Max Dumesny
Encyclopedia
Max Dumesny is an Australian professional Sprintcar
driver. Dumsney was born and raised in Victoria but has resided in Nelson, New South Wales
since the mid-1990s, although his Sprintcar carries the number V5 (for Victoria #5) that he has used throughout his career, although he has changed that to Australia 1 when he has won both the Australian Formula 500 and Australian Sprintcar Championship
s.
career, but fate intervened on a dark night not far from home when riding his motorcycle he struck a cow that had wandered on to the road.
After recovering from injuries sustained in the crash, Dumesny decided a career on four wheels was probably a safer bet than one on two wheels and he started racing speedway
in a Formula 500 at his local track, the Premier Speedway in Warrnambool. He proved to be a sensation on the 1/4 mile speedway and ended up winning both the 1980 and 1982 Australian Formula 500 Championships.
Dumesny switched to Sprintcars in 1983/84 and had his first major win that season when he won the 1983 Wayne Fisher Memorial at the Parramatta City Raceway in Sydney
. In 1984 Dumesny linked with Melbourne
based motor and racing expert John Sidney, driving for Sidney's OTR (Oval Track Racing) and started driving an Australian made OTR Sprintcar with instant success, winning both the Victorian and South Australia
n championships.
Dumesny's record in Sprintcars in Australia is almost second to none. He has won multiple state titles around the country including eight Victorian championships as well as the South Australian and Queensland championships. In 1991 he became the only driver to win the Australian Sprintcar and Australian Formula 500 Championships when he won the Sprintcar title at the Carrick Speedway in Tasmania
. He added a second and third national Sprintcar title in 1998 and 2002 respectively. Dumesny is also a seven time winner of the World Series Sprintcars
held in Australia, winning his first championship in 1989/90 while at his former home track in Warrnambool he has won three Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic
s. He has also won 31 feature races in the Easter Sprintcar Trail held annually in South Australia
and Victoria.
Early in his Sprintcar career, Dumesny also travelled to the United States
to race in selected World of Outlaws
events as well as the famed Knoxville Nationals
. His biggest success overseas came in 1985 when he won the Race of States at the 1985 Knoxville Nationals. Since then, along with a number of other Australian drivers he has been a regular visitor to Knoxville.
Max Dumesny, his long time backer John Sidney along with longtime (and current) major sponsor Valvoline (sponsorship secured in 1988) branched out in other forms of motorsport in the early 1990s when Max drove a JSR (John Sidney Racing) prepared Oldsmobile Cutlass
in the Australian NASCAR Championship
, winning the 1992/93 national championship. Together they also raced a Ford Falcon
in the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship
. Dumesny finished the championship in 16th place and also raced the Falcon to 12th place in the 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
partnered with Kerry Baily from Tasmania
.
On 16 May 1992 Dumesny continued to show his versatility when he swapped his Sprintcar for a Speedcar
and won the 34th Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
held at the famous Sydney Showground Speedway
joining such drivers as A.J. Foyt, Steve Kinser
, Garry Rush and George Tatnell as winners of the annual event.
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
driver. Dumsney was born and raised in Victoria but has resided in Nelson, New South Wales
Nelson, New South Wales
Nelson is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Nelson is located 42 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of The Hills Shire and is part of the Hills District.-External links:...
since the mid-1990s, although his Sprintcar carries the number V5 (for Victoria #5) that he has used throughout his career, although he has changed that to Australia 1 when he has won both the Australian Formula 500 and Australian Sprintcar Championship
Australian Sprintcar Championship
The Australian Sprintcar Championship is a Dirt track racing championship held each year to determine the Australian national champion. The single championship meeting runs in either late January or early February and has been held year after year since 1963...
s.
Career
Dumesny started his career on motorbikes and it was generally believed that he would go on to a national scramblesMotocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
career, but fate intervened on a dark night not far from home when riding his motorcycle he struck a cow that had wandered on to the road.
After recovering from injuries sustained in the crash, Dumesny decided a career on four wheels was probably a safer bet than one on two wheels and he started racing speedway
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
in a Formula 500 at his local track, the Premier Speedway in Warrnambool. He proved to be a sensation on the 1/4 mile speedway and ended up winning both the 1980 and 1982 Australian Formula 500 Championships.
Dumesny switched to Sprintcars in 1983/84 and had his first major win that season when he won the 1983 Wayne Fisher Memorial at the Parramatta City Raceway in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. In 1984 Dumesny linked with Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
based motor and racing expert John Sidney, driving for Sidney's OTR (Oval Track Racing) and started driving an Australian made OTR Sprintcar with instant success, winning both the Victorian and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n championships.
Dumesny's record in Sprintcars in Australia is almost second to none. He has won multiple state titles around the country including eight Victorian championships as well as the South Australian and Queensland championships. In 1991 he became the only driver to win the Australian Sprintcar and Australian Formula 500 Championships when he won the Sprintcar title at the Carrick Speedway in Tasmania
Carrick, Tasmania
Carrick is a small town in northern Tasmania about west of Launceston on the Liffey River, and on the 'Old Bass Highway' or Meander Valley Highway. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 439....
. He added a second and third national Sprintcar title in 1998 and 2002 respectively. Dumesny is also a seven time winner of the World Series Sprintcars
World Series Sprintcars
World Series Sprintcars is a Dirt track racing series held in Australia for Sprintcars. It is the richest and best known Speedway series in Australia....
held in Australia, winning his first championship in 1989/90 while at his former home track in Warrnambool he has won three Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic
Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic
The Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is an Australian Dirt track racing meeting for Sprintcars that takes place at the Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway in Warnambool, Victoria every year in late January....
s. He has also won 31 feature races in the Easter Sprintcar Trail held annually in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Victoria.
Early in his Sprintcar career, Dumesny also travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to race in selected World of Outlaws
World of Outlaws
The World of Outlaws is an American motorsports sanctioning body. The body sanctions two major national touring series. It is best known for sanctioning a national tour of sprint cars. It later purchased a national tour of late model stockcars called the World of Outlaws Late Model Series...
events as well as the famed Knoxville Nationals
Knoxville Nationals
The Knoxville Nationals is an annual sprint car event held at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. An Associated Press writer called winning the event "sprint car racing’s premiere title". It is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All."-History:...
. His biggest success overseas came in 1985 when he won the Race of States at the 1985 Knoxville Nationals. Since then, along with a number of other Australian drivers he has been a regular visitor to Knoxville.
Max Dumesny, his long time backer John Sidney along with longtime (and current) major sponsor Valvoline (sponsorship secured in 1988) branched out in other forms of motorsport in the early 1990s when Max drove a JSR (John Sidney Racing) prepared Oldsmobile Cutlass
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass is a line of automobiles made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate car....
in the Australian NASCAR Championship
NASCAR in Australia
The American stock car racing category NASCAR raced in Australia from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. After strong initial interest, particularly in Melbourne at Australia's only Superspeedway, the Calder Park Thunderdome, the category collapsed in the early 2000s and has defied several attempts...
, winning the 1992/93 national championship. Together they also raced a Ford Falcon
Ford EF Falcon
The Ford EF Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1994 and 1996. A total of 192,100 EF models were produced prior to replacement of the EF by the Ford EL Falcon in 1996.-Introduction and changes:...
in the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship
1996 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of 5.0 Litre Touring Cars complying with Australian Group 3A regulations. The championship, which was the 37th Australian Touring Car Championship, was promoted as the Shell Australian Touring Car...
. Dumesny finished the championship in 16th place and also raced the Falcon to 12th place in the 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
1996 AMP Bathurst 1000
The 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000 was the 37th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 6, 1996 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
partnered with Kerry Baily from Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
On 16 May 1992 Dumesny continued to show his versatility when he swapped his Sprintcar for a Speedcar
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
and won the 34th Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
Australian Speedcar Grand Prix
The Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held for Speedcars. The meeting has traditionally been held in Sydney but on occasions has been held on tracks in Victoria and in 2000 the race was held at Perth's Claremont Speedway, not long before the 1/3 mile Showground...
held at the famous Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway, originally known as the Speedway Royal and later the Speedway Royale but often referred to as just The Royale or The Showground, was a dirt Dirt track racing venue at the old Sydney Showground used from 1926 until 1996....
joining such drivers as A.J. Foyt, Steve Kinser
Steve Kinser
Steve Kinser , is a professional sprint car racer. He has won 20 championships in the World of Outlaws series, and currently drives the #11 Bass Pro Shops car. Kinser left the World of Outlaws in 2006 to compete with the National Sprint Tour series, but returned to the World of Outlaws for the...
, Garry Rush and George Tatnell as winners of the annual event.
Personal
Max Dumesny has been married to Melinda since 1986. Melinda Dumesny is the daughter of 1968 Australian Sprintcar Champion Bob Tunks. Together they have four children (Mitchell, Michaela, Matt & Marcus). Both Melinda and Mitchell Dumesny, like Max, are Sprintcar drivers. Max Dumesny Motorsport also is the official agent of Hoosier Tire Australia.Major Wins
- World Series SprintcarsWorld Series SprintcarsWorld Series Sprintcars is a Dirt track racing series held in Australia for Sprintcars. It is the richest and best known Speedway series in Australia....
- 1989/90, 1990/91, 1992/93, 2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2006/07 - Australian Sprintcar ChampionshipAustralian Sprintcar ChampionshipThe Australian Sprintcar Championship is a Dirt track racing championship held each year to determine the Australian national champion. The single championship meeting runs in either late January or early February and has been held year after year since 1963...
- 1991, 1998, 2002 - Australian NASCAR ChampionshipNASCAR in AustraliaThe American stock car racing category NASCAR raced in Australia from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. After strong initial interest, particularly in Melbourne at Australia's only Superspeedway, the Calder Park Thunderdome, the category collapsed in the early 2000s and has defied several attempts...
- 1992/93 - Grand Annual Sprintcar ClassicGrand Annual Sprintcar ClassicThe Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is an Australian Dirt track racing meeting for Sprintcars that takes place at the Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway in Warnambool, Victoria every year in late January....
- 1992, 1994, 2004 - Australian Formula 500 Championship - 1980, 1982
- 1985 Race of States at the Knoxville NationalsKnoxville NationalsThe Knoxville Nationals is an annual sprint car event held at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. An Associated Press writer called winning the event "sprint car racing’s premiere title". It is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All."-History:...
- 1992 Australian Speedcar Grand PrixAustralian Speedcar Grand PrixThe Australian Speedcar Grand Prix is an annual dirt track racing meeting held for Speedcars. The meeting has traditionally been held in Sydney but on occasions has been held on tracks in Victoria and in 2000 the race was held at Perth's Claremont Speedway, not long before the 1/3 mile Showground...
- Victorian Sprintcar Championship
- South Australian Sprintcar Championship
- Queensland Sprintcar Championship
- Australian Sprintcar Masters
- Australian Sprintcar Stampede