Clem Smith a legend as racer, car collector and saviour of the Mallala Motor Sport Park in South Australia
A 1972 Chrysler Valiant VH Charger R/T e38 coupe was among Clem Smith's large collection of cars.
Clem Smith, a legendary motor racing competitor from Rowley Park days in the 1950s, is credited with saving the historic Mallala Motor Sport Park in South Australia from oblivion.
Smith, who built a valued rare car collection highlighted by his beloved Valiants, bought Mallala in the mid 1970s when the circuit was close to being lost. After
Smith’s death in 2017, the Mallala circuit was bought by the Shahin family, who also owns the new Bend raceway at Tailem Bend. The Shahins want Mallala to be part of the renaissance of motorsport in South Australia.
Smith dedicated his life to motor racing, starting as a driver at Brompton’s Rowley Park Speedway before racing a Hudson Terraplane at Sellicks Beach in the early 1950s. He drove in the 1955 Australian Grand Prix and also was a Chrysler car dealer in Adelaide.
In 1977, Smith bought the Mallala Race Circuit. Keith Williams, owner of Surfers Paradise Raceway, had a few years earlier built Adelaide International Raceway at the same time as owning Mallala.
Williams closed Mallala when Adelaide International Raceway was being built and placed a covenant prohibiting motor racing there. When Smith bought Mallala, he overturned the covenant after a lengthy court battle, and redeveloped it into the Mallala Motor Sport Park and opened it for car racing in 1982.
Glen Dix, the former animated flag marshal at the Adelaide Formula 1 Grand Prix from 1985 to 1995, had a life-long association with Smith. They were both members of Adelaide Sporting Car Club. From 1991, Dix put much of his spare time in retirement into volunteering to help Smith at Mallala.
Mallala hosts racing every weekend but in recent years the 2.6km bitumen circuit is mainly used for state titles in most categories of motorsport as well as some national events. Major race meetings at the circuit include the Mallala Historics. The Sporting Car Club of South Australia runs events at the circuit, as well as the Adelaide Superkart Club, Marque Sports Car Association of SA, and the MG Car Club of SA.
