G.E.A.R. what is it ? historics down under!!

[Pierre]

can some answer the above ? in relation to down under!!!!!!!

[zefarelly]

Grumpy European-Antipodean Racer ?

[David McKinney]

I prefer Golden Era Automobile Racing

[simon drabble]

this sounds like another pointless thread by young Pierre!
I think he means histironics down under......

[Chris Griffin]

I agree Simon. Move along Pierre, you're waisting people's time.

[zefarelly]

Gaalic
Eloquence
Auspiciously
Received ?

[Peter Mallett]

Going-on Endlessly About Rubbish?

(This is a good game)

[Andrew Fellowes]

Peter I like it but I think I prefer David’s reply,

Pierre its an organisation started in New South Wales but now with the same concept in Queensland whereby like minded hire a race track and go out to play with their race cars. The attraction is you don’t need a race licence.

I have yet to go to one but I sure will do as I owe several people a drive in my car and this is a great chance to drive a race car on a track. Its certainly brought out several cars here who's owners don't wish to race them but are happy to have a good social day out.

I fancy its a concept that will spread, perhaps one day to the UK, oh well perhaps not, some of you are too busy still fighting the French

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Andrew Fellowes
I fancy its a concept that will spread, perhaps one day to the UK,

Andrew. I think you will find that we have track days on many circuits in Europe already. We can run historic race cars, modern race cars or road cars of any age. And we even do it in France too.

[Andrew Fellowes]

Get Every Antipodean Re-invention

Damn Europeans!

[Peter Mallett]

[simon drabble]

I think the Europeans followed the British on this and same way back the folk from down under caught on - seems history continually repeats itself!

[Dick Willis]

GEAR NSW was started five years ago by a group of enthusiasts, mostly of mature age, who were disillusioned by the current CAMS system in that they believed they were being discriminated against because of their age and the age of their cars.

I was one of the 13 fouding and life members.

GEAR NSW conducts meetings at Wakefield Park, near Goulburn, approximately every two months where usually fifty cars and sufficient enthusiasts from their membership of approx, 200 arrive to conduct their event.

The events are held on a Wednesday and cars are grouped to vehicles of similar performance, usually with ten or fifteen to a group, the cars circulate for five laps or so at a brisk pace, with everyone usually having three or four runs on the day.

The emphasis is most definitely not on racing but on exercising the machinery in a manner that does not endanger either the competitor and his vehicle or other competitors.
Desperate outbraking manoeuvers are definitely not on !

The concept works remarkably well and the club is most definitely in a strong position. Remember that not everyone wants to race in a fully competitive situation and that many people are very content to exercise their precious machinery in a non threatening environment.

I hope this brief explanation satisfies the original query and the sceptics who posted earlier replies. Please do not hesitate to ask if there is any further information you require on GEAR NSW.

[Dick Willis]

I forgot to mention that the cars are predominantly early sixties and before.

[Peter Mallett]

Welcome Dick. Don't take the "scepticism" too seriously. The origins of that came from another thread!

Sounds like you've got a great set up well done.

Are the cars original competition cars or cars prepared especially for the GEAR NSW events?

[Chucky]

I dread the answer but I have to ask. What does GEAR really stand for? (He says as he ducks behind the nearest solid object).

[Andrew Fellowes]

Dick great to see you here, -I know you have been watching over the fence from TNF for some time!!

I'll leave those two questions to you!! Chucky you should be OK as I dont think Dick throws things too often. (too busy setting lap records left right and centre).

[Dick Willis]

Chucky, The correct title is ; Golden Era Auto Racing Club.

Peter, the racing and sports are basically cars which are or have been issued with a Certificate of Description under the CAMS Australia system. Some do not hold a C of D because the owners have not agreed with the reqirements of our Australian system which is quite strict, much stricter, I believe, than that which exists in the UK, but that is another subject which I don't want to get into here.

The production sports cars and sedans, which are stricly limited to pre 1960, ( the sedans I mean ) may only modified to a standard similar to that in our CAMS system.

Safety scrutineering is of course carried out and if a car is thought to be outside the spirit of GEAR as to eligibility then the owner is politely spoken to, remember the spirit of the whole organisation is to act with decorum.

I should add that in the five years GEAR has been in existence and the many events run there have been only a handful of minor collisions between cars, much to the amazement of Wakefield Park management who are used to seeing a multitude of incidents at their race meetings involving more modern racing cars.

[Peter Mallett]

Thanks for that. You could have a cue for a new thread. David Patterson races in historics in Australia. We'll get him in on a discussion as well.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
Thanks for that. You could have a cue for a new thread. David Patterson races in historics in Australia. We'll get him in on a discussion as well.

Peter, I think you may be suffering under a misapprehension, I believe the Dick Willis also "races in historics" at the meetings run by the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association (in NSW at Wakefield Park, Oran Park, Eastern Creek) and mostly under CAMS rules.

The GEAR lark sounds like a fantastic way for like minded individuals to have some fun at an organised track day without the sometimes overzealous hand of officialdom overseeing or over regulating their shenanigans!!

in the Australian vernacular.......

"good on 'em""

[Morris 1100]

I have been to a couple of GEAR days as a spectator and I was very impressed with the fun that was being had by everyone.
They are run like a drive day but with historics (real historics and not the modern type)
They grid the cars up and two cars go everytime the starter drops the flag (he seems to drop it once every second)
You can only pass on the straights and not in corners (just like F1 and V8 supercars)

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
Peter, I think you may be suffering under a misapprehension, I believe the Dick Willis also "races in historics" at the meetings run by the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association (in NSW at Wakefield Park, Oran Park, Eastern Creek) and mostly under CAMS rules.

Lol. I realise Dick races. I was latching on to his point about regulations and the different approach in UK/Europe. And then referenced David because he also races in Australian historics.

[edholly]

Like Dick I too compete in mainstream Historics, mainly in a 62 Elfin 1500 open wheeler.

G.E.A.R. though is totally unlike mainstream Historics. The meetings are totally devoid of a formal hierarcy, you are expected to behave on the track in a gentlemanly fashion, down to even requiring a wave of acknowledgement when you are waved past a fellow driver on the track.

That it works very well is in no small way due to the efforts of the committees past and present, who stress the importance of upholding a wonderful safety record over the 5 years the Club has been going and the 5 meetings a year it has run.

The drivers briefing always mentions no diving down the inside under brakes, and consider your fellow driver, you know if you are holding him up so wave him past if you are.

That is not to say, you can't have a bit of a fair-dinkum dice, you just have to both keep in mind that these are the rules to play by.

Usually the are 5 fields, made up of slow and fast open-wheelers, and slow and fast sporties and sedans. All cars are pre 65 or model run-ons except sedans which have to be pre 60. Later cars are by invitation only. The 5th grid is for new-comers segregated so that the C of C can have a look at them before allowing to mix with other cars.

I have been lucky enough to be a part of most of these meetings either as a competitor or as a helper.

A typical day's 3 events comprise of 2 standing starts and 1 rolling. To take the emphasis away from winning the events, some events have an elapsed time of say 10 mins 23 secs, and the first past the post after this is declared the winner, and if that winner has won recently, he is dropped for the next past the post.

Another event is run on regularity rules, where if the lap you are timed for, is closest to your nominated time then you are declared the winner. The timers in the tower are the competitors/helpers wives, and there is often more laughter from the tower than elsewhere.

In any case it is of dubious merit to take a placing as the trophies are fattening little mars bars and the like, and this on top of the mini pies, little fankfurts, sambos, cakes, coffee, and what-haveyou that is served to all and sundry at the conclusion of proceedings.

I have to say I enjoy these days immensely,and they are a great opportunity to excersize the machinery with just the cost of doing private practice. G.E.A.R. is certainly about FUN in motorsport.

I mentioned the tower girls and laughter, well at the prizegiving our competition secretary has us all in stitches with her observations from the day, and of course anyone who gets a mars bar is fair game, like I said a dubious prize if ever there was one.

To the small band of guys who took G.E.A.R. from inception to what it is today I take my hat off. Certainly in Australia it was the formallising of what was drive days into something with a bit of structure, yet essentially still only a drive day.

Since then other states have started their own similar clubs.

The next one is on 28th July and always at Wakefield Park NSW. Hopefully I will be taking a mate to sample an open wheeler (Lotus 20) for the first time.

Ed

[Cleverhans]

Does anyone have a contact/website for G.E.A.R. NSW?

[TimD]

Had to remove a post. Sorry folks, I know you're keen to help, but reproducing someone's phone number on the world wide web is fraught with dangers.