Historic Sandown Turns it On
More than 200 mostly amazing cars across 12 categories are headed to Historic Sandown today for fun and racing. The Formula 5000 cars stole the speed show, while some of the most spectacular cars, some more than 100 years old, captured the spirit of historic racing and thrilled the star-studded crowd.
Until you have laid eyes on the McLaren M1A and M1Bs of Luke Warwick and Laurie Bennet, the George Reed Ford Specials of Graeme and Louise Raper, or the Jim Richards-owned and Grant Walker-prepared and driven Lotus FJ18, you haven’t scratched a real motor racing itch.
Throw in a bunch of stunning Mustangs and Porsches, a swarm of MGs, HQ Holdens, Le Mans sportscars, and a diversity of tin tops and open-wheelers, and you have one of the biggest historic race meetings in Victoria.
Picture Alex Davison driving his father Richard’s Ralt RT4 from the early 1980s, with its 1600cc engine racing against and beating Formula Holdens and a ground-effects Lola T620 Group C sports prototype, and you get an idea of the afternoon.
Davison won the afternoon’s Groups P,Q,R Racing and Q,R Sports Race after qualifying in second from Michael Gibson in a March 73s Group 5 sports cars from 1973.
For Davison, the weekend was a little about nostalgia, running his old man’s car, and having fun.
“The pressure is different to a Supercars or Carrera Cup race where all that matters is the lap time and result,” he said. “This is more about working up to a speed and seeing what we can do.”
After a troubled Friday with the car, he was finally happy to get a clear run.
The first race of the day was Formula 5000, and Paul Zazryn won in a Lola T332 from Bryan Sala in a Matich A50/51.
Ryan Woods won the 15-car HQ race from Steve Banks and Glenn McDonald, setting a new lap record of 1m35.1070s.
Group S is one of the more exciting classes for the day, with Wayne Seabrook winning in a Porsche Carrera from Terry Lawler in an immaculate Shelby American GT35 and Geoff Morgan also in a Porsche 911 Carrera. The field was laced with plenty of other Porsches, including a 928, Corvettes, Alfas, Triumphs, MGs, Datsuns, Fiats, Lotuses, a lone De Tomaso Pantera, and a Ferrari 308GTB.
There were 21 Formula Fords of varying vintage, and Jonathan Miles was the winner in a Van Diemen RF89 from Jack Clifford (Reynard 87F) and Nicholas McBride (Swift DB1), who also set a new lap record at 1m20.6108s.
The historic touring car race also saw a new lap record, with race winner David Brown lowering the mark to 1m28.4316s in a Datsun 1600SSS in a field featuring a range of different Holdens, Minis and Ford Cortinas with a lone Jaguar.
A George Reed Ford Special at 2024 Historic Sandown
One of the highlight classes was Groups M,O Sports and Racing with McLarens, Brabhams, and Elfins among lone models, including a Repco Holden, an Elfin Clubman, the Lotus FJ18, a Bacchus/BMC, Special Toron and an Aryen WD1. Laurie Bennett won the race in a McLaren M1B from Andrew Robson in a Brabham BT30.
Graeme Raper was trying for a new lap record in Groups J,K,Lb and invited Sa and Formula Vee Race on the one-off George Reed Ford Special, but narrowly missed the mark, although he took home the win from Graeme Wright in an Elfin Mallala and Russell Budge in a Zepshca Ausca.
The MG and Invited British were dominated by the V8 MG of Phillip Chester from the slightly smaller V8 MG of Robin Bailey, with Kaith Ondarchie’s Triumph Stag next. Michael Trathen was the first small MGs home in fourth from the stunning Bugeye Barn MG of Rodney Wells.
Shane Lee won the Regularity in an Elfin Formula Vee, lapping within 10th of his nominated lap time of 1m47.000s. Alan Tidbury, in a Cooper MK5, matched his 46 score across his four laps.
2024 Historic Sandown – Group C
The C and A Tribute was by Ian Smith in a Commodore from Cameron Smith in a Porsche 911 IROC and Patrick Kirby in a Commodore VN Group A car. There were plenty of other Commodores, Ford Falcons, Mustangs, an Escort and two Volvos.
The racing continues tomorrow, and tickets are available at the gate.
