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The countdown is on and we are just weeks away from the HSRCAʼs biggest event on the calendar and one of the most significant historic race meetings in the country. The third bi-annual Tasman Revival meeting will be held at Eastern Creek International Raceway on November 26th, 27th and 28th.
Forty four cars from the USA, UK, New Zealand and Japan are on the water as this is being written. There are Tasman cars, sports cars and single seaters from Formula 5000 to Formula Junior. An 8C Alfa Romeo will be exciting to see and hear, as will a genuine racing Cobra from the US.
Again the feature race on the Sunday will be the Tasman tribute and the driver of any one of six contenders could lift the Tasman Trophy. Here is a brief ʻform guideʼ:
The first is the 2006 winner, John Smith in the Dawson-Damer familyʼs Lotus 49. After an unforgettable dice throughout the entire 15 laps, including a number of lead changes, John Smith scored a narrow win, only 0.2 seconds ahead of Spencer Martin in the ex-Frank Gardner/Kevin Bartlett Brabham Alfa BT23D. Smithʼs winning Lotus 49 Cosworth, part of the Dawson-Damer collection, had originally contested the 1969 Tasman Cup in the hands of then world champion Graham Hill.
Then there is the 2008 winner, Rob Hall in Graham Adelmanʼs ex-Chris Amon Ferrari 246T Dino. Certainly one of the prettiest formula cars ever built, the race at the second Tasman Revival was another exciting event, with Richard Carter close behind in his Elfin 600B.
Graham Adelman is also bringing back the wonderful BRM P126 V12. It was a winner in a round of the 1968 Tasman, driven by Bruce McLaren and has the potential to upset some of the cars further up the grid.
Another local car that has front row potential is the Brabham BT24 owned by Brian Wilson. This is the car that (Sir) Jack Brabham drove to second place in the 1967 F1 World Driversʼ Championship behind Denny Hulme.
Like the John Smith/Lotus 49 combination, the recent pairing of champion Australian driver John Bowe in Trevor Simpsonʼs Brabham BT23. This car is a recent arrival in Australia and has not been seen around the tracks very much. John Bowe, in the other hand, is very well known to Australian race goers and his drive in the Tasman Revival will be a highlight of the weekend.
Last but certainly not least is the Brabham BT31, ex-Jack Brabham and later Bib Stillwell, powered by a Repco V8 engine. It is being brought here by Phil Harris and will be a very competitive car.
And thatʼs just one race!
Over the three days there will be more than 40 races to be contested by cars from Groups J, K & L, Formula Vee, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, Formula 3 and Formula 5000. There will also be some Formula 1 and Indy cars and the ever-popular Groups S and N, plus Regularity. There will also be demonstrations on the Sunday of Tasman cars and other significant competition cars. There will be private practice on Thursday 25th November, then qualifying on Friday morning, racing in the afternoon with more racing all day Saturday and Sunday.
Miss this and youʼll have to wait another two years before it happens again.
Stephen Knox
