MEMPHIS TN (May 12) - The eighties were a period of tremendous growth for the sport of stock car racing in the United States.  The growth of the sport also crossed the Pacific with the 1988 opening of the 1.12 mile Calder Park Thunderdome Speedway in Melbourne, Australia.  The 24 degree banked tri-oval hosted its first race on February 28, 1988 with a televised audience in both the United States and Australia.  The Goodyear International 500k was the first NASCAR sanctioned race held outside North America and it hosted a number of established NASCAR drivers including event winner Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison, Dave Marcis and Michael Waltrip.

Also competing at Calder Park were Hylton Motorsports with driver Tony Spanos and Winston West driver Ron Esau, piloting the Jim Robinson Oldsmobile.  The day ended early for Spanos as transmission problems relegated him to a 31st place finish.  Esau qualified his Oldsmobile in 5th position but engine problems caused him to drop out on lap 160, resulting in a 18th place finish for the California driver.

Calder Park would host two more NASCAR events before the fledgling Australian stock car scene took charge.  Morgan Sheppard would claim victory in the 1988 Christmas 500 after fending off a last lap challenge from Sterling Marlin.  Terry Labonte would capture December 1990's Australian 400 with Ken Schrader and Ron Esau finishing on the lead lap.

Hylton Motorsports would like to extend its appreciation to Ron Esau for providing us with pictures from Calder Park.

- Click on photo to enlarge -

James Hylton readies the car for qualifying	James and friend in the Australian Outback	Ron Esau and Tony Spanos' lovely girlfriend Sandy
Ron and James mingle with the local population	Tony Spanos and the 48	James, Ron and baby deer
Baby Kangaroo	Starting Field	Bobby Allison with the 78 car
Ron Esau's Oldsmobile	Some of the American drivers	Union Oil's Bill Broadrick