The Australian Racing Drivers Club

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News Archive

Drifting under lights at SMSP

In case you haven’t heard… Drifting is back under lights at SMSP! We have two exciting new drift events to brighten up the dark winter months:

SYDNEY MOTORSPORT DRFT NIGHTS – UNDER LIGHTS!

The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) and Driftmob Drift Club present Sydney Motorsport Park Drift Nights Under Lights! These special events will be run on turns 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the SMSP South Circuit on June 20, July 25 and August 22. The track action starts at 5pm and runs until 10:30pm, and includes tandem and trainee runs. Gates open to the public from 3:30pm and spectator entry is only $5 per person. Passenger rides are also available! Click here for all the details.

Prepay now and save: ARDC and Driftmob Members, Prepaid: $150 Non-members, Prepaid: $200 On the night: $250 all comers Spectator entry: $5 at the gate To reserve your place and receive your discounted entry, call Angela on 0406 669 635 from 5pm-9pm, Monday – Friday.

FIGURE 8 DRIFT SERIES

The Figure-8 Drift Series presented by Motive DVD and powered by ARDC is a fun, casual and relaxed night of drifting. Round 1 kicks off on Friday July 19, then Round 2 is Friday August 16 and the final decider on Friday November 1. Action on track begins at 5:30pm and goes until 10:30pm, with Top 16 battles commencing at 8pm. The Figure-8 LAYOUT ensures close door-to-door action as NSW’s best drifters battle it out, while entertainment includes a rooftop bar and DJ, car show and trade stands.

Enter the full series and save: $150 per round, includes 2 pit crew, or save and pre-enter all three rounds for $400. Spectator entry: $15 at the gate, or prepay online now and save $5!

See you at the track!

ARDC Members clean up at Philip Island

The first round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship for Production Touring Cars was run and won on Sunday 26th May. Part of the third round of the Shannons Nationals, the race was a four hour, two driver test in wet and dry conditions around the iconic Victorian circuit. Driving one of the Pro – Duct Mitsubishi EVO Xs, team owner Bob Pearson and co driver extraordinaire, Glenn Seton paced themselves in the early stages then came home with a withering run on the damp track to claim victory by over a lap.

Bob is a long term member of the ARDC, winning the Club Championship back in 1995. Glenn has just re joined at the urging of Terry Thompson, ARDC Director, who helps out in the Pro-Duct team during race weekends. Glenn has lost none of his wet weather driving ability. The display of car control in slippery conditions during the last stint was awesome to watch. At one stage he was taking up to 7 seconds a lap from the second placed car. He also set a new lap record some 1.5 seconds faster than the previous time. The resurfacing of the famous Island track saw most lap records fall during the weekend. The new control tyre for the series is a Hankook and excellent preparation of the Pro-Duct EVO to suit this tyre played a big part in the win. Some teams seemed to have problems with the tyres but a number of cars sailed through the event with no rubber issues. The next round will be a three hour at SMSP in July, then on to QR in August before Wakefield Park in October with two 200km races – that will be a lot of laps of Wakefield.

The final will be at Sandown in November.

– Terry Thompson

Porsche Rennsport Australia Festival a huge success

Porsche Cars Australia – Great Racing, Great Cars, Great Porsche Spirit
Porsche fans in Australia have given the country’s inaugural Rennsport Festival a resounding vote of approval.
Porsches old and new, from road and track, local and abroad together with famous faces and enthusiasts of the German marque filled Sydney Motorsport Park on the May 25-26 weekend in a celebration of all things Porsche.
The superb on-track action from twin one-hour Porsche Carrera Cup Australia enduros and triple header Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli races was complemented with a showcase of stunning and priceless Porsches both on display and on track.
In all, more than 240 Porsches took to the circuit in the weekend’s 37 track events with another 120 immaculately presented in the Porschestrasse display, Concours d’Elegance and Show’n’Shine. Together with privately owned vehicles driven to Rennsport the total number of Porsches at Sydney Motorsport Park was estimated at more than 500, with a crowd of approximately 4,000 over the two days.
In Carrera Cup action it was Elite Class driver Max Twigg and V8 enduro specialist Luke Youlden that took round three honours while up-and-comer Richard Muscat took a clean sweep of victories in the GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli.

 

Historic race cars drawing special attention on and off the circuit were the 1981 Le Mans-winning Porsche 936, 2005/6 American Le Mans Series LMP2 Porsche RS Spyder, the ex-Vern Schuppan Porsche 956C from the Japanese Sportscar Championship of the mid ‘80s, the Le Mans class-winning 996 RSR from 2002 and the ex-Alan Hamilton 1968 911 TR – the car that, as Alan Hamilton relayed on the weekend, “came within 10 yards” of winning the 1969 Australian Touring Car Championship.
A Porsche new car showroom display, Porsche Kids Driving School, Porsche Panamera NSW Police Car and skidpan and 4WD off-road activities with the Porsche Sports Driving School ensured there was never a dull moment for Porsche aficionados.
“The feedback from Porsche competitors, Porsche car club members and the general public to the inaugural Rennsport Ferstival in Australia has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Porsche Cars Australian Managing Director, Michael Winkler.
“You measure the success of special events such as this not only by what happens on track but by the number of smiles and feeling of camaraderie in the garages.”
The milestone event was celebrated on the Saturday evening with a gala dinner for 220 special guests, acknowledging past and present Porsche legends in Australia including: Porsche distributor Alan Hamilton, tarmac racing Porsche king Jim Richards, the most successful Carrera Cup racer in the world Craig Baird, and director of Porsche’s Historic Racing Department Klaus Bischof.
“People are already asking me when the next Rennsport will be,” says Winkler. “The honest answer is ‘I don’t know right now’ but we are certain to have another, even bigger and better judging by the success of our first attempt.”
Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival results:
Porsche Carrera Cup, round three:
1st Max Twigg / Luke Youlden (2011 GT3 Cup Type 997)
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge presented by Pirelli, round two:
1st Richard Muscat (2006 GT3 Cup Type 997)
Porsche Sports Cars
1st Russell Kempnich (Porsche 956)
Group S & Group N under 2500cc
1st Wayne Seabrook (911 T)
Group S & Group N over 2500cc
1st Bryan Taylor (1974 Carrera)
Regularity 1
1st Greame Evans (911 T)
Regularity 2
1st Nathan Johnston (911 SC)
Regularity 3
1st Phil Treloar (996)
Rennsport Show ‘n’ Shine Trophy
1st John Pisani (356A 1959)
Rennsport Australian Porsche Clubs Trophy
1st Stephen Richardson (911 Carrera RS 1973)
Rennsport Peoples’ Choice Award
1st Antony Martin (911 SC 3.0 1980
Rennsport Concours D’Elegance Trophy
1st Ron Goodman (356 Cabriolet 1953)
Rennsport Concourse D’Elegance Masterclass Trophy
1st Paul Muras (928 S4 1989)

 

Muscle Car Masters announces Bathurst Grid Spectacular

The glory days of the Bathurst 1000’s colourful pre-race build-up will be recreated at the 2013 Australian Muscle Car Masters at Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek this Father’s Day, September 1.
The ‘Bathurst Grid Spectacular’ is a new addition to this year’s Masters; the annual celebration of Australia’s unique muscle car and motorsport heritage. The showpiece event is set to be the centrepiece of the biggest ever gathering of former Great Race machines in period livery.
Each car will be given its due as it forms up on the Brabham Straight grid, and the famous machinery will be joined by some of the legends who drove them. The massive grid will then set off on a series of demonstration laps.
“Many long-time race fans have fond memories of the traditional Bathurst pre-race spectacle of the 1970s and ‘80s,” said Glenn Matthews, CEO of the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club at Sydney Motorsport Park.
“This was a time of pipe bands, baton-twirlers, corny mascots, best-presented car awards and grand marshals commanding drivers to ‘start their engines’. So we’re bringing this spectacle back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Great Race at Bathurst, the 1963 Armstrong 500, and the 75th anniversary of the Mount Panorama circuit’s opening.”
The hour-long grid spectacular will effectively be the half-time entertainment between morning and afternoon sessions of racing on Father’s Day.
The midday activity is open to all cars that competed in the Bathurst 500 or 1000 between 1963 and 2012. Owners of genuine cars – covering the Series Production, Group C, Group A, Super Touring and V8 Supercar eras – in period livery are encouraged to participate. There will be a dedicated static display area to show off these historically-significant vehicles before the Spectacular commences.
To be a part of the action, you can download the Application Form HERE (via Dropbox).
More information on the 2013 Australian Muscle Car Masters, including the full line-up of race categories and road car anniversaries, can be found at musclecarmasters.com.au.

2013 ARDC Club Championship

Our Board of Directors has overhauled the points scoring system for the annual ARDC Club Champion award.
The previous point score was based on the top ten drivers in every race at ECIR/SMSP, scoring points if they were current ARDC Members. Because different racing categories competing at different levels did not race each other and took part in varying numbers of races, the only fair way of comparing performances was to work out an average of points scored per race.
This gave an advantage to competitors in small categories and drivers could “sit on” early good results and not compete for the rest of the year to preserve a good average.
For 2013 and beyond, ARDC Member competitors will score points in the ARDC Club Champion competition every time they run in an ARDC-organised race at Sydney Motor Sport Park. One point will be awarded to Members for every competitor they finish ahead of, including non-finishers. Then this number will be multiplied by the number of laps scored in each race. This will equalise meetings with lots of short races as compared to meetings with fewer long races.
We will also be running a separate competition for our Supersprint competitor Members. At each of the three rounds of the NSW Supersprint Championship we are running this year, ARDC Members will score a point for every person they beat in their class. This number will then be multiplied by the number of laps completed on the day. The driver with the most points over the three meetings will be declared the ARDC Supersprint Champion for 2013.
– Brian “The Guru” Goulding

 

Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival

Porsche Cars Australia is pleased to announce the inaugural Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival, held on the weekend of May 25 and 26, 2013 at Sydney Motor Sport Park.
The format of the exclusive all-Porsche event will be centred on the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia, which will both headline the weekend’s racing schedule. Other events will include several all-Porsche races, Regularities and historic demonstrations on both Saturday and Sunday.
Recent improvements to the circuit facilities will allow the entire circuit, figure 8, skid pan and four wheel drive track to facilitate various events and activities throughout the weekend.
Off-track attractions will include the Porsche Concours d’Elegance and Porsche Show ‘n’ Shine, while the Porsche Sport Driving School and Porsche Kids Driving School will provide the full spectrum of the Porsche driving experience to those big and small.
The action will start at 8:30am both days, with tickets available at the gate (online sales have now closed). Weekend Passes just $55 for adults and $5 for children 17 and under (with a paying adult). Daily passes are $30 for adults, and again, $5 per day for a child. Parking is free!
Porsche Rennsport Australia Motor Racing Festival is set to be a true ‘Festival’ of all things Porsche. We look forward to seeing you there.
Visit www.rennsportaustralia.com.au for more information.