Eastern States Speedway
Club History
The Blenheim Club was founded in the 70's at which time it was called Marlborough Scramble Car Club. Scramble cars were the forerunner of what we know as stock cars. Saloons were next to come on the scene closely followed by a variety of saloon cars. We raced at Para and then Hospital Road. We then decided to build a track at Foxes Island and changed our name to Marlborough Stock Car Club.
In 1982 we had a first race season at our current track and decided again we needed a new name, so we became Sun City Speedway in the mid 80's. In 1988 we had progressed well and with the introduction of Streetstocks, this was an added attraction as a crowd pleaser.
During this period we changed our name again to Eastern States Speedway, which we are known as today. We have come along way since the first days of racing. In 1993 we progressed to installing lights at our track for the introduction of night-time racing. This has proved to be very popular. In 1995 we rebuilt the entire wall; as many years of hard racing had taken its toll. This again has proved popular with the drivers. In 2004 we installed electronic lap-scoring.
Eastern States Speedway has led the way in promoting Stockcars in the South Island; and has helped the class grow and flourish; a relatively inexpensive and accessible class for someone starting out in speedway. With Saloons now a nationally recognised class, Eastern States will follow on and promote this class in much the same way as it has Stockcars.
Eastern States has hosted numerous Championship meetings extremely successfully; including 2000 New Zealand Stocks and 2005 New Zealand Saloons.
We hold twelve race nights during a season that commences in October and runs through till April. Race meetings are programmed to take maximum advantage of the visiting public. Meeting attendance averages a thousand; with meetings such as NZ Stockcars night reaching seven thousand.
Eastern States Speedway has a membership of around a hundred. The society is administered by an Executive Committee consisting of President, Vice - President, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain and Committee Members; in contrast to many other tracks around New Zealand which are promoter run.
In 1982 we had a first race season at our current track and decided again we needed a new name, so we became Sun City Speedway in the mid 80's. In 1988 we had progressed well and with the introduction of Streetstocks, this was an added attraction as a crowd pleaser.
During this period we changed our name again to Eastern States Speedway, which we are known as today. We have come along way since the first days of racing. In 1993 we progressed to installing lights at our track for the introduction of night-time racing. This has proved to be very popular. In 1995 we rebuilt the entire wall; as many years of hard racing had taken its toll. This again has proved popular with the drivers. In 2004 we installed electronic lap-scoring.
Eastern States Speedway has led the way in promoting Stockcars in the South Island; and has helped the class grow and flourish; a relatively inexpensive and accessible class for someone starting out in speedway. With Saloons now a nationally recognised class, Eastern States will follow on and promote this class in much the same way as it has Stockcars.
Eastern States has hosted numerous Championship meetings extremely successfully; including 2000 New Zealand Stocks and 2005 New Zealand Saloons.
We hold twelve race nights during a season that commences in October and runs through till April. Race meetings are programmed to take maximum advantage of the visiting public. Meeting attendance averages a thousand; with meetings such as NZ Stockcars night reaching seven thousand.
Eastern States Speedway has a membership of around a hundred. The society is administered by an Executive Committee consisting of President, Vice - President, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain and Committee Members; in contrast to many other tracks around New Zealand which are promoter run.