The Western Australian Formula 500 Championship is one of the longest running title events in WA and this weekend at Geraldton Speedway will see the sixty third anniversary running of the event.
Starting in the 1957/58 season, the division was then known as TQ’s and the event (and the following two title events) was won by Wally Higgs.
In the 1973/74 season the title underwent a name change to Formula 500’s, with the event being won by Bill Richards, a man who has still been competing in recent years. Bill also finished second on three occasions, giving him four total podium finishes in the title event over the years.
The event history of the WA Formula 500 is a virtual who’s who of Formula 500/TQ legends, with winner’s right across its history performing well in multiple titles as well as on the national stage.
Leading the stats is none other than Johnny Andersson, a six time champion who featured on the podium another eight times, with three seconds and five thirds. This means that from the 1964/65 season through to his last podium in the1994/95 season, a period of thirty one years, Andersson featured on the podium a total of fourteen times. It is for this reason, as announced earlier today, that the preliminary feature race will be named in his honour.
The only other person to feature on the podium in double digits is Phil Crofts, who put in a series of spectacular performances to finish on the podium eleven times, including two wins, from the 1990/91 season through to 2006/07. That’s an amazing eleven podiums in seventeen seasons!
Despite having less total podium finishes with eight, Bill Broadwood is still ahead of Crofts on wins after becoming a four time champion. Featuring on the podium a total of eight times across sixteen years is certainly an impressive effort, as is the efforts of Matt Brown who has achieved exactly the same feat of four wins, three seconds and a third place over sixteen years! Defending Champion Steven Ellement has also feature on the podium eight times, with three wins, four seconds and a third place, including being on the podium five times in the last six years, something he will be keen to add to this weekend.
Bryan Mullings, Noel Potts and Wally Higgs, have all claimed three title wins while interestingly, Higgs and Potts remain the only two drivers to have ever won the title event in three consecutive years, both in the first six years of the event being held!
Seventy eight drivers have claimed a podium finish in the sixty two year history of the event thus far, including a total of thirty five drivers who have claimed a win. Aside from the afore mentioned drivers, there are another seven drivers who have grabbed two wins apiece (including Crofts), while a further twenty one drivers have claimed victory on one occasion.
Brad Chapman would have to be the most successful in WA titles to have never actually have claimed a win, with a total of four podium finishes including two seconds and two thirds. Ken Neilson also grabbed a second and two thirds without a victory.
So who will take the title? A full list of nominations will be released tomorrow, but we can assure you that the field, including a number of former champions and place getters, will be one that makes sure it will be a cracker jack title event. We will see you trackside this Saturday and Sunday night at Geraldton Speedway to see who will be crowned the 63rdAnniversary WA Title winner!
Release by DTN Media.
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 500 CHAMPIONSHIP
SEASON FIRST SECOND THIRD
1957-58 Wally Higgs George Higgs Brian Lucy
1958-59 Wally Higgs Harley Pederick Mt Taylor
1959-60 Wally Higgs Harry Condor Jack Rowe
1960-61 Noel Potts Don Ferguson Wally Higgs
1961-62 Noel Potts Tony Walker George Cole
1962-63 Noel Potts Graham Wegner Peter Kayne
1964-65 Danny Lohoar Graham McDougall John Andersson
1965-66 Charlie West John Andersson John Thomas
1966-67 Charlie West Ralph Bellairs Rob Grant
1967-68 John Andersson Graham McDougall Peter Nicholson
1968-69 Graham McDougall John Andersson John Thomas
1969-70 John Andersson George Gregson Gary Sharpe
1970-71 George Gregson Stan McEntee John Andersson
1971-72 John Andersson Norm Kemp Barry Hancock
1972-73 Wally Cowie Bill Richards John Andersson
1973-74 Bill Richards Barry Hancock Ray Smith
1974-75 John Andersson Ken Neilson Barry Hancock
1975-76 Barry Hancock Bill Richards Ray Smith
1976-77 John Andersson Jim Tryhorn Ken Neilson
1977-78 George Higgs Ray Windon Ken Neilson
1978-79 George Higgs Bill Broadwood Bryan Mullings
1979-80 John Andersson Ray Windon Rod Bottrell
1980-81 Rod Bottrell Trevor Pearce Des Ferris
1981-82 Peter Sumpton George Higgs John Andersson
1982-83 Bill Broadwood Robbie Brown Peter Sumpton
1983-84 Bill Broadwood Col Thompson Rod Bottrell
1984-85 Peter Sumpton John Andersson Barry Hancock
1985-86 Des Ferris Bill Broadwood Peter Sumpton
1986-87 Bill Broadwood Des Ferris Vince Chapman
1987-88 Bill Broadwood Vince Chapman Des Ferris
1988-89 Vince Chapman Paul Anderson Gary Ellement
1989-90 Jeff Hancock Bill Broadwood Bryan Mullings
1990-91 Bryan Mullings Alan Bascombe Phil Crofts
1991-92 Bryan Mullings Bill Richards Paul Anderson
1992-93 Paul Anderson Phil Crofts Rod Bottrell
1993-94 Bryan Mullings Phil Crofts Bill Broadwood
1994-95 Jeff Hancock Phil Crofts John Andersson
1995-96 Craig Okely Bryan Mullings Dave Irvine
1996-97 Marshall McDiarmid Phil Crofts Jeff Hancock
1997-98 Aaron Griffiths Brian Coombs Phil Crofts
1998-99 Phil Crofts Brad Chapman Jeff Hancock
1999-00 Trevor Harding Brad Chapman Phil Crofts
2000-01 Phil Crofts Graham Higgs Anthony Chitty
2001-02 Trevor Harding Graham Higgs Phil Crofts
2002-03 Matt Brown Tim Gardner Brad Chapman
2003-04 Gavin Casey Matt Brown Rod Bottrell
2004-05 Matt Brown Tim Gardner Leroy McKay
2005-06 Matt Brown Steven Gay Brad Chapman
2006-07 Ben Devlin Matt Brown Phil Crofts
2007-08 Ben Devlin Matt Brown Steven Gay
2008-09 Steven Ellement Cody Turacchio Wayne Moller (Qld)
2009-10 Steven Ellement Ben McLeod (Vic) Trevor Harding Jr
2010-11 Daniel Harding Steven Ellement Trevor Harding Jr
2011-12 David Sinagra Charlie Brown (Qld) Matt Brown
2012-13 Andrew Priolo Mark House Jason Priolo
2013-14 Jye O'Keeffe (Vic) Thomas Davies Steven Ellement
2014-15 Tom Hooper Steven Ellement Troy Johnson
2015-16 Thomas Davies Luke Nardini Tom Hooper
2016-17 Glenn Carstairs Steven Ellement Thomas Davies
2017-18 Matt Brown Steven Ellement Mark House
2018-19 Steven Ellement Thomas Davies Cody Turacchio