This time next week we’ll be putting the final touches on the cars, packing up race suits, spares and tools and getting ready to head to Sydney Motorsport Park for the 2021 Sydney Classic. There, over 200 competitors will present a colourful cross section of historic racing, including a tribute to Ron Tauranac and his cars.
A Shout-out for Marshals
It is becoming very difficult to fill a team of officials for a large meeting such as this, so we would very much appreciate any members, family and friends who can give up a day or two to assist us trackside supporting an experienced marshal.
Please contact Rod Wallace at events@hsrca.com or Mark Stockwell at mark@4orceracing.com.au to volunteer and enable us to hold this event as planned. Your support is most appreciated!
Private Practice Friday 11th
A reminder that private practice will be held on Friday the 11th and hosted by the circuit.
There will be a priority line for online sales. Entrants who pay on the day may be faced with a wait of up to 30 minutes at peak times. Book your practice direct with Sydney Motorsport Park by clicking this link.
Spectator Tickets
Likewise, spectator passes are also available online in the lead-up to the event. To ensure a quick and easy entrance to the circuit, consider buying your tickets online ahead of time at this link.
Melbourne
You may have noticed that the competitor numbers mentioned in the introduction have dropped meaningfully since last we spoke. Our thoughts are with our friends and family in Melbourne, who are enduring another lockdown, the extension of which cancelled many competitors’ plans to join us for the meeting. We wish you all the best in getting on top of the situation and look forward to running together again at a meeting in the not-too-distant future.
Entries closed at 264, which would have made the Sydney Classic one of the largest historic racing events the state has seen in the last decade. Even without our Victorian friends, entries are strong and we’re looking forward to great fields, enjoyable motorsport and good company. We greatly appreciate your support!
More Significant Tauranac Cars
Amongst the cars joining us for the display and parade in honour of Ron Tauranac is the Brabham BT-26 driven by Jack Brabham throughout the 1968 Formula 1 season. Debuting in the Monaco Grand Prix, it’s propelled by an extremely rare quad-cam Repco-Brabham 3.0L V8 engine.
Joining the BT-26 is the one and only Brabham BT-23E Tasman car. This is powered by a 2.5-litre Repco Brabham V8 and has been recently restored, with the Sydney Classic marking the first occasion it will be shown in Australia.
Large Fields
We are looking forward to seeing excellent fields compete throughout the entry. In particular, Group S sports cars are nearing track density, with forty of the cars set to compete over the weekend. Group N is 29 strong, and we have a fabulous field of Group C and Group A Australian touring cars set to compete with Heritage Touring Cars.
These should be an even greater spectacle under lights on Saturday, when the glowing discs and flame throwing exhausts are all the more impactful.
Final Bump-In Instructions to Come
Rod Wallace will send final instructions next week, but that exercise will be delayed from usual notice due to complications arising from the lockdown extension in Victoria.
We’ll be in touch in the coming days with more information about the Sydney Classic, including the aforementioned bump-in instructions as well as the programme, entry list and other documentation. Stay tuned, and we will look forward to seeing you at Sydney Motorsport Park, June 12 – 13.
Yours in motor sport,
The HSRCA Race Committee.
Excellent photographs and photography by all concerned.
Congratulations to Wayne Wilson for his excellent stewardship