Phillip iSland Historic touring Car races

[torana]

This last weekend saw the largest grid of Historic touring cars gather at one point. Thevenue was at phillip Island ,where the first Australian grand prix was held in 1928. the original circuit is not used but the new circuit is not far away from the original.
All told in excess of 88 cars entered the race meeting so the field was divided up into two grids under 3000cc and over 3000cc. No distinction was made for Na,Nb or Nc category vehicles. The track is over 4 KM in length and for those who have watched the Aust Motorcycle GP then that is the track that we used. What a hoot it was.
All types of cars were represented. Minis ,Hillman Imps Volvos,various models of Holdens FE,EH,Monaros,Toranas: Ford had CapriV6, RS1600 escort, cortina's both lotus and GT, Mustangs Fairlane Falcon Rallye Sprint and Various GT falcons Also Chrysler was represented by both Chargers and a Pacer.

The racing was fantastic with only minor skirmishes during the racing. At least one car was destroyed unfortunatly but the driver with wounded pride stayed for the weekend anyway.

My own exploits were adequate in that I qualified 26 in a 36 car grid. In Race 1,a 4 lap race I managed to get a great start and was probably as high as 17 only to be passed by a Mustang and a Charger finishing 19th. In the second 4 lap race my start race was not quite so good as I had a slipping clutch and finished 22. The 3rd Race was an 8 Lap , a long way round the island, and the same clutch problem hung around so I did not get the start that I wanted but still got up to about 18th at one stage and surprised my self as to where I was placed. I think that I finished 23rd. The car was really greatI had a great time.

My car is a Holden Torana GTR XU1. It is a genuine car which are fairly rare. It was in fairly poor condition when I purchased it and then started to build it. It took 2 yeras to build (can't rush these things) It is by nowhere near the technical specs of the front running Toranas. Generally it is a 6 cylinder OHV engine runnibf about 11:1 Comp. using 3x 45 mm Webers full extractor exhaust system. The car is putting out 141 Kw at the rear wheels which equates to approx 250 HP at the flywheel.The high spec cars are getting over 300HP but cost a lot to build those type of engines More than I can afford.
This race meeting was the second Australian Historic Touring Car Cup. The first being in Queensland last year. It will move around the states and I think that the 2001 Cup is to be held in NSW wher is still to be decided but will probably be in conjunction with one of the Historic Race meetingsup there.

the whole meeting went off really well and we were lucky in that the weather was mild and warm approx 20-22 degrees on both days.


More to come later if you want
regards torana

[Peter Mallett]

Well done Torana. Get some pics and post them. When you say the largest gathering, do you mean in Australia or worldwide?

Please post more.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Certainly in Australia, but the rest of the world? you could probably tell us. Torana I took part in the inaugural AHTCC at Qld Raceway last year, great event it was, I believe next year's effort will be at the Eastern Creek historic meeting, i may have a run myself, how about you? I'm dead keen to know who won each class at PI.