes ANDREW ROGERS.
ABOUT 33 years ago, Phil Simpson announced to his wife Mary his intention to try his hand at speedway racing.
More than three decades later the sport has remained an enduring passion for Phil, Mary and their family.
“I started racing at the old track over the river and was in that for about six years,” Phil said.
“I’d said to Mary, ‘I wouldn’t mind having a go at that one day’, so I did.”
Since his driving days, Phil has served on the committee and always helped out at working bees.
The Simpsons have also helped out by manning the food caravan that serviced speedway events before the permanent canteen was built.
“Before the canteen we had a caravan and it used to make money for the speedway,” Mary said.
These days Phil is mostly responsible for maintaining the spectators’ lawn and the fire buckets.
“I have a chap that comes and cuts the lawn for me, he does a great job,” Phil said.
Phil and Mary’s son Garry and daughter Wendy have also been involved in racing, with Wendy having competed in women’s races in the past.
“They used to have ladies races but now you just go in with everybody,” Phil said.
Phil, who was made a life member in 1997, said he was as passionate as ever about speedway.
“It’s in your blood. You just go and do it because you love doing it,” he said.
As well as life membership, Phil has won the club’s prestigious June Domaille Award on a couple of occasions.
Both Phil and Mary agreed the move to Chisholm Reserve had been a positive step forward for the club.
“We have a lot of comments that it’s one of the better tracks to drive on and the facilities are good,” Mary said.
And aside from Phil’s well-kept lawn, people are able to watch from their cars in the colder months.
“People like to sit in their cars all the time in winter,” Mary said.
Garry’s two sons Troy and Shane are also accomplished drivers with their sister Kristie competing up until she married, Mary said.
While Troy — last year’s Victorian number one driver — and Shane are frequently on the road to meets out of Swan Hill, Phil and Mary are not so often these days.
“We had lots of late times away racing — at Brooklyn, near Avalon, and at Mildura and Boort,” Mary said.
“We’ve met some nice people, people we wouldn’t have met otherwise,” Phil said.
