Remembering “The Magic Man”

Rembering Michael “The Magic Man” Figliomeni 20 years on.

25th July 1963 – 28th October 2006

A champion on the track and a respected figure in the pits, Michael Figliomeni earned his place among Western Australia’s speedway greats. Known as the “Magic Man”, he combined exceptional driving talent with the skill and ingenuity to build his own race cars, including his Speedcar No. 34, which you can see on display at the Motor Museum of Western Australia.

A remarkable racing career

Michael’s journey to speedway began with success in BMX and motocross. After a brief period racing Super Sedans, he switched to Speedcars. His first Speedcar race at Claremont ended in a crash, but that difficult introduction gave little indication of the extraordinary career ahead. He went on to record 32 Speedcar feature-race victories at Claremont alone.

His racing achievements included:

  • Four Australian Speedcar Championships.
  • Seven Western Australian Speedcar Championships.
  • Six New Year’s Speedcar Derby victories.
  • Three Laurie Matthews Memorial wins.
  • Victory in the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix.

Michael also enjoyed success in Sprintcars, demonstrating his versatility across two demanding forms of speedway racing. His achievements were matched by the respect he earned from fellow drivers, crews, officials and fans.

More than a driver

Michael’s contribution extended beyond the cockpit. Much of his success came aboard cars he constructed himself, and his FIGhter chassis became popular with other competitors.

The No. 34 became closely associated with Michael’s racing identity. Following his death, the “Magic Man 34” tribute race honoured that connection with a 34-lap feature, bringing competitors together to celebrate his life and the Speedcar division he loved.

Remembering Michael

Michael passed away on 28 October 2006 at Perth Motorplex after suffering a heart attack in the pits. Earlier that evening, he had won both of his opening Speedcar heats. His death deeply affected the speedway community, which subsequently honoured him through an annual tribute meeting first held in 2007.