1960’s
TASMAN REVIVAL DAY 1
Two years of meticulous planning
by Ed Holly and his steering committee for the 1960’s Tasman
Revival race meeting came together on Thursday 30th November at Sydney,
Australia’s Eastern Creek International Raceway.
Summer kicked in the following
day – Friday 1st December, the start of a three day race meeting.
The weather was reminiscent of the final 2.5lt Tasman meeting held
at Warwick Farm – 38 degrees and a sweat box around the track.
Some 400 historic sports, sports
racing and racing cars have entered. The caliber of entries is second
to none, and in my opinion is only slightly bolstered by the several
international entries.
For some ten year’s now
one of Australia’s grat touring car and Formula 3 drivers Mal
Brewster has conducted the energetic track walks at the HSRCA organised
meetings. Mal’s experience and knowledge takes any competitor
around the track in detail referring to detail markers to aim at,
apex turn-ins, and even changing of gears at certain points. It is
a great way to go around tracks such as Eastern Creek at a slower
pace and absorb the finer points of the track – that that you
can easily miss when you’re travelling at 130mph through the
turn one sweeper.
Practice for all categories was
held in the morning, followed by racing in the afternoon (not typical
for modern day historic racing in Australia to have active racing
on the Friday).
Group S Production Sports
Cars RACE ONE
The first race was for Group S
Production sports cars, which was dominated from start to finish by
Bill Pye (Porsche 911). Geoff Morgan (911) gave Bill an early battle
before battling to hold off Michael Bryne driving his Lotus Super
7 S4. Pye dominated at the front, but with some 47 starters in the
race we saw battle throughout the field. Laurie Sellars, Peter Whitten
and Brian Weston continued their on-track rivalry in the race in Marcos
GT, MGB GT and MG Midget respectively.
Group M Racing cars
RACE ONE
Group M racing was then soon on
track. These cars represent the earlier part of the International
Tasman Series. The Dawson-Damer family impressed all by bringing their
vast collection of Lotus Works racing cars. Ross Hodgson steered the
2.5lt V8 Climax engined 39 and placed in on pole – and led from
start to finish, not withstanding strong battles with Dean Tighe driving
Peter Harburg’s Brabham BT14. Peter Harburg himself was next
in his Brabham BT11A. It was a large field comprising many Elfin’s
and Rennmax cars, as well as some fine international entrant’s.
It was a small field of just 9
Group Q& R Spoers eainfg cars, so we will move to the next race
– the exciting battle of the Formula Ford’s.
Formula Ford’s
RACE ONE
The rivalry that was made at the
Historic Sandown meeting just a few weeks earlier continued between
the Elwin 002 of Tom Tweedie and the Reynard 83 of Nick Lubransky.
Tweedie finished second on three occasions at Sandown in Melbourne.
Both got off to a fantastic start having battle royale with Lawrie
Burford’s Royale (pun intended), and further back Nick McDonald
in his Birrana. Jonahton Miles, Nick Bennett and John Pymble entertained
the crowd’s too in what was the most hard fought race of the
event so far. Tom Tweedie won b the narrowist of margins.
Group N Production Touring
Cars RACE ONE
Exiciting near capacity field
of Group N touring cars saw the hard fought battle with temperatures
rising in the tin tops as Mick Donahue (Chevy Camaro) led over the
finish line from Des Wall (Geogehan 67, 68,69 ATCC winning Mustang)
and Scott Bargwanna (Holen Torana XU1). The real hard chargers in
this race were the Wayne duo – Wayne Rogerson (Mazda RX2) and
Wayne Seabrook (McKeown Porsche 911).
Group O Racing RACE
ONE
The second half of the International
1960’s Tasman Series now forms Group O Racing cars. Again a
Dawson-Damer family car featured, this time with John Smith driving
in the ‘Gold Leaf’ Lotus 49B. A brace of Elfin’s
and Brabham’s tried to make competition for the 49, but couldn’t
quite match the awesome straight line speed from the powerful power-plant
of the Cosworth DFV V8. Richard Carter debuted in his newly acquired
Elfin 600, which he has reputedly imported from the US. Talking about
the US as overseas competitor Phil Harris was coming to terms with
the Eastern Creek circuit in his Brabham BT23C. Spencer Martin (yes,
the two-times Australian Gold Star Champion) did qualify on the front
row alongside Hodgson in Paul Moxham’s Brabham BT23D Alfa. This
very famous Brabham was piloted by Frank Gardner and later Kevin Bartlett
in the Tasman Series.
The race was won by Chris Farrell
in his Brabham BT30 after many retirements including Smith, Martin,
Harris and Les Wright (Brabham Buick V8). Carolyn Dimmer (Lotus 35)
from USA impressed with a 6th place finish. It was only her second
meeting in this car after recently winning the historic Formula Ford
championship in the US.
Group Q & R Racing
RACE ONE
Guido Belgiorno-Nettis qualified
on pole position with a time 2 tenths quicker then Chris Farrell,
also on the front row. Guido is getting quicker and quicker in the
ex. Michele Alberto 1985 Ferrari 156 GP, while the always quick Chris
Farrell was having a problem free start to the weekend in his Spirit
Honda F1. The third Formula One entered for the race was Ian Ross’
ex. Alan Jones Beatrice Lola, which had gearbox problems on Thursday
in practice and remained on display on Friday in the pits.
The start of the race was highly
anticipated with two screaming turbo era F1 cars on the front row,,
followed by RALT’s and March’s. As the revs rised and
the starter had full control all eyes were on the front row, and remained
on the front row as the Aussie flag was dropped and everyone left
a stalled Ferrari behind. So disappointed, particularly as it is a
battery start race car, which remained on the inside of ‘Hume
Straight’ – Warwick Farm days! And the exciting race continued
between the Spirit Honda, Peter Warren’s March 80A and Peter
Landen’s Ralt RT1 – finishing in that order.
Group M & O Sports
Racing Cars RACE ONE
As the heat started to really
penertrate, with some saying their dials were going well past 220,
and then almost back around again the M & O field saw a few non-starters
and retirements. Nev McKay from Macau dominated in the Mallcok U2
who won from Bruce Lynton in the quick Elfin 300 followed by Stewart
Mahony (Bolwell Mk4) and Ray Kenny (Thompson Sport).
Group J, K, & L
Vintage racing RACE ONE
The final event of a superb Day
One of the 1960’s Tasman Revival race meeting was for the vintage
style cars – many with vintage drivers!
The always impressive range of
cars were as always led and dominated by the Penrite Oils Lola MK1
driven by Keith Simpson. Star internationals included Peter Giddings
(Lago Talbot T26GP) and the very famous Old Yellar II – its
owner, Ernie Nagamastu shipping the car from the US, along with the
Lago from NZ. Mick Arnold in the Concours finished Sharp Holden tried
very hard, but finished a couple hundred yards behind the Cooper T51
Climax of Richard Longes.
In all a fanstastic start to the
1960’s Tasman Revival meeting organised by the HSRCA.
Day two report CLICK
HERE
Day Three report
CLICK HERE
