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Image thanks to Ian Welsh, Shifting Focus
The National Historic Race meeting at Morgan Park on July 12 & 13 will see a diverse and exciting field of Group C & A Touring Cars racing for class & outright honours in Round 3 of the 2014 Heritage Touring Cars Championship.
This year’s event will be the only Qld. appearance for the cars in 2014. 19 cars have been entered for this meeting on the extended 3.0km Morgan Park circuit. With a grid that is abundant in quality, all vying for points in the Championship, racing is expected to be fast and close.
The race for line honours in Group A will be a battle of brute force versus technology, two 5-litre V8 Commodores, will be taking on the high-tech turbo wizardry of two of the all-conquering RS500 Sierras that were originally raced by Glenn Seton and Colin Bond, plus a Mitsubishi Starion and a Volvo 240Turbo. Also, in a major coup for event organizers, this will be the first time the 1991 Sandown 500 winning “Godzilla” GIO Skyline GT-R has raced at this event.
As well as challenging for outright victory. the ex-Jim Richards/Tony Longhurst JPS BMW M3 will be fighting to win the Group A under 3-litre lap class from the ex-Win Percy, ex-Barry Sheene, ex-Peter Williamson Toyota Supra.
Back in the day, the 1600cc class of Group A was dominated by Toyota’s giant-killing 16v Twin Cam Corollas and it’s no different today. An ex-Bob Holden Corolla Sprinter will be fighting off Bob Holden himself, in his ex-TOM’s GB Corolla FX-GT.
Group C outright honours will be hotly contested by the ex-Allan Browne Re-Car VC Commodore and the ex-Allan Grice/Colin Bond STP Commodore, which was nicknamed Elvis by Gricey’s team because it had so many hits. Flying the Ford flag against the General’s army will be the famous Army Reserve XD Falcon. Classic Muscle Car fans will also enjoy seeing the ex-Bob Forbes/Kevin Bartlett A9X Torana racing and a buzzing Mazda RX-7 will keep the Japanese car fans excited as it vies for outright honours.
Group C under 2-litre honours will be a straight fight between an ex-Bob Holden European Escort RS2000 and one of the twin-cam Celicas, made famous at Bathurst in the ‘70s & ’80s. They will both be keenly chased by the ex-Terry Finnigan Maggi Gemini.
With nostalgia induced memories of sponsor names and liveries of days gone, the sensory overload provided by the huge flares and spoilers, the rumbling open exhausts and the distinctive AVGAS aroma, it is little wonder that motorsport fans are flocking to events that feature these significant race cars of yesteryear.
Round 1 of the Championship was held at Phillip Island in March and round 2 was at Eastern Creek in May, after this weekend the cars head to Sydney’s Muscle Car Masters in September and the final round at Historic Sandown in November.
Entry to the pits at Morgan Park is free of charge, so don’t miss your chance to get up close and check out Australia’s motor sport heritage, in the metal.
Heritage Touring Cars – the Legends of Bathurst
“Come and see the Real thing!”
David Paterson.
