General News
13 January, 2025
‘Roggo’ – a talented character
MOTORSPORT legend and advanced driving instructor Peter Roggenkamp has died in Melbourne, aged 81, after a long illness with dementia.
‘Roggo’, who lived in Cairns for decades, moved to the southern city about 10 years ago to be closer to his son Mitchell and grandsons.
Mitchell Roggenkamp said his father had a voice for radio.
“He was also blessed with a face for TV too. Some people have all the luck. Dad could sell ice to the Eskimo or sand to the Arabs,” Mr Roggenkamp said.
“Perhaps that’s why all his jobs were in sales, marketing or promotions – he used his God-given strengths.
“Peter sold new cars, used cars, radio advertising, TV advertising and even caravans.
“He promoted the speedway, the Cairns Motor Show, Eco adventure and his beloved band the Fireflies.
“Dad had a strong work ethic – I never knew of him to take a sick day. I remember one day at the AFL (or Cazalys as it’s now known) he had a big head clash playing footy.
“Seven stitches later and a pretty good concussion he raced his sprint car in the Ireland Classic, coming in third behind much bigger, faster and more powerful machines.
“Dad kept working at his business Peter Roggenkamp Drivesafe until he was 70.”
Mr Roggenkamp also participated in basketball, life-saving (10 years at Ellis Beach SLSC), squash, push bike racing and taekwondo. He played 406 games for Souths Balaclava Australian Football Club playing in 15 grand finals and winning seven premierships.
He was a club best and fairest winner, president for many years and is a life member of the South Cairns Cutters Football Club.
His true passion was racing cars, starting with an old Cortina in Townsville and then he helped start Cairns Speedway.
However, his real glory days were in ‘Old Yella’ – a Chellingworth Holden Monaro with a 350 Chev that was so big they couldn’t close the bonnet properly.
The ‘Cairns Express’ won the Australasian speedway championship, represented Australia 14 times (some as team captain) against the USA in speedway test matches.
He also drove sprint cars, dabbled in solo dirt bikes, was Queensland Formula Ford champion in 1998 and 1999, drove Targa Tasmania for five years, did the round Australia rally in a Ford Escort and won three Queensland country rally championships, took on Thunderdome in AUSCAR and finished up road racing MX-5s. He is a life member of the Cairns Competition Car Club.
Motorsport enthusiast Phil Maris said Mr Roggenkamp was instrumental in starting the Far North Queensland Motorsports Club. Mr Maris was the club’s first president.
“He was involved with a Cairns team that competed in a Ford Escort in a round Australia rally event and did live cross backs to the local 4CA radio station during the event,” he said.
Peter Wright, who also ran the speedway, said he was sad to hear of Mr Roggenkamp’s death ... “one of the best drivers to come out of Cairns”.
“He was the leading publicist for speedway in Cairns for many, many years and played and commentated on football and other sports in the Cairns area during the 1970s and 1980s,” he said.
“In fact there was no larger figure in Cairns sport during that period.
“Peter did a hell of a lot of work for the Cairns Speedway and helped so many up and coming drivers, including myself, which I will be forever grateful. RIP mate.”
A private funeral was held in Melbourne on Tuesday. A memorial service is being held in Cairns at St Monica’s Cathedral at 12pm on Thursday, January 16.
