The 2024 HSRCA Sydney Classic is set for a magic weekend of historic motor racing this King’s Birthday long weekend, June 8 – 9, when it will bring one of the biggest collections of historic race and sports cars that Sydney Motorsport Park has seen in nearly five years out to the circuit.
More than 200 classic, historic and vintage race cars will take to the track across two packed days of motorsport. The race meeting will feature events for all historic categories and include a special celebration of Bob Britton’s Rennmax cars. HQ Racing NSW will also be featured, taking part in an HSRCA race meeting for the first time, while Group N will contest an endurance race before lunch on Sunday and Heritage Touring Cars is set to contest the penultimate round of their 2024 series.
Spectator passes are available online now, and will be available at the gate each day. Entry is around the back of the circuit off Ferrers Road at Gate A, with plenty of parking available on the hill once you enter the circuit. The gates will be open early, and racing will kick off from 8:30am each day. A programme and entry list is available for download below.
2024 HSRCA Sydney Classic Provisional Programme [PDF]
2024 HSRCA Sydney Classic Entry List [PDF]
Rennmax cars will compete across several categories over the weekend, and be featured in a display and special demonstration parade on Sunday. Some particular highlights include Richard Bendell’s Rennmax Climax, which appears at an HSRCA meeting beautifully restored after its debut some 20 years ago as a yet-to-be developed project. Richard Carter’s 1965 23B is one of only a few sports cars produced by Bob, and Ryan Sorensen’s BN2 is understood to be the fastest pushrod to lap Eastern Creek and has been campaigned in historics for more than 25 years.
The Vees have done a great job assembling for the Sydney Classic, with 18 cars earning a standalone grid and featuring many examples of Bob Britton’s work. The Rennmaxes will also be in Group L, M, O and Formula Ford, which should put on a great show with some highly evocative cars. Sean Sorensen’s 1975 Rennmax BN7 will run with the Group Q & R field, which is looking good with 17 cars set to race.
HQ Racing NSW have shown incredible support in their debut at an HSRCA meeting, with 23 cars set to compete. Coming out of Tasmania in 1989, HQ Racing is a category for Holden HQ sedans running 202ci six-cylinder engines with three-speed gearboxes. The suspension has been upgraded to a Pedders control package, and all use Kenda 235/65/14 tyres that are buffed down to be more like a race tyre.
The HQs traditionally race as part of the NSW Motor Racing Championships at Sydney Motorsport Park, however competitors have the opportunity to race against HQs in other states throughout the year. Earlier this year HQs ran as a support category at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.
The Group C & A ‘Legends of Bathurst’ of the Heritage Touring Cars series will be out in similar force, with 24 cars set to contest the penultimate round of their 2024 championship at the Sydney Classic. Scott Fleming will compete in the series for the first time, driving an ex-Peter Williamson 1978 Toyota Celica, with Jason Delaney another driver in his first season of competition on board a 1992 Ford Escort.
Another highlight is the Chickadee Celica of Peter Woods, which was piloted by Peter Williamson, Mike Quinn, Graeme Bailey, Doug Clark and Steve Land in period, and campaigned by Beach Thomas for more than 35 years before arriving in Peter Woods’ hands. It runs today in the specification and livery it ran in the 1982 James Hardie 1000.
To add to the action for touring car fans, Group N will contest a 20-lap endurance race on Sunday just before lunch, and have organised a near-capacity field with 39 cars set to compete. The enduro will feature a mandatory pit stop, complete with optional driver swap, and the category will see seven Ford Mustangs on track at once, doing battle with a set of seven Mini Cooper S alongside Cortinas, Chevs, Toranas, Chargers and more.
Group S are looking strong as always, and have brought out some rarely seen Sa cars this weekend in a trio of Austin Healeys going all the way back to 1954. They’ll compete against a series of fast MG Midgets and MGBs, Joe Di Bartolo and Joe Calleja’s Chevrolet Corvettes, a 1966 Shelby GT350 and the always strong Porsche 911s, amongst others.
Supersprint is set to bring out an interesting range of machinery, which will include a Superformance GT40 MK1 replica, 1964 Chev Nova SS of Stephen Taite and Greg Glifton’s 1986 Mallock Mk 27SG, alongside a series of Holden Toranas, MGs and more. We are pleased to welcome Rodney Templeton and Aristoelis Logiakis for their first HSRCA meeting.
In Regularity, we are pleased to see Rod Markland return to the track at 84 years old, as well as Ed Gavin, an experienced Group N driver who has joined the group with his immaculate Mini Cooper. Phil Hoad is also back on track having restored his car to pristine condition. Other interesting cars include the husband and wife team of Kristy and Lucas Crampton in the Buckle Lightweight GT that will also run in Group L, and the Elfin Mallala of Frank Arronis.
Alongside the action and wonderful cars are the truly special characters – historic motorsport’s best quality is its friendly, relaxed and open community. Spectators are free to explore the pits and paddock, meet the drivers and teams, and get up close to the cars. Come along and immerse yourself in the golden age of motorsport for a few hours, and perhaps make a few new friends along the way.
