Back in the early 1970s Minis were popular cars for speedway sedan racing. The fwd on dirt provided great cornering traction, but the 4 cylinder motors were no competition down the straights against the V8s. So, the action always happened in the turns, as these two photos of the Newcastle Motordrome in 1973 show. The Mini quickly disappeared from the oval when the V8 brigade started racing Chev Monzas and LH Toranas. The short wheelbase and huge power of these cars simply overwhelmed the Minis on the straights and through the turns.