Speedway Loses A Sponsor; Ando Loses A Mate   

By Wade Aunger

There aren’t many Speedway fans that wouldn’t know his company, yet sadly precious few would have known the man behind it all. This week 84 year old Don Harper passed away suddenly, and David Anderson and the Anderson family lost a sponsor and a friendship they shared for over 20 years.

WAGGA MOBILE CRANES has adorned the side of the then David Anderson now Grant Anderson # 37 Sprintcar for over two decades as best Ando can recall, and the shock news that his mate and the man behind it all passed away a couple of days ago has hit the Albury racer hard.

“I can’t believe it,” said an obviously shaken David, “I was driving back from Western Australia in the transporter when I got the call to say Don had passed away. I’m gutted; Don was a superb person and a wonderful friend to our family.”

Ando met Don through a mutual friend back in the year that the Wagga Speedway first became a reality.

“He’s on board with us ever since,” Anderson recalls, “he always told us that as long as we raced he’d be on the car, and true to his word he’s been a wonderful supporter of us to this day.”

For the Anderson Family though, Don Harper was much, much more than a sponsor though.

“He was a mate. He was a friend who cared deeply for my family and for our racing. He was supportive of us no matter what the result on the track and he was always there for us. We’ve had a long and amazing friendship over the years and we’re all going to miss him badly. It’s hard to believe he won’t be around. I’ve never known a more generous, more genuine person than Don.”

Harper was a born and bred Wagga Wagga man who built up his Wagga Mobile Cranes from just himself and one truck in 1975 to numerous cranes, trucks and other arms of his business and 17 employees.

“Don’s word was his bond,” Anderson recalls, “We did all our deals on a handshake. He was an honest, caring and hardworking man. Even though he was into his 80’s he worked as hard as ten men. He was always on the go.”

Next time you see the #37 Anderson Motorsport Sprintcar on track, pause for a moment and consider the man behind the name “WAGGA MOBILE CRANES”.

A man who was far, far more than a sponsor – he was a mate…

Wagga Mobile Cranes & Heavy Haulage

Latrobe Valley Bandag

Fuchs Lubricants

Bockman Batteries

D&F Racing Products

Foster Chassis

Townsend Service Centre