Motor Sports

Peter Keegan | Max Stewart | Phil Sargent | Stuart Jefferson Bennett

Motor sport champions Peter Keegan, Max Stewart, Phil Sargent and Stuart Jefferson Bennett

Peter Michael Keegan

1943 -

Drag Racing Champion

Image Descriptions:
A - 1978 Summernationals

Peter Michael Keegan was born in Orange on 22 December 1943, and as a young lad displayed a keen interest in all forms of motor racing. After competing for some years at local level, Peter decided to step up to higher competition and in early 1970 he began racing at Castlereagh International Dragway.

By May 1970 he had set a new National Best Gas time and speed record at 12.69 seconds and 118mph for the quarter mile distance. In June 1970 he had reached 124.65 mph and became the first driver to attain a speed of over 120mph in Australia.

In May 1971 Peter set a new gas class Australian record of 11.35 seconds at 123.45mph that made his VW the fastest sedan of any size in Australia and the fastest four-cylinder car in the world.

In October 1972, with a new motor fitted to the VW, Peter turned in a time of 10.82 seconds at 126.8mph to be the first four-cylinder car under 11 seconds anywhere in the world. In December of the same year he recorded 10.8 seconds and reduced this to 10.69 seconds in May 1973. He further reduced this in 1974 to 10.5 seconds.

His success continued in November 1975 when he won the Australian Drag Racing Final with a new record of 10.41 seconds. In May 1976 he lowered his own record to 10.29 seconds at a speed of 132mph.

From 1977 to 1981 Peter continued to set track records in various Australian states and in New Zealand, before retiring to concentrate on his business in Orange.

Max C Stewart

1935 - 1977

Champion Racing Driver

Image Descriptions:
A - Medals won in the Gold Star Drivers Championships 1971 and 1975

Max Stewart began his career on motorcycles and was selected to represent Australia at the Isle of Man in 1955 but had to withdraw due to apprenticeship commitments. The period 1957-1961 saw him build and race the then fastest FJ Holden in Australia. From 1961-1964 he took out four State titles at the National Championships in Go-kart racing. From there he moved to a Triumph 2000 and competed in the Bathurst 500 in 1964, 1965 and 1966.

In 1965 he moved into open wheeler racing cars in a Renmax Formula II and then a Mildren where he was runner up in 1965 and winner in 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970 for Australian Formula II. In 1970 Max contested the Japanese Grand Prix in a Mildren, coming second to world Champion Jackie Stewart. In 1972 Max won the Singapore Grand Prix and came second in the Macau Grand Prix. This prompted his move to the ultimate in racing cars - Formula 5000.

In 1975 Max contested the L & M Series in the United States and after six races he was in fourth position overall but had to return home with a fractured wrist. In 1974 he was placed second outright in the Tasman Series and that year made history by winning five of six rounds in the Gold Star Formula 1 Drivers Championship. He also won the Australian Grand Prix at Oran Park in the Sydney Round of the Gold Star, driving a Lola T330.

In 1975 at Surfers Paradise he won his second successive Australian Grand Prix in a Lola T400 under the most appalling conditions. In New Zealand in 1976 he recorded good wins at Levin and Mansfield and also won a round of the Australian Drivers' Championship at Oran Park.

1977 started well for the Orange driver with a number of wins including a Rothmans Series race at Sandown, Melbourne. Unfortunately on 19 March 1977 whilst practising for a race at Calder Raceway, Melbourne he was involved in a collision that was to claim his life at the age of 42.

Phil Sargent

Phillip Sargent was born in Orange on 20 September 1969. At the age of seven, Phil won the ACT State Titles and by the time he was twelve, had won the 50cc, 60cc and 80cc Australian National Titles and numerous Victorian, South Australian and Queensland MX State Titles.
By 1983, Phil had won the 125cc Australian MX National Titles and at the age of 16, won the Australian Kid Motorcross, came first in the Senior Gold Cup MX Championship, was a finalist in the MR Motorcross Title and first in the 125cc and 250cc Supercross Championships. Phil also raced in America for a year and in Indonesia for Supercross Titles.

In 1997, he made a change in his racing career, choosing off-Road Motorcycle Racing and rode his first ever Australian 4 Day Enduro at Oberon, riding for 4 days and coming in 3rd outright. After this, Phil was selected to represent Australian in a 6 man team in the International Six Day Enduro in Victoria. After 6 Days of hard Enduro racing, the Australian Team came in at 3rd place in the World, winning gold and the highest placing ever achieved by an Australian Team.

Phil semi-retired from racing and started to teach Motorcycle School to students. Since 2001, Phil and his wife Samantha and children have been promoting motorcross and off- road racing events throughout Australia. Phil is currently the Director of Dirt Bike Promotions and promotes the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, Yamaha MX Cross Cup, the Hog's Breath Café Australian 4 Day Enduro and the four day Enduro event held in Orange this year.

Boys Jordan aged fourteen and Cooper aged seven, also race bikes, with Jordan racing a Yamaha WR 250 in the 13-14yrs at the Off-Road & Motocross events and Cooper racing a KTM 50cc in 7-9yrs Motorcross events. Phil's children's involvement in racing and with Rainey aged nine undertaking competition dancing, keeps them all very busy. Phil and his family now reside in Kurri Kurri, NSW

Stuart Jefferson Bennett

Stuart Jefferson Bennett was born on 27 September 1966 in Orange and rode his first motorbike at the age of 4 in his family backyard. The motorbike became a favourite and it wasn’t long before the backyard and the spare block next door were not enough for Stuart.

At the age of 9, Stuart started competitive racing in dirt track and motorcross, winning the Australia Dirt Track Championship and Australian Motorcross Championship at the age of 10. He continued winning these races until a broken leg left him unable to compete in the Australian Motorcross Championship in 1979. Stuart kept the Australian Dirt Track Champion until he was 15, then at the age of 16, suffered a broken arm but continued to race again to win the 'Orchy' Summercross the following year.

Stuart took a breather from racing to be a teenage, drive cars, water ski, hang out with his mates and discover girls. It was also time to get a job. Stuart became a fully qualified panel beater.

In 1991 Stuart went as a spectator to a Supercross but didn't think they were going that fast, so he thought he would take another crack at racing. Sponsorship didn't come easy, but with the help of his parents Clive and Susan, Stuart continued to race, train and work. There was a break for him in 2000 when he was offered a deal, racing with the KTM team and later becoming part of the Husqvarna Team. Stuart currently holds sponsorship with Yamaha Australia.

For the past 17 years Stuart has been competing in Supercross, Motorcross, Thumpernats, Super-Motard, Enduro, Dirt Track, Australian Four Day Enduro’s and International Six Day Enduro’s, winning the Australian Four Day Enduro in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Stuart was selected to represent Australia on the International Australian Six Days Senior Enduro team, travelling to Brazil in 2003 and Poland in 2004, coming first both years. Stuart manages his time between his four children, wife Georgina, a successful Motor Vehicle Repair business and racing.

Stuart is currently leading the National off-Road Championship, with four rounds to go.