Ray Bartlett Racing

Ray Bartlett Racing (Sprintcar) was formed in 1999 in Sydney NSW.

I was posted (Army) in Sydney at the time and the race team was actually a bit of an incentive to me after suffering a fairly major injury at work. If I was able to overcome my injuries (broken back in two places) and get back to work, then starting a Sprintcar team was going to be my reward. I have no real idea to this day what the actual thinking was behind this idea, but then again no one has ever accused me of being “really smart”.

So with the help of Bob Tunks (Tunks Speed Shop), in Sydney, I purchased an old Tognotti Roller along with an old 360ci motor, an old Isuzu Truck (Big Red Ted). Got some sponsors (Defence Force Careers, Ingleburn Hardware, Ingleburn News Agency & Penrite) and we headed up the highway from Sydney to Newcastle for our first race. My dad (Ernie) flew over from Adelaide to play crew chief for me, I had a couple of Army mates and my wife Vikki crew as well. We made the A-Main at our first race meeting (because heaps crashed out in the heats and were unable to go on, and we were still going), lasted 3 laps of the A-Main due to brake failure. But hey, we had achieved what I wanted to do – Go Sprintcar Racing………….

Season 1999/2000

Was spent mainly racing at Parramatta Raceway in Sydney, although we did venture over to Adelaide for the 2000 Australian Open Title (where we finished upside down and on fire in the C-Main).

Season 2000/2001

Was once again spent in Sydney racing at Parramatta. We Finished 18th in the B-Main at the 2001 Australian Title. But the highlight for the season would have to be the 12th in the B-Main the week before after coming through the C-Main at the $50,000 to win Gough & Gilmore race.

Season 2001/2002

After returning from active service overseas (East Timor) I moved the car and all my gear to Adelaide so I could race more at Speedway City. We made most A-Main events at the Speedway City “Thunder Down Under” series that season, highest credited finish being a 9th.

Season 2002/2003

Now that I was posted with work permanently to Adelaide, this was when I enlisted the help of former Sprintcar driver Jamie Cobby to help the team set the car up and give me a few pointers on driving. I still didn’t win anything, but we were faster and a lot more consistent throughout the season.

Season 2003/2004

Due to work commitments we raced very little throughout the season, but when we did we were fast enough to make me want to come back. It was about this time that I started toying with the idea of running as a permanent 360ci team in South Australia.

Season 2004/2005

Once again we raced very little, but when not racing I was chasing new Sponsors as well as parts from around Australia and Overseas to set the team up for season 2005/2006 as hopefully a 360ci front running team.

Season 2005/2006

New Sponsors on board (Saxon Engineering, Adelaide Coachlines, Brentons Mechanical Workshop, A1 Truck & Car Crash Repairs, PC Excavations, Starfire Pizza & Workpac) we started the season with 2 Maxim chassis, What I believed was a great little 360ci donk, possibly the worst idea for a paint scheme ever (Army Camouflage) & the last piece of the puzzle – A driver by the name of Jamie Cobby. After some initial set backs, and after only 5 races for the season – The Team won the 360ci Australian Title.

Season 2006/2007

As the defending Australian 360ci champions and carrying the 360ci number 1 on the now desert camouflage Maxim, we went on to win 9 A-Main events, and finished 2nd twice and 3rd once out of the 15 events that we competed as a 360ci team. The only real disappointment for the team was, whilst leading at Kalgoorlie in defence of the Australian 360ci Title, an electrical fault halted the car.

Season 2007/2008

The season started with a 410ci PM Race Engine’s power plant in a brand new Triple X chassis, and at Northline Speedway in Darwin. Unfortunately the only race that the team won for the season was a 360ci Speedway City club show, although we were in a position many times throughout the season for great results both with the 410ci & the 360ci motors, things just didn’t fall our way. Highlighted by the fact that we were half a lap in front with only 8 to go at the 360ci Australian Title again, when another electrical fault halted the car. The season ended with me being posted to Darwin due to work commitments.

Season 2008/2009

Ray Bartlett Racing was rested due to me running around in Afghanistan with work.

Season 2009/2010.

Home again, and with Jamie now driving for his own family run 410ci team. I had Allan Barlee drive the start of the season (He went on to win the Australian 360ci Title in his own car in March 2010), then after 7 years I got the chance to strap back into the 360ci car and finish off the season.