DamienT
11-12-2005, 08:48 AM
Record Overseas Entry for Shannons Phillip Island Classic
A record number of up to 23 famous sports and racing cars from Europe, Britain and the United States is expected at the Shannons Phillip Island Classic from February 10-12.
And including entries received so far from all States, the meeting is already well on track to eclipse the 2005 event’s record 455 vehicle entry, cementing its place as Australia’s principal historic motor race meeting.
One highlight of the 2006 Classic will be a re-match of two of the key protagonists in the famous ‘Monzanapolis’ challenge between the cream of European Grand Prix cars and their American Indianapolis oval track counterparts staged on the banked Monza circuit in Italy in 1957 and 1958.
From the USA comes Stuart Harper’s famous Offenhauser-engined Curtis Special that finished fourth in 1957 and sixth in 1958 in the event, billed as ‘The Race of the Two Worlds’, then went on to place sixth in the 1962 Indianapolis 500 at an average of 149.5 miles an hour.
It has lost none of its speed over the years and last year with Harper at the helm won the Hawthorn Trophy Race at Britain’s Oulton Park for racing cars of the era.
From Britain comes one of its key rivals in the 1958 Monzanapolis race – Rod Jolley’s unique and beautiful 3.8 litre D-type Jaguar-engined single seater Lister Jaguar.
Based on a D-type Jaguar, the Lister was originally built for Ecurie Ecosse as a ‘one and a half seater’, but was converted to its current polished aluminium monoposto form for the 1958 Monza race.
Other significant open wheelers coming from overseas for the meeting include the Maserati 250F that Stirling Moss drove to victory 50 years ago in the 1956 ‘Olympic’ Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. Now owned by International historic racing driver and collector Peter Giddings, the ex-factory Maserati has just completed a major rebuild in New Zealand.
Notable Pre-War single seaters include Giddings’ famous 1934 Maserati 3011, a Pre-War straight eight supercharged Alfa Romeo 308 and Dean Butler’s 1936 Lago Talbot T26C.
From the modern Grand Prix era, Louis Sellyei is bringing his super-sounding 1966 V12 Gurney Weslake from the USA, Ian Ross’s will have the ex-Alan Jones 1985 Beatrice Lola, Les Wright is bringing his F1 Benetton and Guido Belgiorno-Nettis will run his glorious ex-Michele Alboreto 1985 Type 156 Ferrari.
Formula 2 cars from the 1960s include Paul Busby’s Lola, a F2 Lola and the 1.5 litre F2 Porsche Type 718/2 that American Dan Gurney drove to third outright in the 1961 Formula One World Championship.
Big banger sports cars will also be back in droves at the ‘Island, with two thundering Lola T70s, a Lola T610 and Rob Sherrard’s Porsche 962 from the 1980s battling with Rusty French’s brace of Porsche 935 K3s, Keith Berryman’s Matich SR3, Don Thallon’s Lister Jaguar, at least one GT40 and Max Warwick’s McLaren M1A from the 1960s and 1970s.
Another highlight will be the first appearance at Phillip Island of Martin McGlone’s glorious 1957 Aston Martin DB3S that is coming from the UK, joining Dean Butler’s Allard J2R amongst the notable sports cars from the 1950s.
Untimed practice for the Phillip Island Classic will be on Friday February 10, with racing for all categories in 33 separate events throughout the weekend.
More details can be found by visiting http://www.vhrr.com.au.
A record number of up to 23 famous sports and racing cars from Europe, Britain and the United States is expected at the Shannons Phillip Island Classic from February 10-12.
And including entries received so far from all States, the meeting is already well on track to eclipse the 2005 event’s record 455 vehicle entry, cementing its place as Australia’s principal historic motor race meeting.
One highlight of the 2006 Classic will be a re-match of two of the key protagonists in the famous ‘Monzanapolis’ challenge between the cream of European Grand Prix cars and their American Indianapolis oval track counterparts staged on the banked Monza circuit in Italy in 1957 and 1958.
From the USA comes Stuart Harper’s famous Offenhauser-engined Curtis Special that finished fourth in 1957 and sixth in 1958 in the event, billed as ‘The Race of the Two Worlds’, then went on to place sixth in the 1962 Indianapolis 500 at an average of 149.5 miles an hour.
It has lost none of its speed over the years and last year with Harper at the helm won the Hawthorn Trophy Race at Britain’s Oulton Park for racing cars of the era.
From Britain comes one of its key rivals in the 1958 Monzanapolis race – Rod Jolley’s unique and beautiful 3.8 litre D-type Jaguar-engined single seater Lister Jaguar.
Based on a D-type Jaguar, the Lister was originally built for Ecurie Ecosse as a ‘one and a half seater’, but was converted to its current polished aluminium monoposto form for the 1958 Monza race.
Other significant open wheelers coming from overseas for the meeting include the Maserati 250F that Stirling Moss drove to victory 50 years ago in the 1956 ‘Olympic’ Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. Now owned by International historic racing driver and collector Peter Giddings, the ex-factory Maserati has just completed a major rebuild in New Zealand.
Notable Pre-War single seaters include Giddings’ famous 1934 Maserati 3011, a Pre-War straight eight supercharged Alfa Romeo 308 and Dean Butler’s 1936 Lago Talbot T26C.
From the modern Grand Prix era, Louis Sellyei is bringing his super-sounding 1966 V12 Gurney Weslake from the USA, Ian Ross’s will have the ex-Alan Jones 1985 Beatrice Lola, Les Wright is bringing his F1 Benetton and Guido Belgiorno-Nettis will run his glorious ex-Michele Alboreto 1985 Type 156 Ferrari.
Formula 2 cars from the 1960s include Paul Busby’s Lola, a F2 Lola and the 1.5 litre F2 Porsche Type 718/2 that American Dan Gurney drove to third outright in the 1961 Formula One World Championship.
Big banger sports cars will also be back in droves at the ‘Island, with two thundering Lola T70s, a Lola T610 and Rob Sherrard’s Porsche 962 from the 1980s battling with Rusty French’s brace of Porsche 935 K3s, Keith Berryman’s Matich SR3, Don Thallon’s Lister Jaguar, at least one GT40 and Max Warwick’s McLaren M1A from the 1960s and 1970s.
Another highlight will be the first appearance at Phillip Island of Martin McGlone’s glorious 1957 Aston Martin DB3S that is coming from the UK, joining Dean Butler’s Allard J2R amongst the notable sports cars from the 1950s.
Untimed practice for the Phillip Island Classic will be on Friday February 10, with racing for all categories in 33 separate events throughout the weekend.
More details can be found by visiting http://www.vhrr.com.au.