Nick Sebesfi getting buckled in to his 1968 MG Midget following son Andrew’s driving stint during the driver change in the enduro
We farewelled 2024’s historic racing season this past weekend, November 30 and December 1 2024, with a well subscribed Summer Festival at Sydney Motorsport Park. Let’s catch up on all the action on and off the track.
Atmospheric conditions made for a rocky start to the weekend, particularly for those who joined us for the wet practice on Friday, but improved slowly through the weekend ending on a mostly sunny Sunday.
James Calvert-Jones in the 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera as rain begins to fall in the Group S qualifying session
Saturday saw gentle but steady drizzle that kept things on the slow and slippery side, but only one or two groups were caught in committed rain showers. The warm and sunny start to Sunday dried the track quickly and saw times tumbling and orders shuffled, and we were very lucky to be just barely kissed by the storm that seemed to slip by us with only some threatening thunder and lightning, and go on to drench the city.
After a bumper Sydney Classic meeting in June saw 215 entries, the Summer Festival lagged only slightly behind at a peak of around 200 before a few unfortunate withdrawals in the days leading up to the meeting. Thankfully, the dry conditions on Sunday brought a few more people back out for a strong finish to the season. While the pits and paddock didn’t buzz in the same way as June, the relaxed and friendly atmosphere made for an extremely pleasant weekend amongst friends.
Saturday was wet and treacherous, particularly in the closely competed Formula Vee races
A big thank you to all of our competitors and their family, friends and supporters for taking part in the meeting and doing so with such respectful conduct and beautifully prepared and maintained machinery.
Thanks as well to the ARDC for hosting practice on Friday and giving competitors an opportunity to settle in and test, tune and tweak ahead of a busy weekend of motor sport following an extended break between outings.
Officials in pit lane during the Group S enduro pit window
After a timing issue delayed our start briefly on Saturday morning, Group S opened the meeting with one of two qualifying sessions for their enduro and we quickly got back on track to run 32 events before Formula Ford saw the curtain fall on 2024’s historic motor sport season. Thank you to all of our officials, drivers and organisers for your efforts in ensuring a smoothly run and enjoyable meeting!
We were honoured to host Kevin Bartlett at the 2024 HSRCA Summer Festival, displaying some of his iconic cars at the circuit and enjoying a wonderful dinner and interview on Saturday evening. KB was certainly the highlight of the meeting, and it was wonderful to see the big smiles on competitors’ faces interacting with him. A huge thank you to Kevin and everyone involved in bringing this special moment together!
Wayne Seabrook leads during the opening laps of the 2024 Group S enduro race early on Sunday morning
The other highlight of the meeting was the traditional Group S endurance race, which ran first thing on Sunday morning – in theory before it got too hot, but perhaps a bit different in practice this weekend. Wayne Seabrook won the event in his 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera, finding some 40 seconds of clear air from second place Doug Barbour in a similar Porsche and brothers Simon and Damien Meyer in the MG Midget – the quickest to complete a driver change in the event.
Seabrook was characteristically quick across the weekend, winning every event, Brett Smith in a 1976 Datsun 280Z scoring three second place finishes and Doug Barber claiming two thirds after David Cunneen earned the podium in the first race with his ‘76 911. 1976 must have been a good year!
Travis Clarke after receiving the Dawson-Damer Trophy with past president Richard Cardew and current president Wayne Wilson
The iconic Dawson-Damer Trophy was handed out on Sunday afternoon, won by Travis Clarke in an immaculate 1969 Rennmax BN-3. Laurie Bennett finished second in the race, Paul Faulkner on the podium in third, both drivers joining us from Victoria.
Across the rest of the weekend Laurie Bennett was the quickest to settle in during the wet qualifying session, but Clarke would win all four races. Bennett had a clean sweep in second, Richard Carter taking home two podium finishes with Faulkner climbing to third ahead of the Dawson-Damer.
David Noakes leads Group N on a wet Saturday afternoon
Group N saw an ongoing David and Goliath competition between the Falcon XY of Peter O’Brien, the Mustang of Victorian Mark Johnson and David Noakes in the little Escort RS. Johnson qualified first and went on to win two races, with Peter O’Brien winning race one and two. Noakes was consistent with two second and two third place finishes, Spencer Rice having a great run in his Alfa Romeo 2000 for second in the final race of the weekend.
Malcolm Oastler’s 1977 RALT RT1 on Saturday afternoon in the wet
There was plenty of action in Q & R Sports & Racing, especially in the wet on Saturday with the big cars fighting to get power down and move water out of the way of their wide tyres. Qualifying saw three RALTs at the front, William Lowing leading Malcolm Oastler and Peter Lucas. Oastler made his way to the front for a win in race one, Andrew Cantrell making the podium in a 1984 Kaditcha as Lucas fell back.
Oastler and Lowing led race two, with Robert Lesslie claiming a well-earned podium in the Tiga Sports 2000. In the dry Tom Tweedie was able to get the 5-litre Elfin MS7 working well, charging to a win, Lucas now in second ahead of Oastler. Lucas would complete his recovery for the final race of the weekend, winning ahead of Cantrell and Peter Thompson from Queensland.
Garry Watson in the 1973 Mawer Formula Ford
Tom Tweedie did double duty running in Formula Ford as well and enjoying a great fight with Bruce Connolly, who went out strong with the quickest qualifying time of the field. Showing confidence in the wet, Connolly held on for a win in race one just about a hundredth clear of Tweedie who finished second ahead of Ben McNamara of South Australia.
Mirroring his efforts in Q & R, Tweedie won the first race in the dry on Sunday ahead of Connolly, just two tenths ahead of Garry Watson. Watson would get the better of both drivers in race three, despite Tweedie’s fastest lap, with Connolly leading the field home in the closing race of the season ahead of Will Faulkner up from Victoria and SA’s Sean Whelan.
Glynn Briggs chatting before going out in the 1983 Spectre Formula Vee
David Cutts seemed to have the Vee events already stitched up on Saturday, qualifying quickest and winning the first two races before an unfortunate DNF in race three opened competition up. Matthew Pearce and Victorian Dean Briggs completed the podium in race one, Pearce falling to fourth and Norm Johnston climbing to third in race two.
Pearce was able to climb from fourth to win race three, Dean Briggs in second and brother Glynn Briggs earning his first podium of the weekend driving a 1983 Spectre Formula Vee built by long standing race secretary Noel Bryen. Cutts was back on track for a nail biting recovery in the final race of the season, finishing just two tenths behind Pearce in first and dethroning Briggs to third.
Bruce Melville in the 1967 Lotus Elan S3 waving past fellow Lotus driver John Culvenor in the S1 Lotus Elise
Regularity saw an excellent grid as usual and got off to a gentle start in the wet on Saturday as everyone tip-toed carefully and safely around in qualifying and in the first run, which was won by Kerry Phelan in his MGB, with the MGB of Stephen Brankstone in second and Geoff Burgess third in the Lotus Exige.
Sunday morning dawned fine and by the time the second run came up the track was dry and fast. John Culvenor won this in his Lotus Elise from the Victorian Thomas Cantwell in the very quick Datsun 2000 Sports with Colin Wilson-Brown in third in his lovely Alfa Romeo GTA. Run three went to Trevor Bly in another MGB, with John Culvenor in second and Geoff Burgess third. Run four was the second last event on the programme and the results were a reversal of the previous event, won by Geoff Burgess from Trevor Bly and John Culvenor.
Simon Pfitzner in the 1978 Mercedes 450 SLC Sports Sedan
Supersprint saw a varied field out to play, the changing conditions making for an interesting weekend for competitors and spectators alike. Brad Robinson was quickest to come to grips with the track conditions on Saturday morning, qualifying nearly five seconds faster than anyone else in the ‘72 Torana ahead of South Australian Max Carter.
It was another Torana at the top of timesheets following the first run of the weekend, Chris Thomas knocking six seconds off the pole time, followed by Robinson and Bruce Combe in a 1964 Falcon. Thomas remained at the top for the final run of Saturday, Jac Cousin putting in a great lap in his E-Type for second, Bruce Combe holding on to third for Queensland.
In the dry on Sunday it was the magnificent 6-litre 1978 Mercedes 450 SL Sports Sedan of Simon Pfitzner that took charge, fellow South Australian Max Carter back in second with Jason Maros from Victoria third in a ‘72 Charger, the order repeated for the final run of the weekend on Sunday afternoon.
Flag marshall watching the on track action as a storm passes by in the background on Sunday afternoon
We’d like to extend our most important ‘THANK YOU!’ to the many people who support the club in making these meetings possible, from the many volunteers and staff who perform vital roles around the circuit on the weekend, to all those involved behind the scenes in the months that lead up to it, as well as the circuit and ARDC for hosting and running practice.
We are also deeply appreciative of all of the competitors, family and friends who continue to support our events and the HSRCA, particularly those of you joining in from interstate, and considering the challenging economic times in which we live. We’d be going nowhere fast without you and are greatly appreciative of all that you do.
A better way of moving tyres around in Sydney summer heat
Thank you for your tremendous support of the 2024 HSRCA Summer Festival! Entries will be opening in just a few days for our return to Wakefield Park, which will be held just on the other side of the holiday break February 1 – 2, 2025. We look forward to seeing you there!
Until then, click through the following links and enjoy a wonderful selection of images with thanks to the many talented photographers who help us document our meetings.
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Andy Aristodimou
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Campbell Armstrong-Rider
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Riccardo Benvenuti
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Emily Chebaia
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Steve Haskell
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Steve Koen
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Seth Reinhardt
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Mark Richards
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Stuart Row
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Peter Schell
2024 HSRCA Summer Festival: Mark Walsh
With thanks to Andy Aristodimou, Campbell Armstrong-Rider, Riccardo Benvenuti, Emily Chebaia, Steve Haskell, Steve Koen, Seth Reinhardt, Mark Richards, Stuart Row, Peter Schell and Mark Walsh. 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 him, Mark, Peter or either Steve.
Peter Mohacsi finding a sheltered park as he gets ready to go out in the 1981 Spectre Formula Vee