Shannons support Historic Road Racing at Phllip Island

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit proudly announces Shannons Insurance as the Naming Right Sponsor for the 2010 Australian Historic Road Racing Championship at the Island September 3 – 5.

Shannons continues their commitment to motorsport with their support of this event and in particular to those who love their rare and unique machines.

And that is what you can expect to see at this event.  With a mighty entry list already that includes 312 solo entries and 33 sidecars for a packed program that begins with qualifying on Friday 3rd, with racing on both days of the weekend.

Swelling the entry is a 27-strong Kiwi contingent that includes some of New Zealand’s top riders.

Both the blue ribbon classes, the Period 5 (Forgotten Era) Unlimited, and the Period 3 (Classic) 500 cc are oversubscribed and bristling with talent.

Robbie Phillis and Malcolm Campbell will renew their traditional rivalry which began back in the 1980s when both were stars of the superbike ranks.

Campbell will be aboard Ray Berrey’s Suzuki RG500, while Phillis will front on his Mick Hone Suzuki GSX1100.

Add the likes of Karl Corpe, Leo Cash, Craig Ditchburn, Rex Wolfenden and defending champion Laurie Fyffe in a field of 42 and you have the makings of a great contest.

In the 500 cc ranks, Kiwis Andrew Stroud, Dave Cole and Terry Martin will be mighty hard to toss, but Aussie Isle of Man TT winner Cam Donald on Paul Taylor’s Manx Norton, Taree’s Glen Kelleher and young tearaway Levi Day on the ex-Bill Horsman Honda will be in there trying.

Amongst the New Zealand squad, star billing goes to current NZ Superbike Champion Andrew Stroud, who will ride a 500 cc McIntosh Manx Norton as well as Kevin Grant’s 350 Manx.

Apart from his multiple NZ titles, Stroud has a brilliant international career behind him that includes victory at Daytona on the fabulous Christchurch-built Britten V1000.

Current NZ 600 Supersport Champion Nick Cole will be aboard the highly-developed Peter Lodge-owned 500 Norton on which the late Paul Dobbs lifted the Australian Period 3 500 crown in Queensland last year, while multi Australian Period 3 500 champion Dave Cole will be back with the Ross Graham McIntyre Matchless and will also contest the Period 4 Unlimited Class on Kevin Grant’s 900SS Ducati.

Evergreen Ginger Molloy, a former 250 cc Grand Prix winner and runner up in the 1970 500cc World Championship, is back in the saddle after a serious illness last year and is bringing his fleet of very fast Bultacos. Paul Jelaca is another Kiwi who pedals a Bultaco extremely quickly.

Japanese rider Shizuka Motegi is bringing his Auckland-based 1954 Rennsport BMW along – a rare former GP machine that makes a wonderful noise, and the colourful sidecar team of Neville and Joanne Mickleson will be aboard their 1962 Matchless outfit.

The Sidecar grid numbers 33 outfits across the Period 3, 4 and 5 classes. Defending champion and former Australian GP winner Doug Chivas and passenger Mitchell Cluff should start favourite in the P5 class, but Barry Horner and Chris Di Nuzzo on the mighty Irving Vincent V-twin should give them a run for their money. Max Hooper will be out to retain his P4 Sidecar title, while Warren Johnson and Vic Vassella look to be the top doges in the P3 class.

On track over the weekend will be everything from Vintage class models, ex-125 GP bikes, a packed field of Period 5 350s that relives the glory days of the class, right up to the fledgling Superbikes that formed the basis of the class in its infancy in the early 1980s.

With the added needle match of the traditional Aussie versus Kiwi rivalry, it’s sure to be a weekend of non-stop action, tinged with nostalgia.