Grenville Anderson
| Grenville Anderson | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |
 Australia |
| Born | 26 November 1951 |
| Died | 31 May 2004 (aged 52) |
| Championship titles | |
| 1975/76, 1977/78, 1979/80, 1992/93 | Australian Super Sedan Championship |
Grenville Anderson (26 November 1951 – 31 May 2004) was an Australian auto racing driver, considered "one of the icons of Australian sedan racing". He is the only driver in Australian speedway history to win four Australian Super Sedan Championships.[1]
He died on 31 May 2004[2] as a consequence of injuries he sustained at the then Archerfield Speedway, now Brisbane International Speedway, on 8 May 1993, some 11 years earlier. Anderson, who was running hot laps in practice for the 1993/94 Australian Championship for which he was the defending champion and favourite to win his 5th title, climbed the concrete wall between turns 1 & 2, rode along the top of the wall for approx 30 metres, as the wall ended into the pits his car flipped onto the right hand side and struck a concrete retaining wall on the drivers side with his head striking the wall, questions were raised as to the chances of his injuries not being as severe if he was wearing a purpose made racing helmet, Grenville preferred using a motocross style helmet over using the traditional style of racing helmet used at the time.
The Grenville Anderson East Coast National, a 50 lap race, is held annually in his honor at Lismore Speedway.[3]
In 2007, Anderson was one of the first ten people inducted into the Australian Speedway Hall of Fame.[4]
Australian Super Sedan Title
After spending over a decade not finishing on the Aussie title podium, Anderson was the class of the field in the 1991/92 title at Adelaide's Speedway Park, with most believing that only trouble in the Final would prevent him winning his 4th National crown. Unfortunately car trouble put him out half way through the Final which was eventually won by reigning South Australian Champion and local Speedway Park hotshot Brad Scotcher. Anderson made up for his Adelaide failure the next year, winning his record 4th Australian Championship in Latrobe, Tasmania.
- Winner in 1975/76 at Rowley Park Speedway in Adelaide, South Australia
- Winner in 1977/78 at Claremont Speedway in Perth, Western Australia
- 2nd in 1978/79 at Charlton Raceway in Toowoomba, Queensland
- Winner in 1979/80 at Bagot Park in Darwin, Northern Territory
- Winner in 1992/93 at Latrobe Speedway in Latrobe, Tasmania [5]
Winners of Grenville Anderson East Coast Grand National
- 2010 - Tania Smith driving a Danny Smith built Rocket racecar
- 2011 - Darren Kane driving the Ian Boettcher sponsored Dominator racecar[6]
References
- ↑ Newlyn, Dennis (18 February 2010). "Kane is willing and able to win". The Northern Star. Lismore, New South Wales. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- ↑ McKay, Peter (1 June 2004). "Crouch, Anderson dead". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney.
- ↑ Newlyn, Dennis (22 February 2010). "Tania takes out title". The Northern Star. Lismore, New South Wales. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ↑ National Association of Speedway Racing. "Australian Speedway Hall Of Fame Inductees". SPEEDWAY Net. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ↑ "National History: National Titles". Speedway Sedans Australia. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ↑ "QSSA Release: Grenville Results - KANE TAKES THE GRENVILLE, DAYLIGHT SECOND". Queensland Super Sedan Association. Retrieved 28 March 2011.