Longford back on with Long Weekend Motor Show

Longford Long Weekend Motor Show is on!

Following the controversial collapse of the planned Longford Grand Prix Expo (GPX) in Tasmania, the remains of the government grant will be used to host a new event, The Long Weekend, on the second weekend of March.

As reported in AUTO ACTION, it comes on the back of frantic talks to save the show after the pin was pulled on the Longford GPX by its organiser, Jeremy Dickson.

A government grant of $450,000 was allocated to DX Industries, a Singapore-registered company headed by Dickson – son of former Australian touring car racer, administrator/promoter and overseas circuit designer Ron Dickson.

The younger Dickson announced earlier this month that the GXP was called off “due to a combination of difficult economic conditions, such as infrastructure costs and ongoing supply chain issues and labour shortages”.

It was reported by Longford’s Northern Midlands Courier newspaper to have left ticket holders in the lurch, raising the question of where the government funding had gone.

Longford Long Weekend Motor Show is on! In the paddock 1958: Bill Mayberry gets a well-earned rest after finding and fitting a replacement Ford gearbox to Len Lukey’s Cooper T23 Bristol overnight.

Tasmanian Government steps in to save event

The Tasmanian Liberal Government will now contribute the remaining $150,000 not given to GPX.

The funds will go tothe replacement motorsport show in Longford on March 10-13 to host historic cars and motorcycles from several significant collectors in Tasmania.

Some of the racing cars that competed during the Longford motor racing days in the 1950s and ‘60s will also feature.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said supporting the event was a fantastic opportunity to fill the state’s long weekend in March.

“Following the unfortunate cancellation of the GPX event in recent weeks, I’m pleased that our Government is able to support the organisers of a new motorsport showcase in Longford,” Premier Rockliff said.

“The enthusiasm shown in ensuring the motorsport and Northern Midlands communities don’t miss out on sharing their motorsport history has been great, and I’m sure the event will be a success.”

The event will be led by Tasmanian historic motorsport identities Justin Brown, Robert Knott, John Talbot and Neil Kearney. With confirmation that all tickets sold to the GPX will be honoured at the new event.

The Expo that was announced in late August 2022 had been portrayed as taking the annual Longford Motorama of recent years to grand new heights.

It was slated as being a nod to the past, to put Longford back on the map as a place of great significance in the annals of Australian Motorsport. Up to $30,000 in prize money was claimed to have been set aside for its participants.

However, the Northern Midlands Courier had a front-page splash last week on its foundering. The story said that DX Industries “pulled the plug on the motor racing history extravaganza, leaving ticket holders around the country in the lurch and questions around what has happened to the $450,000 grant.”

Main Image: Tornado 2 Chev and Len Lukey’s Cooper T23 Bristol with Austin Millers Cooper at rear. Repco service truck! Gray won from Stan Jones Maserati and Arnold Glass’ Ferrari.

The latest issue of AUTO ACTION magazine will be available online this evening and in stores tomorrow.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport