The Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is an Australian dirt Sprint car racing meet that takes place at the Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria every year in late January.[1] The classic traditionally takes place one week before the Australian Sprintcar Championship.
The event was first run in 1973 and was won by Ian "Zeke" Agars from Adelaide, who drove a Straight-six Holden-powered supermodified to victory in the 40 lap final.
Sydney racer, ten time Australian champion Garry Rush, has the best record in the event claiming seven victories. During the 1980s and early 1990s Rush had a rivalry with American driver Danny Smith who won the Classic six times during roughly the same period. Rush also noted in 1984 that the race has more prestige than the traditional Australian Sprintcar Championship because it is open to all drivers, not just Australians (as is the rule for the Sprintcar Championship), and is the most important race of the year for Australians because of its all-comers format.
Because of its mid-summer date, when the North American season has not started, drivers from the United States will often arrive to race in the December and January races on the Australian Sprintcar Tours. Ten Americans have won the Grand Annual, including World of Outlaws series champions Danny Lasoski and Donny Schatz. As with the Australian Championship, drivers from New South Wales have dominated the event with 18 wins. The home state of Victoria had to wait until the 20th running of the event to have a home winner with Warrnambool's own Max Dumesny winning in 1992.
The race is regarded as the largest car count in sprint car racing. In the 2015 meeting, 107 cars participated, compared to the previous August's Knoxville Nationals, where 105 cars were entered.[2]
Winners since 1973
| Year | Winners | Runner-up | 3rd place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Zeke Agars (SA) | Gerry Clarke (Tas) | Allan Jones (SA) |
| 1974 | Bill Wigzell (SA) | Kevin Yeoman (Vic) | Don Pollock |
| 1975 | Syd Hopping (NSW) | Graham McCubbin (Vic) | Bill Wigzell (SA) |
| 1976 | Garry Rush (NSW) | Bob Aylesbury (SA) | Steve Brazier (NSW) |
| 1977 | Garry Rush (NSW) | Steve Brazier (NSW) | Jimmy Sills ( ) |
| 1978 | Jimmy Sills () |
Les Harrower (Vic) | Steve Brazier (NSW) |
| 1979 | Garry Rush (NSW) | Graeme McCubbin (Vic) | Steve Brazier (NSW) |
| Year | Winners | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 1980 | Garry Rush (NSW) | Steve Brazier (NSW) | Graeme McCubbin (Vic) |
| 1981 | Jac Haudenschild () |
Bill Barrows (SA) | Noel Bradford (WA) |
| 1982 | Jac Haudenschild () |
Garry Rush (NSW) | Brett Lacey (Vic) |
| 1983 | Danny Smith () |
Garry Rush (NSW) | Jack Hewitt () |
| 1984 | Garry Rush (NSW) | Danny Smith () |
Bill Barrows (SA) |
| 1985 | Danny Smith () |
Garry Rush (NSW) | Sid Moore (NSW) |
| 1986 | Garry Rush (NSW) | John Walsh (NSW) | Bill Barrows (SA) |
| 1987 | Danny Smith () |
Garry Rush (NSW) | Ian Lewis (Vic) |
| 1988 | Danny Smith () |
Garry Rush (NSW) | Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| 1989 | Danny Smith () |
Max Dumesny (Vic) | Phil March (SA) |
| Year | Winners | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 1990 | Garry Rush (NSW) | Max Dumesny (Vic) | George Tatnell (NSW) |
| 1991 | Jack Hewitt () |
Danny Smith () |
Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| 1992 | Max Dumesny (Vic) | Garry Rush (NSW) | Danny Smith () |
| 1993 | Garry Brazier (NSW) | Garry Rush (NSW) | Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| 1994 | Max Dumesny (Vic) | Mike Ward () |
Garry Rush (NSW) |
| 1995 | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Max Dumesny (Vic) | Garry Brazier (NSW) |
| 1996 | Danny Smith () |
Greg Hodnett () |
Garry Rush (NSW) |
| 1997 | Trevor Green (SA) | Skip Jackson (NSW) | Garry Rush (NSW) |
| 1998 | Skip Jackson (NSW) | Trevor Green (SA) | Phil March (SA) |
| 1999 | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Garry Brazier (NSW) | Max Dumesny (Vic) |
| Year | Winners | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 2000 | Danny Lasoski (MO, ) |
Chad Kemenah (OH, ) |
Skip Jackson (NSW) |
| 2001 | Donny Schatz (ND, ) |
Danny Smith (IN, ) |
Danny Lasoski (MO, ) |
| 2002 | Donny Schatz (ND, ) |
Max Dumesny (Vic) | Danny Smith (IN, ) |
| 2003 | Joey Saldana (IN, ) |
Max Dumesny (Vic) | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) |
| 2004 | Max Dumesny (Vic) | Kerry Madsen (NSW) | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) |
| 2005 | Kerry Madsen (NSW) | Shane Stewart (OK, ) |
Donny Schatz (ND, ) |
| 2006 | Abandoned after C Main due to Rain. Ben Atkinson (NT) led points after first night. | ||
| 2007 | Kerry Madsen (NSW) | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Shane Stewart (OK, ) |
| 2008 | Kerry Madsen (NSW) | Jason Johnson (LA, ) |
Max Dumesny (VIC) |
| 2009 | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Shane Stewart (OK, ) |
Kerry Madsen (NSW) |
| Year | Winners | Runner-up | 3rd place |
| 2010 | Shane Stewart (OK, ) |
Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Ryan Farrell (WA) |
| 2011 | Steven Lines (SA) | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Jason Johnson (LA, ) |
| 2012 | Ian Loudoun (NSW) | Craig Dollansky (MN, ) |
Kerry Madsen (NSW) |
| 2013 | Steven Lines (SA) | Terry McCarl (IA, ) |
Brooke Tatnell (NSW) |
| 2014 | Tim Kaeding (CA, ) |
Max Dumesny (Vic) | Jamie Veal (Vic) |
| 2015 | Kyle Hirst (CA, ) |
Brooke Tatnell (NSW) | Grant Anderson (NSW) |
| 2016 | Jamie Veal (Vic) | Kerry Madsen (NSW) | Robbie Farr (Qld) |
| 2017 | James McFadden (Vic) | Darren Mollenoyux (Vic) | Brooke Tatnell (NSW) |
| 2018[3] | Corey McCullagh (Vic) | Carson Macedo (CA, ) |
Brooke Tatnell (NSW) |
| 2019 | Robbie Farr (Qld) | Jamie Veal (Vic) | Kerry Madsen (NSW) |
| 2020 | James McFadden (Vic) | Jamie Veal (Vic) | Kerry Madsen (NSW) |
| 2021 | Not held due to Covid19 Pandemic travel restrictions preventing interstate and overseas travel. | ||