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Images thanks to Brett Ensinger
After an enjoyable weekend at Historic Sandown over October 25-27, the 2019 Heritage Touring Cars season is in the books.
A dedicated group of ten Legends made their way to Victoria for the fifth and final round of our 2019 series, set to compete on the storied tarmac of Sandown International Motor Raceway. We were booked for qualifying and three race events and given the honour of the final event of each day’s competition.
After a rainy start on Friday morning, Melbourne did its usual thing and cleared up for a sunny finish to practice. For the weekend itself, we were presented with cool and occasionally wet weather. The rain did little to dampen a good meeting, and drivers, family and friends made the most of the great atmosphere, good company and track time.
Chris Stillwell jumped quickly to the head of the field in qualifying on Saturday morning, running away on a 1:20.09 in the ex-Colin Bond Caltex Sierra. The three-and-a-bit second gap between Stillwell and Aaron Cameron’s 1:24.16 belies a stunner of a lap by Cameron in the 1977 Group C A9X Torana, which put him on the front row for race one. Michael Roddy was just a few tenths behind Cameron in the Bathurst-winning Walkinshaw Racing Jaguar XJ-S.
Lindsay Woollard was quick in the Group C Re-Car Commodore VC, his 1:27.19 setting him up on the second row of the grid. The Group A and C alternation continued with Tony Pallas, fifth in the Jaguar XJS and third fastest Group A and Phillip Verwoert sixth in the Berklee RX7 and third Group C.
The field continued to drive the times down when they rolled out for race one. Michael Roddy made a cracking start to lead lap two before Chris Stillwell was able to wind the Sierra up and make a pass on the back straight, knocking a few tenths off his qualifying time on the way to a race win. With Aaron Cameron dropping a few spots, Roddy chopped close to three seconds off his qualifying times and finished second with Stillwell well in his sights.
George Nittis fought his way up from qualifying seventh in the Murray Carter XE Falcon to claim a podium and Group C class win, able to stretch his legs and earn a little breathing room at the head of a closely-fought four-car scrap. Tony Pallas moved up into fourth overall and third Group A, with Lindsay Woollard and Phil Verwoert making him work hard for it on the way to second and third Group C.
Race two saw the Legends of Bathurst out just before lunch on Sunday for the feature event of the weekend. Chris Stillwell again took the race win in the Sierra, but it was Phil Verwoert who was able to push the hardest in the conditions. He deftly steered the RX7 from sixth to second place to finish just a few lengths behind Stillwell, snatching the fastest lap of the race in the process.
With Michael Roddy pulling in early, the Group C drivers were on the move and George Nittis was able to take the remaining spot on the podium. Behind him, Lindsay Woollard and Dean How put on a good show, How steering the magnificent JPS BMW 635CSi up into fifth but unable to get by the Commodore before the flag.
The final race of the weekend, and the 2019 Heritage Touring Cars series, made good use of the long spring days, the red light going out just before 6pm on Sunday. Chris Stillwell completed a clean sweep of the weekend, earning nearly seven seconds of clear space to enjoy the circuit on his way to the chequered flag.
Following up from his qualifying efforts, Aaron Cameron was able to move the A9X back onto the podium to finish the weekend where he started – second overall and first Group C. Along the way he got by Phil Verwoert, who put in another competitive drive to claim third overall and second Group C.
Michael Roddy was back on full song for the finale and took the big Jag to fourth overall, second Group A. He earned a little breathing room between himself and Lindsay Woollard, who completed the Group C top three in fifth. Tony Pallas completed the class podiums, third Group A and sixth overall.
Thanks to Neville Butler, Aaron Cameron, Dean How, Carl Muller, George Nittis, Tony Pallas, Michael Roddy, Chris Stillwell, Phil Verwoert and Lindsay Woollard for celebrating the 2019 Heritage Touring Cars season finale with us. Thanks as well to the VHRR for hosting another magnificent Historic Sandown, and to all of the many volunteers who contributed to the event and without whom none of this would be possible.
Heritage Touring Cars will return in 2020! Stay tuned to heritagetouringcars.com.au for more from the Legends of Bathurst and a full 2020 calendar announcement soon.
Images thanks to Brett Ensinger
