History

Where it began

The 1320 Drag Club was formed back in 1967 by John (Wheels) Dwyer, Mick Ryan and a number of local car guys to promote Drag Racing in Western Australia. Racing began at Caversham with the WA Sporting Car Club, then Fairbridge Farm on an old WW2 gravel airstrip. Club members would sweep the loose gravel away for the quarter mile but after that you were on your own!

There are a few stories going around of how and when it was started that has seemed to have been brushed off over time, but at the end of the day, below is who kick started the club. This is a snip from the Australian Hot Rod magazine from 1967.

The original 1320 founding /committee members were:

John Dwyer - President

Mick Ryan - Vice President

The late Paul Meinck - Treasurer

The late Peter Holland - Secretary

Two publicity officers and the late Don Stehn who was a heavily involved member.

The 1320 Drag Club was formed on the back lawn of John Dwyer's parents house in Floreat. The first meeting was held in the lounge room at John's house, the meeting grew too large so they held them in the late Don Stehn's parents garage in Floreat. The club expanded further and the meetings were held in Geoff Pilgram's old mechanical workshop across from North City Holden in Scarborough Beach Road.

Dad used to borrow an old truck from Attwood Motors where he used to work (now Phoenix Holden) truck division in the city and travel down to Fairbridge Farm airstrip on a Saturday and set up safety railing (star pickets, rope and drums) with some of the members. They would then run the Sunday Drags.

Racing was also held in Dowering, Bunbury and Busselton. A number of name changes happened along the way including Ravenswood Drag Club, Western Australian Drag Racing Association (but the name was discovered to be too similar to another club) and then Westside Drag Racing Association. In 1969 the move to Ravenswood Raceway began with members of the 1320 club contributing labour to help build Ravenswood, which would become the home of Drag Racing in WA for the next 30 years.

In December 0f 2000 the new home of Drag Racing, Perth Motorplex was opened. Thank you to Mick Ryan and Shane O'Sullivan for this information. Photos from FB: 1320 Drag Club Perth WA

WESTSIDE

Westside Drag Racing Association was officially incorporated on the 3rd of May 1982. Club meetings began to be held at the Manning Hall in the early 1970's and the last meeting there in 2012 before the building was demolished soon after. Meetings moved to the WA Street Rod Association Club Rooms in Malaga and are still currently held there. Before the inception of social media, a club meeting each month was the only way to network with ANDRA representatives and track representatives to find out info on upcoming race events. Track management used the forum to sound out ideas with racers and Gary Miocevich's bid for a race track in Melbourne saw his pitch to government first tested on club members. Back in the day, to get an ANDRA licence you had to be a member of an affiliated club, so this was another reason to be part of the club. Some memorable presidents included Ian Johns, Daryl Smith, Shane O'Sullivan, Rhett Cooper-Fowle and an extremely long standing secretary Mark Bennett. Thanks to Liz Johns for the information.

WASSMA

WASSMA, Western Australian Super Street, Super Sedan and Modified Association was commenced following the inaugural Drag Racing meeting at Perth Motorplex in 2000. The opening meeting was fraught with problems, resulting in huge delays to the Super Street, Super Sedan and Modified racing schedule. The problems were exacerbated by a lack of communications from race control to the competitors. Huge delays and racers falling asleep inside their cars waiting for hours in the staging lanes. Finally the racers declared enough was enough and a delegation of drivers approached track officials to advise that all Group 3 racers were withdrawing from the event. The racers removed their vehicles from the staging lanes and held a brief meeting in the pits where it was decided that everyone should get together the following week. At the meeting it was agreed that the racers needed representation, so WASSMA was formed and officially incorporated on the 27th March 2001. Meetings were held each month beginning at Market City Tavern. WASSMA moved its meetings to several locations over the years as it outgrew the Tavern. Inaugural President and Life Member Greg Carter opened the doors of his Canning Vale workshop to meetings and functions for a few years, then the generosity of Charlie Gullotto extended the use of his workshop for meetings. Tens of thousands of dollars have been awarded to Group 3 racers over the 15 years of the WASSMA dial-in competition supported in the early days with generous sponsorship support from Metro Brick. Many a fun swap meet and quiz night were added to the social side of the club. A few years ago Supercharged Outlaw racers were added to the club competition as Group 3 competitors. Modified Bike were also invited to join up. Thank you to Shane Wynd, Greg Carter and Liz Johns for the information.

WADRA Inc

2015/2016, due to an upheaval in the sanctioning of the sport in WA, a decision by members of WASSMA Drag Racing and Westside Drag Racing Association, many of whom belonged to and held committee positions in both clubs, decided to amalgamate the two clubs to form one strong and united voice for racers in WA and formed WADRA Inc ( Western Australian Drag Racing Association Inc) that we are today. Inaugural and interim President Garrie Fowler leads the club to it's official AGM in September 2017 and towards the first season of WA Drag Racing as a new entity.