Legends line up for Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport
Australian motor racing legends headed by triple World Champion Sir Jack Brabham are turning out in force to celebrate Australia’s greatest classic motorsport festival at Phillip Island over the March 19-21 weekend.
Multiple Australian open wheeler, sports car, touring car, sports sedan and rally champions, plus Bathurst and Armstrong 500 winners will line up to meet fans and sign autographs at the Shannons Super Rig in the Paddock area during the three-day meeting.
This year’s ‘Classic’ has attracted the largest-ever entry for an Australian circuit racing event – an incredible 584 cars spanning seven decades.
However ‘only’ 540 cars are expected to take to the circuit for more than 30 events over the weekend because many fields exceed the maximum allowable Phillip Island track density.
‘Sell out’ grids include Group Sa & Sb Production Sports Cars for vehicles built from 1941-1969, Group Sc Production Sports Cars from 1970-1977, Under 3.0-litre Touring Cars and Over 3.0 litre Touring Cars.
An all-time record 36 Formula 5000 V8 open wheelers will also be on the grid, while eight Formula 1 cars, including three 1.5 litre Turbo cars from the 1980s, will compete.
Driving legends confirmed for the Phillip Island meeting include 2010 event Patron Kevin Bartlett, Alan Moffat, Bob Jane, Colin Bond, Alfredo Costanzo, John Bowe, Jim Richards, Fred Gibson, John French, Harry Firth, Brian Foley, Bob Watson, Murray Carter, Alan Hamilton, Bryan Thomson and – hopefully – Frank Matich, Larry Perkins and ‘Captain’ Peter Janson.
“This is the greatest line-up of famous Australian drivers ever assembled at an historic race meeting,” said the Victorian Historic Racing Register’s Ian Tate.
“We are not twisting any arms – they all want to come because they have either experienced or heard about what a fabulous weekend it is.”
As well as hundreds of club cars on display around the circuit, other highlights include celebrations of:-
• 100 years of Alfa Romeo, spearheaded by the appearance of the Alfa Romeo Museum’s Formula 1 Tipo 159 Alfetta raced by five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio in 1951.
• The 50th anniversary of the first Armstrong 500, won in 1960 by Frank Coad in a Vauxhall Cresta. Coad will be at Phillip Island with his exact replica of the winning car.
• The 40th anniversary of the Holden Torana, with a large display including many racing models featured at the meeting.
For more information visit www.vhrr.com, www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au or call (03) 9744 1807
Images: aussieroadracing.homestead.com
