Classic Italians at Classic Adelaide 2008

Since 1997, Italian cars have always been well represented in the four day tarmac rally through the hills around the South Australian capital.

Things got under way in the center of town with the BEA Motor show on Sunday November 16 in Victoria Square opposite rally headquarters, the Hilton Hotel. Sponsored by the local Mercedes Benz dealer, the display included car club vehicles as well as rally entrants. The competition heated up on the following Wednesday after a lunchtime street parade. Starting order for the first of the special stages was determined at the afternoon’s Prologue, a three kilometer hillclimb up the old Mount Barker Road to Eagle on the Hill.

In the Historic category for cars built to 1947, John and Andrew Lawson’s 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B MM Spyder had the legs over the 1929 Chrysler Roadster ‘77’ of Bernie O’Shannessy and Tony Bobridge. Lawson’s car has had a long career, spending time until the fifties racing in South America. When John bought it twenty five years ago it had a Dodge engine fitted, but is now back to original. It’s been kept busy though, having covered over 90,000 kilometers since then, most of them in competition.

Cars built from 1948 to 1971 are grouped by the promoter, Silverstone Events, into the Classic category. Italian entries included Dale Ashby and Bruno Franchi’s Alfa Romeo GTV 2000, Danny Vettoretti and Claire Dowling in the 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF Series 1 and the 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 of Bryan Mendelson and Richard Ranger.

Five Italians contested the Late Classic Competition category (1972 to 1990). Alfa Romeos were entered by Terry Moody and Stefan Jensen (1972 2000 GTV) and Tony and Christian Atkinson (1974 1600 GT Junior). Phil and Deb Powell ran their 1977 Ferrari 308 GT4. This year’s Targa Tasmania winner Steve Glenney brought his 1988 Lancia Delta Integrale 16V, co-driven by Bernie Webb, but the fastest Italian in the Prologue was the 1972 De Tomaso Pantera of Keith and Mary-Anne Callinan, in fifth place, 2.4 seconds behind the Pye/Geelan Porsche 911RS.

Porsches tend to dominate the results of rallies everywhere and Adelaide was no exception with the ubiquitous 911s featuring strongly. Bill Pye and Grant Geelan (1974 911RS) were named winners after more than 250 kilometres of closed road special stages. The Callinan Pantera held onto 5th outright, Vettoretti and Dowling’s Fulvia HF was classified 38th in the Classic category, and the Lawson’s Alfa took Historic honours by over 5 minutes from the 1929 Chrysler.

But Adelaide is not just about winning. The untimed Classic and Thoroughbred Tour categories allow local and overseas owners to drive the closed road competition stages. Event patron Sir Jack Brabham, Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan and five times motorcycling World Champion Mick Doohan, in sponsored six liter Mercedes, lead off each day.

UK regulars Sir Paul Vestey and Doug Nye have been part of Classic Adelaide each year. This year they competed in the ex-Maranello Concessionaires 275 GTB/C (GT category winner at Le Mans in 1966) that Vestey brought out on their first visit in 1997. Since then, prancing horses from the Vestey stable to take part have included his 250 GTO (chassis 4115), 250GT SWB and the ex-Scuderia Serenissima 250 Spyder California LWB. Three other overseas Ferrari entries arrived from Hong Kong and Singapore.

The market and restaurant precinct in Gouger Street was closed to regular traffic late on the Friday. Local Ferrari, Maserati & Alfa Romeo distributor Prestige Formula displayed the latest Maseratis, the rally cars took centre stage, the public mixed with the drivers and their crews and the party was soon under way.

On Sunday afternoon the same thing happened in East Terrace outside the Stag Hotel. Every car that made it back to the city drove onto the finish ramp and the driver and co-driver were presented with their competitors’ medals.

Winners sprayed their Australian bubbly over the crowds but the celebrations had started hours before the evening’s celebratory dinner at the Hilton. Late spring in South Australia has a lot going for it, as the heat of summer is usually yet to arrive and the outdoor lifestyle is already in full swing. Get your tables booked for next November.