- From The Desk of a Budding Philatelist
By Pranav Arun Kumar
It was Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler who first fitted gasoline engine in a two wheeled vehicle in 1885, which can perhaps be known to be the first motorcycle. Since then the development of motorcycles has seen drastic changes both in design and technology.
The first motorcycle race is known to have started in 1904 titled Fédération Internationale du Motocyclisme in which motorcyclists from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Britain took part.According to information available in the Internet, the Madras Motor Sports Club, Coimbatore Auto Sports Club, Karnataka Motor Sports Club together with Calcutta Motor Sports Club and Mumbai’s Indian Automotive Racing Club, created the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India in 1971.
Since then races were conducted in Sholavaram air strip (an air strip used by the British in the Northern part of Chennai near Puzhal).
However if one traces the history of Grandprix in Australia the Australian Grand Prix was conducted first in 1927 at the grass surface Goulburn Racecourse but by and large it is estimated that Australian Grand Prix started officially as the 100 Miles Road Race held at the Phillip Island road circuit in 1928.
With an attempt to honour drivers who made their mark in grand prix racing in Australia and across the world in October 2004 the Australia Post released a set of five stamps depicting the images of Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner, Troy Bayliss, Daryl Beattie and Garry McCoy.
Each of the Australian Heroes of Grand Prix Racing stamp has a postage value of 50 cents each and is now commonly available in Australia and other parts of the world. It is one of the valued possessions for a collector who collects stamps with themes like motor cycle, motorcycle racing, bikes, Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner, Troy Bayliss, Daryl Beattie, Garry McCoy, etc.
Pranav Arun Kumar,8 years old and studying in class 4 ,he prepared this article under guidance of N. Arun Kumar, Chennai
