racing on phillip island

Neil Choi Alfetta Peter Richards Marcos 3L turn 10.

Story and Photos by Vince Johnson

With over five hundred entries track time during the Classic is always at a premium, so the Victorian Historic Racing Register held the briefing for all drivers on Thursday afternoon. Scrutineering was underway before breakfast on Friday and with qualifying done by lunchtime, racing commenced soon after. The celebration this year was for 50 years of the Mustang and it wasn’t hard to guess what would be on the grid in the over 3500cc Historic Touring Car races.

Dino 196 recreation.

Prior to the event, there was an interesting entry online, but the Dutton Garage’s 1959 Dino 196 unfortunately didn’t venture onto the circuit. Tucked away in its pit garage, it turned out to be one of Vincenzo Marciano’s recreations, built in Tuscany around twenty years ago. Fantuzzi would have certainly approved of its lines. Its chassis carried # MV005 and it was fitted with 2 litre Dino V6 #135B-0000001096.

Andrew Cannon Maserati 250S Aubrey Paverd MGTC, turn 9.

Andrew Cannon was back. Last year he drove the late Sir Jack Brabham on demonstration runs around the track in Maserati 250S chassis #1655, engine #2431 and this year it was Sir Jack’s widow, Lady Margaret’s turn. The car also ran in the Group Lb sports category during the weekend.