We’re back from an enjoyable, if a bit chilly, weekend in Goulburn, where we held the 2025 HSRCA Spring Festival over August 30 & 31. Let’s catch up on all the action on and off the track.
Thank you to the volunteers who brave the elements and work behind the scenes to make all this possible!
We’d like to start off with a big ‘Thank you!’ to all of the volunteers who support us in various roles across the circuit, in the lead-up to our meetings and throughout the year. There are many moving parts to a historic race meeting, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without your support.
Thanks as well to all of our competitors, their family, friends and teams, and all of the club members and spectators who made the road trip to Goulburn support the meeting – many from interstate. The atmosphere throughout the pits and paddock was warm, friendly and relaxed, which made it a great place to spend the weekend as always.
And to the Falcon GT Club, Canberra, who joined us on Saturday with a dazzling display of Falcons and Fords various. We enjoyed their company in the pits and paddock, and it was great to see the cars out on track for the parade lap during lunch break. We look forward to seeing the club again at a future meeting.
Blendline TV live streamed the meeting and provided a cosy video feed for our commentators out of the wind
A special thank you to Blendline TV, who live streamed the meeting with multiple cameras around the circuit, providing a sheltered video feed for our commentators as well. The archives are available on Blendline’s website, which you can find at this link.
The Sydney Classic is supposed to be our winter meeting, but Goulburn worked its magic and ensured that the Spring Festival had it beat by a long shot. Friday and Saturday were windy and freezing, with a little rain mixed in. The wind did die down for Sunday, which turned into a sunny and pleasant, if wintery, day.
Nick Mansell helped competitors manage their noise levels throughout the weekend
This produced tricky conditions for motor sport, the cold making it hard to get heat into the circuit and tyres, and the wind carrying sound in a way that challenged cars on the limit of strict noise restrictions. The massive improvement in lap times between the early qualifying runs and the first races of the day on Saturday show just how big a difference these conditions can make.
Cody Brewczynski pedalled Carey McMahon’s Yellow Pages RX-7 to a clean sweep of the weekend
Class Wars for under 3-litre Group C & A cars headlined the meeting, bringing out a great field of iconic Australian touring cars. Cody Brewczynski had the measure of the field throughout the weekend, steering the Yellow Pages RX-7 from P1 on the grid to four straight wins.
Son and father duo Gregory and Russell Keam weren’t far off the pace in qualifying, but Scott Robinson would leapfrog them in the Group A JPS BMW 325 in race one, David Towe climbing onto the podium in a second JPS BMW in race two. Justin Nilsson had a great race in the Nissan EXA Turbo for third in race three, getting by Robinson for second in race four.
The start of the Group N handicap race on Sunday morning
Group N brought the field of the weekend out to play, Brad Tilley leading the way in qualifying in the Mustang with Paul Battersby next to him on the front row in his 1963 Mini. In race one Robert James was able to move up into second in the Capri, David Streat finishing third, the order repeating on Saturday afternoon and again in the final race on Sunday.
On Sunday morning the field went out for a handicap race, Mini pilots Peter Walsh and David Roberts holding off Brad Tilley’s Mustang at the end of an exciting race.
Blake Hotz leading Brian Weston, David Stone and Joe Calleja through turn one
The MG Midgets turned out to be the cars to beat in Group S, Blake Hotz setting pole position ahead of Simon Meyer and Brian Weston. Race one saw Hotz out early with a suspension issue, Simon Meyer making his way into the front followed by David Stone in an MGB and Joe Calleja’s Chev Corvette.
Meyer ran away from the field in race two, Stone also comfortable out in front of the closely competed mid field, which heated up in race three as Hotz completed his recovery to finish second, Brian Weston also sneaking past the big Chev. Race four would see the top three remain the same, David Stone and Richard Caller crossing the line shortly after.
Garry Watson leading Andrew McGrath, Malcolm Oastler, Kieran McLaughlin and Grahame Burton
Formula Ford was competitive as always, despite a smaller than usual field. Garry Watson completed a clean sweep of the weekend in the 1973 Mawer. Andrew Taite and Kieran McLaughlin finished race one separated by about a tenth, swapping positions by not much more for the conclusion to race two. An incident in race three saw Andrew McGrath and Grahame Burton on the podium, McLaughlin recovering for second in race four followed by Malcolm Oastler.
David Reid, Barry Bates and Peter Shaw up at the top of the hill
We were pleased to see Group L run a standalone field at the Spring Festival, reminding us of days when the old cars were out in force. The Reid brothers set the front row after qualifying, David getting past Mal for a win in the Faux Pas in race one followed by the Cooper T52 Formula Junior of Peter Shaw. The brothers repeated their effort in race two, when Barry Bates got past Shaw for third.
With Mal remaining in the pits on Sunday morning, David Reid, Peter Shaw and Barry Bates had a great run, the three finishing just a second apart. Bates would be back in second at the end of race four followed shortly after by the Elfin Streamliner of David McKenzie.
The M, O, P & Vee field running into turn one off the start, Mark Goldsmith with the power advantage on the outside of David Kent
David Kent had the measure of the Group M, O, P & Formula Vee field this weekend, completing a clean sweep of the meeting. Stuart Sedgmen in the 1967 Hustler led our President Wayne Wilson home in race one, although Wilson would get by him in race two to set an order that would hold for the rest of the weekend.
Graeme Hayles in a 1984 Royale RP37, Wayne Jones photo
Ben Turner was the quickest to find his pace in Q & R Sports & Racing, earning p1 by a tenth or so ahead of Malcolm Oastler. Oastler was able to move into first in race two after a closely competed race one, holding on to the lead for the next two races. Nigel Hook in the Kaditcha F282 finished third.
In race two Andy Ford would leapfrog Hook with Turner heading to the pits early, the two swapping order in race three. The final race of the weekend was a quiet one, Turner making use of the space to run the fastest lap of the weekend.
Steve Perry and Bruce Condron heading around turn two and up the hill
Supersprint saw an interesting field out on track as always, a trio of Toranas driven by Col Robinson, Peter Kotz and Michael Cluderay initially leading the way. With the circuit warming up for the first run, Cluderay dropped nearly eight seconds off his qualifying time to go fastest, Kotz and Bernie Tresidder in an RX7 second and third.
From here Cluderay ran comfortably at the front, setting consistent 1:09s for the remainder of the weekend. Paul Finch went second in his PRB Clubman in run two followed by Peter Kotz, the pair swapping positions for run three. With Kotz taking an early mark ahead of the final run, Steve Perry finished his weekend third in the 1968 MGC GT.
John Rose, Kevin Allen and Eli Solomon, David Jenkins photo
In Regularity Eli Solomon topped the sheets in run one, coming all the way from Singapore and piloting Geoff Piggott’s MG ARA Special. Colin Wilson-Brown and Craig Duthie in a pair of lovely 911s were second and third. Kevin Allen was on the mark for run two, accumulating just 31 points, Craig Duthie consistent in second and Damian Ross third in a Torana.
After two excellent runs on Saturday, Duthie made his way to the top in run three on Sunday morning, Damian Ross improving from the day before to finish second with Colin Wilson-Brown third. The final run of the weekend saw Peter Lubrano at the lead ahead of John Rose and Damian Ross.
Thank you for your support of the 2025 HSRCA Spring Festival! We have a few months to prepare the cars for the finale of the 2025 historic motor racing season – the 2025 HSRCA Summer Festival, which will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park November 28 – 30.
Stay tuned for more info and, until then, click through the following links and enjoy a wonderful selection of images from the 2025 Spring Festival with thanks to the many talented photographers who help us document our meetings.
2025 HSRCA Spring Festival: Mark Walsh
2025 HSRCA Spring Festival: Seth Reinhardt
2025 HSRCA Spring Festival: Wayne Jones
2025 HSRCA Spring Festival: David Jenkins
2025 HSRCA Spring Festival: Allen Harrison
2025 HSRCA Spring Festival: Jeremy Dale
Thank you to Jeremy Dale, Allen Harrison, David Jenkins, Wayne Jones and Seth Reinhardt. Click their names to head to their websites or socials for more, or email Seth at web@hsrca.com if you’re looking for something from Allen, Jeremy, Mark or him.
Wonderful and comprehensive report..thank you…Graham Henshaw…previous member but still like to keep an eye on things.