Sprint Cars
Brian Linigen has one of Australia’s most amazing backyards. It all started about twelve years ago, when he visited a friend who had a milk bar in the backyard. Brian built a milk bar on his property too, but he didn’t stop there. He added many more buildings and created a miniature township to house his speedway memorabilia. Brian used to race sprint cars but his career ended after he had a tractor accident at home. However, he is still heavily involved in the sport through his 21-year-old daughter Kelly, who has been racing sprint cars since she was 17.
Fabulous collection
The importance of Brian’s collection was summed up by Wade Aunger, who is a Parramatta Speedway commentator: “When you look around it might just seem like a bunch of old cars to people who’re not in the game, but this is Disneyland for sprint car fans.”
Sprint cars obviously feature in the collection, which also includes:
- vintage dragster cars
- six hand built pedal cars
- sidecars
- motorbikes
- bikes
- trikes and scooters
- racing signs
- number plates
- oil cans
- brass plaque
- street signs
- petrol bowsers
- tins
- pistons and various other car parts
- trophies
- helmets
- signed photos and magazines from the sprint car industry
- old farm implements, and several old tractors and ploughs
- a beer coaster collection, old telephone boxes and a railway carriage
- old irons, a washing machine, a penny farthing cycle, children’s toys and scale models of cars
- an old cell door from Bathurst Gaol, with a dummy policewoman standing behind it
- a racing car chassis and body hanging in the trees
- various buildings including the ‘Doghouse Motel’, where Brian’s dad stays when he is in town