{{Short description|Annual motorcycle races}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2019}} The '''Australian Speedway Masters Series''' (also known as the ''International Speedway Masters Series'' and the ''Series 500'') was an annual [[Motorcycle speedway]] series of races held each Australian speedway season between 1995 and 2000.
The first of its type for motorcycle speedway in Australia, the competition featured the best riders from Australia racing against the best riders from around the world. The series was the brainchild of promoter and television commentator David Tapp who did most of the ground work as well as providing the television commentary.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=778758548881175&id=767455743344789 International Speedway Masters Series]</ref>
After being run over 13 rounds in 1995, the years 1996, 1997 and 1998 saw the series run over 10 rounds, 1999 was run over 11 rounds and the final series in 2000 was run over 13 rounds. Events were run in the traditional 20 Heat format with Semi-finals and an "A Final". Although Australian riders won the series from 1996 to 2000, incredibly in the inaugural 13 round series in 1995 saw no local rider won a round.
The inaugural Series 500 meeting was run at the [[Bunbury Speedway]] in [[Western Australia]] and was won by multiple [[Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship|Long Track World Champion]] [[Simon Wigg]] who was right at home on the {{convert|530|m|yd|abbr=off}} long track. Bunbury also hosted Round 1 of the 1996 series and in a repeat of 1995 Simon Wigg emerged victorious.
The then [[1994 Individual Speedway World Championship|reigning]] World Champion, [[Sweden]]'s [[Tony Rickardsson]] was the inaugural series winner in 1995.
==Notable Riders== Some of the riders who competed in the Speedway Masters Series between 1995 and 2000 include: {{div col|colwidth=22em}} * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Leigh Adams]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Craig Boyce]] * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Marvyn Cox]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Jason Crump]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Glenn Doyle]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Charles Ermolenko]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Ermolenko]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Billy Hamill]] * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Greg Hancock]] * {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Peter Karlsson (speedway rider)|Peter Karlsson]] * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Mark Loram]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Shane Parker (speedway rider)|Shane Parker]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Mick Poole (speedway rider)|Mick Poole]] * {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Tony Rickardsson]] * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Joe Screen]] * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Smith (speedway rider)|Andy Smith]] * {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Jan Stæchmann]] * {{flagicon|CZE}} [[George Štancl]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ryan Sullivan]] * {{flagicon|POL}} [[Piotr Świst]] * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Kelvin Tatum]] * {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Mark Thorpe]] * {{flagicon|CZE}} [[Tomáš Topinka]] * {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Olli Tyrväinen]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Craig Watson (speedway rider)|Craig Watson]] * {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Simon Wigg]] * {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Todd Wiltshire]] * {{flagicon|NOR}} [[Rune Holta]] {{div col end}}
==Tracks== Some of the tracks used in the Speedway Masters Series included: * [[Avalon Raceway]] * [[Borderline Speedway]] * [[Brisbane Exhibition Ground]] * [[Bunbury Speedway]] * [[Claremont Speedway]] * [[Tralee Speedway|Fraser Park Speedway]] * [[Gosford Speedway]] * [[Newcastle Motordrome]] * [[Olympic Park Speedway (Mildura)|Olympic Park Speedway]] * [[Olympic Park Stadium (Melbourne)|Olympic Park Stadium]] * [[Parramatta City Raceway]] * [[Premier Speedway]] * [[Rockhampton Showground]] * [[Adelaide Showgrounds|Wayville Showgrounds]]
==Series 500 winners== {| class="wikitable" |- align=center |width=40px {{Speedway color|4}} |'''Year''' |width=40px {{Speedway color|4}} |'''No. of Rounds''' |width=210px {{Speedway color|P1}}|'''Winner''' |width=210px {{Speedway color|P2}}|'''Runner-up''' |width=210px {{Speedway color|P3}}|'''3rd place''' |- |align=center| 1995<ref>[http://www.speedway.org/history/95.htm 1995 Australian Masters Series]</ref> |{{flagicon|AUS}} 13 |{{Speedway color|p1}}|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Tony Rickardsson]] (197 pts) |{{Speedway color|p2}}|{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Simon Wigg]] (193 pts) |{{Speedway color|p3}}|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Ermolenko]] (189 pts) |- |align=center| 1996<ref>[http://www.speedway.org/history/96.htm 1996 Australian Masters Series]</ref> |{{flagicon|AUS}} 10 |{{Speedway color|p1}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Craig Boyce]] (162 pts) |{{Speedway color|p2}}|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Ermolenko]] (138 pts) |{{Speedway color|p3}}|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Tony Rickardsson]] (136 pts) |- |align=center| 1997<ref>[http://www.speedway.org/history/97.htm 1997 Australian Masters Series]</ref> |{{flagicon|AUS}} 10 |{{Speedway color|p1}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Leigh Adams]] (194 pts) |{{Speedway color|p2}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Craig Boyce]] (160 pts) |{{Speedway color|p3}}|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Greg Hancock]] (128 pts) |- |align=center| 1998<ref>[http://www.speedway.org/history/98.htm 1998 Australian Masters Series]</ref> |{{flagicon|AUS}} 10 |{{Speedway color|p1}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Leigh Adams]] (139 pts) |{{Speedway color|p2}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ryan Sullivan]] (131 pts) |{{Speedway color|p3}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Todd Wiltshire]] (126 pts) |- |align=center| 1999<ref>[http://www.speedway.org/history/99.htm 1999 Australian Masters Series]</ref> |{{flagicon|AUS}} 10 |{{Speedway color|p1}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Jason Crump]] (212 pts) |{{Speedway color|p2}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Leigh Adams]] (168 pts) |{{Speedway color|p3}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Todd Wiltshire]] (160 pts) |- |align=center| 2000<ref>[http://www.speedway.org/history/00.htm#2000 2000 Australian Masters Series]</ref> |{{flagicon|AUS}} 13 |{{Speedway color|p1}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Leigh Adams]] (246 pts) |{{Speedway color|p2}}|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Todd Wiltshire]] (195 pts) |{{Speedway color|p3}}|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Billy Hamill]] (170 pts) |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siNfmVcEPpU 1995 International Speedway Masters Series final] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0sW2HIIsAo 1996 International Speedway Masters Series final] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04nhTXej6bo 1997 International Speedway Masters Series final]
==See also== * [[Sport in Australia]]
[[Category:Motorsport competitions in Australia|Speedway]] [[Category:Speedway competitions in Australia|Speedway]] [[Category:Motorcycle racing series]]