There has been an outpouring of support from the racing community after Warren Monson died in an accident at the Heathcote Dragway on Sunday 23 April.
The 48-year-old, who lived in Boronia, was a 9-time Victorian champion and the 2019 FIM Speedway Sidecar World Cup Champion among over wins in his illustrious motorcycling career.
Motorcycling Australia said the wider Australian motorcycling community are deeply saddened by the passing of a legend in the world of speedway racing and an accomplished and highly respected Australian Superbike Championship race engineer and mechanic.
“Monson’s passion for racing led him to become involved in various categories from speedway to dry lake racing and road racing, where he worked as a race engineer and mechanic for multiple ASBK Champions.,” Motorcycling Australia said.
“Monson was well-known for his expert work with Shawn Giles, Troy Herfoss, Josh Waters, Markus Chiodo and especially Wayne Maxwell, whom he followed from Suzuki to Yamaha.”
Mr Monson won FIM Oceania Championship in Speedway Sidecar in 2017 and 2019 and holds the record for most Victorian Championship wins.
The Mildura Motorcycle Club said words can’t describe the news of losing “our greatest-ever Sidecar racer today in Warren Monson,”
“The Mildura Motorcycle Club is in shock of Wazza’s passing and we send our sincere condolences to the Monson Family,” the club said on Facebook.
“Olympic Park Speedway will not be the same without the orange bike with the number 43 on the side and the Big Bang engine screaming down the straights like poetry in motion and at one with the Olympic Park Shale.”
Mr Monson grew up in Mildura and was a member of the club.
The International Hod Rod Association Australia said in an online post that it was saddened to report the fatality at the Test N Tune event.
“IHRA Australia and HPR are cooperating with the police and the coroner and will be conducting a full investigation into the incident,” the statement said.
“We will provide an update pending the outcome of the Investigation.”
