WINTON Raceway, near Benalla, will host the inaugural "Festival of Speed" this weekend, organised by the Victorian Historic Racing Register.

As reported in The Weekly Times on July 21, the new event is part of a three-event championship aimed at lifting participation in historic racing.

The VHRR already runs two other major historic events - "Return of the Thunder" at Sandown and the Phillip Island Classic.

The event will cater for all historic classes, including all racing, touring car and sport car categories.

About 220 entries have already been received.

VHRR president Ian Tate said the Winton weekend was designed to appeal to both a younger audience and to classic car enthusiasts who may not want to race, but would like the opportunity to run timed laps.

Organisers hope the meeting will boost both spectator and competitor numbers.

Regularity events will be backed up by timed sprints with 15-minute runs for American and Australian muscle cars, plus Porsches, built up to 1985.

The event will feature such classic muscle cars as Corvettes, Shelbys, Cobras, Mustangs and famous Australian touring cars of the 1960s and seventies.

"Last year, we canvassed competitors, car club members and spectators at both Phillip Island and Sandown about the events," Ian said.

"Our survey was prompted by two separate, but inter-linked events - the demise of last year's historic race meeting at Winton and the recent closure of Oran Park.

"While historic and club racing are the growth areas of motorsport, both in Australia and world-wide, there is a growing danger for our race circuits because of the constant pressure regarding noise levels and land values, especially in Victoria and NSW.

"Our research included demographics, age, family details and specifics such as days attended, reasons for coming, likes, dislikes and level of interest.

"A third survey asked competitors, racing enthusiasts and car club members about the idea of re-inventing a historic race meeting at Winton Raceway's long circuit.

"The club survey showed a strong and encouraging response."

Colin Fulton, of Forest Hill, a VHRR member and part of the Register's race committee for this event, will be a keen starter at Winton with his Euro GTS De Tomaso Pantera.

"There will be three Panteras running in the Sports GT class, with two of those being the rare Euro GTS model," Colin said.

"Panteras were built between 1979 and 1995 and the Euro model appeared between 1972 and 1980.

"There were fewer than 6000 Panteras ever built.

"They were originally supplied by Ford, but this only happened for three years.

"When it came to the Euro models, there were only about 500 made.

"They are all powered by the Ford Cleveland 351 cubic inch V8 - the same as the famous GTGO - and they have now been developed to give more than 500hp (375kw)."

Colin said that as all competitors were obliged to run with unmodified period tyres and brakes, "it makes them a bit of a handful to drive, with no power steering".

  • For more details, click here or phone Ian on (03) 9877 3317 or Ian Ross on (03) 8256 1644.