9-10-11th March 2018

PRESS RELEASE

High Performance Sports Cars and Formula 5000’s make for a Historic Racing Spectacle at Phillip Island

The VHRR Phillip Island Classic ‘Festival of Motor Sport’ being held at the world renowned Phillip Island circuit on 9 – 11 March 2018 and presented by Burson Auto Parts, will not only celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the classic Formula 5000 but will feature a number of high performance sports cars not seen before in Australia.

Classic high performance sports racing cars, typical of the European and US categories of the 90’s are to feature strongly at Phillip Island this year. Some of these exceptional vehicles have Le Mans and CAN-AM histories and these will join with domestic cars in what is expected to be some of the most exciting historic racing seen at Phillip Island.

Amongst the group of high performance sports cars will be three Dutton Motorsport entries, the Porsche 962, McLaren M8F and the Le Mans Lola T296 not previously raced here.

Also for the first time in Australia the two Pro-sport 3000’s Group C Cars recently imported from the UK by Robin Swift, one Ferrari powered (No. 11) and the other with a Cosworth (Double Four Valve) (No. 22).

Other new sports cars will include the De Tomaso Mangusta of Perry Spiridis just imported from the USA and the Lola T70 of Ray Narkiewicz.

Exciting racing at its best can be assured with Andy Newall and one other driver flying in from the UK to drive against established and highly competitive local entities of Jamie Larner in his Ralt RT2 and local identity Laurie Bennett in his McLaren M1C, recently returned from very successful racing in Europe. Andy Newall will drive the McLaren M6B.

Heralded as Australia’s largest and recognised internationally in the world’s top ten historic motor race events, the 2018 Phillip Island Classic is shaping up once again to be an exciting spectacle of historic motor sport.

ENDS

24 February 2018

PRESS RELEASE

Classic Historic Racing at its Best at Phillip Island

The Phillip Island Classic ‘Festival of Motor Sport’ is shaping up to be something special, not only celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Formula 5000 but also with classic sports cars racing with some of Australia’s most accomplished past and present drivers with what will be youth challenging experience.

Sunday morning the Phillip Island track will come alive with VHRR Ambassador and Club member, eight times national champion, John Bowe in a 1974 Formula one March along with Guido Belgiorno-Nettis racing in the ex Michele Alboreta Formula One Ferrari Tipo 156/85, against the two current fastest Formula 5000 drivers in Australia, Tom Tweedie and Tim Berryman.

Fresh from a massive 2017 racing season with Erebus Motorsport and winner of the 2017 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 with Luke Youlden, Dave Reynolds will be competing in an historic Trans Am Mustang. The 29 year old Reynolds is also a proud VHRR Club member and is sponsored by a major sponsor of the event, Penrite Oil.

Those attending Phillip Island will witness the Carroll Shelby’s Allard JX2 Chassis No. 3146, racing for the first time in Australia. The Joe Calleja owned Allard under its original racing colours and number 11 will be driven by John Bowe over the weekend.
Originally delivered to Roy Cherryholmes in Texas in 1952 the car was raced by legendary Carroll Shelby in SCCA races on airfields in Texas and the Midwest winning four and a second place out of five races and also raced in the Buenos Aires 1000km in 1954 with a 10th placing. This drew the attention of Aston Martin leading to a full time ride for Shelby in 1954 through to the end of his racing career which culminated with a LeMans win in 1959. The 1952 Cadillac 331 engine was fully rebuilt in 2015, balanced and blueprinted.

Also from the Calleja collection is the 1973 Formula One March 3 in its original colours as raced by Niki Lauda, a 1966 Corvette and a 1969 Mustang.

Adding to the list of high profile automotive sponsors for the event such as Burson Auto Parts, Shannons, Penrite and Cooldrive; Ryco Filters, the automotive filtration market leader, has just announced their sponsorship.

In making the announcement, Ryco Group Chief Executive Officer Guy Nicholls commented, “This is just such a high profile outstanding event attracting large crowds and outstanding historic cars and drivers, that the company is proud to be involved in supporting classic motor sport racing with the classic Ryco name”.

ENDS

13 February 2018
For further information:
Ian Tate
Chairman
VHRR Phillip Island Classic Management Committee
Phone: (03) 9877 2317

Graeme McLean
Graeme McLean & Associates Pty Ltd
Phone: (03) 9583 6694
Mobile: 0438 806 090
Email: graeme@mcleanassoc.com.au

Phillip Island Classic 2018 Dedicated to Celebrate 50 Years of Formula 5000 Racing

Regarded as one of the largest historic racing events in the world, the 2018 Phillip Island Classic will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the spectacular Formula 5000 worldwide racing with a field of more than 30 cars from Australia and New Zealand

Set for 9^th to 11^th March, 2018, at the highly acclaimed Phillip Island circuit, the event will create international interest with five legends of Formula 5000 racing confirmed as patrons for the 50^th celebratory year event.

The patrons include Alfredo (Alfie) Constanzo retired Italian born Australian racing driver who competed in four Australian Grand Prix and won four Australian Drivers’ Championships, equalling the record set by Bib Stillwell.

Kevin Bartlett – often known as ‘KB’ is a former Australian open wheel and touring racing driver who won the Australian Drivers’ Championship in 1968 and in 1969, as well as the Bathurst 1000 in 1974 and was named in Wheels Magazine’s Annual Year Book in 2004 as one of Australia’s 50 greatest race drivers.

Alan Hamilton – Twice Australian Sports Car Drivers’ Champion, Porsche Importer and Team Owner and four times winner of the Gold Star Championship with Alfie Constanzo. Alan was third in the 1971 Australian Grand Prix and second at Bathurst in 1974 with Colin Bond.

Tasmanian, John McCormack became one of the leading Formula 5000 racers in the 1970’s winning the Australian Drivers’ Championship three times. John won the New Zealand Grand Prix in 1973/74 and as well as racing open wheelers he raced sport sedans and touring cars.

Ken Smith MBE from New Zealand won the New Zealand Grand Prix in 1976, 1990 and in 2004 and raced Formula Ford, Formula 5000, Formula Pacific, Formula Mondial and Toyota Racing Series. Ken has competed over 59 consecutive seasons on the motor racing circuit. He has won the Gold Star Drivers Award five times, Formula 5000 Revival three times, the Penang Grand Prix three times, the Selanger twice and the Malaysian Grand Prix once. In 1995 Ken was inducted into the New Zealand motorsport Hall of Fame.

VHRR Formula 5000 Group Representative Bob Harborow commented “We will witness some spectacular racing and no doubt some great Trans-Tasman rivalry in the International Challenge at Phillip Island in March as the Formula 5000 cars are currently faster than the V8 Supercars racing. To showcase this and celebrate the Formula 5000’s some of the races will be longer and patrons will witness cars such as the A50 Matich car which won the Australian Grand Prix and the MR8 Elfin 5000 of Garrrie Cooper and Vern Schuppan which raced at both Laguna Seca, and Watkins Glen, USA,” he said.

The Phillip Island Classic ‘Festival of Motor Sport’ is hosted by the Victorian Historic Racing Register (VHRR) under the direction of veteran leader Ian Tate and a dedicated committee of volunteers who jointly make this an outstanding motor sport event that is internationally acclaimed.

ENDS

Burson Auto Parts puts its name to Australia’s Largest Historic Motor Racing Event

Leading automotive parts supplier Burson Auto Parts has taken up the major sponsorship and naming rights of Australia’s largest historic motor race event, the Phillip Island Classic ‘Festival of Motor Sport’ to be held 9 -11 March 2018.

In announcing the major sponsorship agreement, Executive General Manager – Burson Trade, Craig McGill commented that the Phillip Island Classic was not only Australia’s largest historic motor race event but was recognised as one of the largest in the world by the number of entries and races over the three day event. “Many of the 500 competitors and support crews have a strong motor trade connection making it a perfect fit for Burson Auto Parts and the event is well established on the international motor racing calendar” he said.

Organised by the Victorian Historic Racing Register (VHRR) the prestigious event has been placed in the top ten historic race events in the world over the last five years against renowned events such as the Goodwood Revival and Laguna Seca.

The 2018 event will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Formula 5000 and will feature Trans-Tasman rivalry at its best in the International Challenge with more than 30 Formula 5000 racing over three days. VHRR Formula 5000 Group Representative Bob Harborow commented that it was not generally known that the Formula 5000 race cars are faster than the current V8 Supercars and there will be longer races showcasing such vehicles as the A50 Matich and the MR8 Elfin 5000.

Proudly presented by Burson Auto Parts, the event also attracts a host of other long term sponsors including Shannons, Penrite, Cooldrive among other leading names.

Strong support is being provided by leading motor vehicle marques with the supply of safety and course cars plus display vehicles from Mustang Motorsport, Porsche and Mercedes Benz.

Of significant interest to many visitors to the Phillip Island Classic this year will be the launch of the latest RS3 Roush Mustang by Mustang Motorsport. Such is the importance of the launch of the legendary USA marque’s new model that Roush Performance will be represented at Phillip Island by President – Gary Jurick, International Manager – Tony Marzelak and Chief Production Manager – Kevin Mcloughlin supporting the team from Mustang Motorsport,

Also at the Phillip Island event the VHRR is supporting the ‘Hear for You’ charity which provides aid to children with hearing disabilities. The charity will have a 392 HP Dodge Charger on display in the Expo Centre with raffle tickets available for purchase over the weekend of racing, to win this highly sought after vehicle.

ENDS

31 January 2018

For further information:

Ian Tate
Chairman
VHRR Phillip Island Classic Management Committee
Phone: (03) 9877 2317
Graeme McLean
Graeme McLean & Associates Pty Ltd
Phone: (03) 9583 6694Mobile: 0438 806 090
Email: graeme@mcleanassoc.com.au

Additional Groups competing include:

Group Ja
Group Jb
Group Ka
Group Kb
Group Sa
Group Sb
Group Sc
Group Lb
Group Nb
Group Nc
Group O
F5000
Group Q
Group R
Formula Ford
Formula Vee
Regularity

For further information:

Ian Tate
Chairman
VHRR Phillip Island Classic Management Committee

Phone: (03) 9877 2317

Graeme McLean
Graeme McLean & Associates Pty Ltd
Phone: (03) 9583 6694
Mobile: 0438 806 090
Email: graeme@mcleanassoc.com.au

Latest Poster click here

Admission Prices: 2018

Friday $30.00
Saturday $35.00
Sunday $45.00

3 day $95.00
Saturday/Sunday $70.00
Friday/Saturday $55.00

All tickets purchased at the gate get a free program

Children under 16  – Free when accompanied by an adult

Pensioners will receive a discount of $5.00 off all entry tickets purchased

Officials and Media registration here (www.classicrc.org.au)