2009 Archives

Templestowe Hillclimb brake shoes unveiled at Rob Roy

The PBR brake shoes that dawned the start line at the famous Templestowe Hillclimb, in Melbourne's north-east have now been restored and constructed at the equally famous, but still operating Rob Roy Hillclimb.

The 130 competitors who took part in the 18th Historic & Classic meeting on Sunday 29th November were the first to drive under the brake shoes (pictured here) to compete in the event.

We have uploaded some photos of interest in the photo gallery, and an article will appear shortly.

2010 FOSC Easter Bathurst meeting

The Festival of Sporting Cars is staging its third Celebration of Motor Sport meeting over the Easter weekend in 2010.

There are two main additions to the event with the inclusion of Group C & A Touring cars - will be great to see a huge grid of these cars there.

Below, please find a press release received on 11th November 2009:

SHARE THE DREAM OF DRIVING MT PANORAMA
Pick your team for the 6-Hour Mountain Relay.

If you’ve ever wanted to compete at the world famous Mt Panorama circuit here’s the chance of a lifetime. The Festival of Sporting Cars, who re-introduced club level motor sport to Bathurst at Easter 2008, invites you and your club to participate in the first ever 6-Hour Mountain Relay on 5 & 6 April 2010.
You don’t need a Supercar or pots of money.
This CAMS sanctioned regularity event is open to everyone with a road (or club) registered or log-booked car. So it’s ideal for drivers who may have competed in supersprints or rallies and want to live the dream of running at the Mountain in the company of their mates and fellow club members. As a team event, not only the costs and driving can be shared, but also the excitement and camaraderie. Teams may comprise from 4 to 6 cars and drivers, and points will be awarded for consistency in recorded lap times. Remember, this is not a race and we don’t give out trophies – it’s all about keeping a cool head while having fun.
The buzz without the pressure.
The event will commence with driver briefings, course familiarisation and practice on Monday, with an hour’s lunch-break in the middle. On Tuesday, there will be a 6-hour team relay, split into two 3-hour stints. If your car is precious, or you’re daunted by the circuit, there’s no need to be nervous, we put safety first. You’ll receive training from The Masters – a team of well-known racing drivers with over 100 Bathurst endurance races to their names – who’ll help ensure that you don’t get out of your depth. You should be able to drive your car there, compete in it and drive home.
Get in now to ensure a place.
Numbers will be restricted to ensure that everyone has optimum access to resources like The Masters and there is no overcrowding on the track, so places will fill up fast. Given the interest we’ve already received, we urge you to get in early with an Expression of Interest. You’ll find the online EOI form, plus entry details and costs, at our website www.fosc.com.au or you can contact Event Director Charles Jardine charles@fosc.com.au or (02) 9907 0136. Clubs are welcome to hire corporate suites for viewing and entertaining members, families and guests. Also, we may be able to arrange a Concours, displays or parade laps, if there is sufficient demand.

Nationllube Historic Sandown

The annual Historic Sandown meeting is on this weekend - 7 & 8 November at the south-east Melbourne circuit. The spring racing carnival may be in full swing, but for historic motor sport enthusiasts, you are in for a treat - and it won't break the bank! (weekend pass is just $50 per person)

The entry list has exceeded 400 cars, which is a record entry field for a motor race meeting at Sandown. The meeting's theme is Return of the Thunder, and with 4 fields of touring cars spanning three era's it is certainly proving to be so.

Among the highlights will also be the capacity fields of Formula Ford's and 1960's-70s production sports cars.

We look forward to seeing you there - just look out for Charles in the #11 MG BGT in the regularity div.1 events.

Preview - New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing

For two weekends in January 2010 New Zealand is playing host to the inaugural NZ Festival of Motor Racing, Celebrating Bruce McLaren.

More than 400 entrants are lining up for the event, including some 90 or so from Australia. Highlighting the event will be 45 Formula 5000's from around the world, the almighty McLaren Can-Am cars and a myraid of other cars Bruce McLaren raced, designed and built.

One such car Bruce raced in the late fifties was the Cooper T51, now owned and regularly raced wth continuing success by master coachbuilder Rod Jolley from the UK.

Below is a recent press release circulated by the organisers, including details on purchasing 'early-bird' tickets.

For more details on the event, please visit the Official web site at http://www.nzfmr.co.nz. To see more information on the two circuits the Festival will be competing at please visit the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park web site & the Pukehohe Park Raceway web site.

Early birds will get pick of seats for classic racers festival

An estimated NZ$50 million plus of some of the sport’s most iconic racers will gather for meetings at the tracks – January 22nd-24th at Hampton Downs and January 29th-31st at Pukekohe - with the first theme a celebration of the life and achievements of racer and race car builder Bruce McLaren and early bird tickets – with a discount of around 15% - are now available directly from the Festival Web Site – www.nzfmr.co.nz

It is the first New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing and organisers are hoping to make it an annual fixture. The Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Goodwood Revival have been running for more than a decade in the UK, and the Festival of Speed is now UK’s single biggest motorsports event with hundreds of thousands of spectators attending.

With ten different race classes running at the New Zealand Festival, and with some great cars running in each of those classes, it is difficult to pick which class will appeal most – but there is certainly something for everyone in the huge field of entries. The event has captured the imagination of historic racing drivers and enthusiasts all over the world, with many cars being shipped from places like the UK and USA to take part in the historic event.

One of the classes running on Sunday January 24th at Hampton Downs will carry the title of Tasman Grand Prix – and the entry list of cars in this class is simply outstanding. There will be no fewer than six McLaren cars, including two F1 cars and the owners of three other historic McLaren racers are working overtime to make sure they are also on the starting grid. A large percentage of the cars have not been seen on any New Zealand track previously, and a few are making reappearance after many years elsewhere.

The team behind the New Zealand event – which includes historic racer and former fighter pilot Jim Barclay - is confident their event will have the same appeal and that it will capture the imagination of families, racers and motoring enthusiasts alike.

“What will be amazing about this event is that the general public can look around the paddock and get up close and personal with the cars as well as meeting some of the country’s legendary drivers from the past four or five decades. This is an amazing opportunity to be part of an historic event.

“We are hoping the whole atmosphere will transport people back to how motor racing used to be in the days of Bruce McLaren and we are encouraging spectators to get into the spirit of the event and turn up in classic cars and period clothing.

“There has never been an event in this country that brings together so many valuable and iconic historic and classic race cars and the first event has attracted entries from all over the world including Europe, the United Kingdom, the USA, Asia, and Australia. We are expecting more than 400 historic and classic racing cars and that should provide the basis for an unmissable feast of motor sport heritage.

“We would urge people to get their tickets sorted nice and early. This is a cult market and we believe there will be a very solid attendance from New Zealanders who love racing cars or can remember the heyday of these awesome machines.”

Dated: 12 October 2009

Lobethal Grand Carnival - 3-4 October

This weekend will see the second running of the Lobethal Grand Carnival. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of Alan Tomlinson's victory in the 1939 Australian Grand Prix at the Adelaide Hills street circuit the event organisers have sourced an amazing entry list for all enthusiasts of pre-war and early post-war racing.

The 2009 Lobethal Grand Carnival was a success in preserving our motor sport history. Please visit our articles and photo gallery sections of this site for full reviews and why not check out the ABC 7:30 reports footage by clicking here.

Dated: 5 October 2009

John "Cummo" Cummins OAM

Congratulations to Cummo for this well deserved recognition he received in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honour list. The award read as follows:

"For service to motor racing, particularly historic cars."

Healeys Return to Bonneville

Please visit the overseas action page for more details on this event.

Festival of Speed on Tweed

With my absence from this year's event information on what took place, and hopefully some photos will be posted shortly.

Leyburn Sprints on again

LEYBURN HISTORIC SPRINTS 2009 ENTRY APPLICATIONS INVITED

APPLICATIONS to compete are being accepted now and should be made on the Entry Request form available on the website by clicking on the logo above.

TRULY HISTORIC LEYBURN - Posted 7 June 09

Wanted - Information on FC Race Car

I recently received this email from Michael McCarthy regarding the pictured FC Holden. Please read & I hope someone can help.

I have in my possession on loan an "FC" race car of 1959 vintage, I have been through CAMS and there seems to be NIL Racing heritage, maybe only club events, this car was built in the 1970's and finished in mid 1980's, this car is still set up as was last raced, with only 377miles on the speedo. My question is with your vast knowledge and photo's, is it possible to trace this car. The last owner died recently and left this car in his will to his son who wishes to sell of this vehicle. Michael can be contacted on mmc88463@bigpond.net.au

Phillip Island Classic - A wash out

Over 500 entrants dawned the Phillip Island Circuit from 13-15 March. The weekend was marred, however, by inclement weather conditions, although some great racing was seen.

Visit the articles page for full details.

Win 2 tickets to the 2009 Phillip Island Classic - 17 Mar 2009

historicracing.com.au has 2 three day passes to this year's Phillip Island Classic, to be held at the Grand Prix circuit from 13-15 March.

The first person to answer correctly to the following question will be sent the tickets.

Q: In what year in Phillip Island Classic did the 4 ERA's take to the track, and which model numbers where here?

A: The 2004 Phillip Island Classic saw ERA R1A, ERA R4D, ERA 11B & ERA 12C compete.

Speed on Tweed to continue - 1 Mar 2009

The Festival of Speed on Tweed is set to continue - due to popular demand! The event will become a part of the World Rally Championship, which is moving to the Northern Rivers region of NSW from 2010. More details to follow shortly.

 

© Charles Rogers 2006-09