Roy Smith - Top Fuel

In 1964, Roy successfully competed at some of Queensland's first organized drag races on the main straight of the old Lowood motor racing circuit in a super stock 1956 Ford Customline.  Then in 1966, as a member of the Road Stars Hot Rod Club, he and Bob Maxsted were the official starters at the inaugural Surfers Paradise drag meeting where Australia's Ash Marshall and Eddie Thomas competed against six top American dragsters, along with a large field of other classes.

In 1967, Roy built one of Queensland's first rails.  It was powered by a small block Chev engine consuming methanol through 4 duel throat carburetors and tuned by Willowbank's Dennis Syrmis.  With this rail in 1968, Roy won many races at Surfers Paradise and also won a Mackay's inaugural meeting at Palmyra.  In 1969, Roy partnered up with Rod Farrell (of Dynamic Balancing) and over the next three years had many successes in several different rails.  To mention a couple, he had a Nationals win in 1972 and was one of the first handful of racers to break the 200 mph barrier along with Ash Marshall, Peter Dykes, Ron Wanless, Jim Read and Warren Armour.

In 1974, Roy was hired by Mick Atholwood to drive his new Torana nitro funny car at Surfers Paradise and Castlereagh, cumulating in a Winter Nationals win at Surfers in 1976, where he then retired to concentrate on his construction and property interests.

Now 20 years later, after limited success in the sixties and seventies, he advises us that he and Mick Atholwood, a close friend since 1964, are back to take care of unfinished business.