This year’s Winton Festival of Speed, run by the Victorian Historic Racing Register, featured eight racing categories and just under 200 entries, plus over 50 involved in Regularity and Super Sprints.
The feature race was Just Cars 50K Touring Car Cup over 17 laps for Historic Touring Cars, which included Group Nb and Nc. It was taken out by Brad Tilley in his 289ci Ford Mustang. Andrew Williams (Holden Torana XU-1) was second after Peter McNiven pitted his Mazda RX2, and Adrian Moyle (Chev Camaro) came from ninth to third.
Brent Trengrove (Camaro) did get to third before he retired, while Darren Collins (Mustang) finished fifth ahead of the Toranas driven by Gary Edwards and Brett Ferris. Best of the Ns was ninth-placed Tom Tweedie (Morris Cooper S). Both the lead-up races were won by Tilley ahead of Williams. Collins and McNiven each had a third.
With his Porsche Carrera Cup car parked up, Nick McBride joined the Formula Ford fraternity and easily won the first race in his Swift DB1 ahead of Jonathan Miles (Van Diemen RF89) and Will Liston (Listec 86F), who closely contested the runner-up spots.
The three were line astern in the second race, which finished with the same result after a one-lap dash followed a Safety Car before Miles beat McBride in the closely fought third race where Liston was again third.
There was only a small turnout of Heritage Touring Cars. David Towe had to start Race 1 from the pits due to his Group A BMW M3 overheating, yet still won ahead of Bill Cutler in his BMW and Steve Axisa (Group C Holden Commodore VH). Towe led all the way in the following races, where Axisa was second ahead of Cutler in each.
Group S Production Sports saw Porsche 911 Carrera driver Doug Barbour a first-up winner ahead of Ray Narkiewicz (Chev Corvette) and Simon Meyer (MG Midget). Barbour did it again in Race 2, ahead of Mikki Piirlaid (911), Meyer and Alex Webster (911) before Narkiewicz scored the last win from Piirlaid, Meyer, Whitside and Barbour.
In HQ Holdens, Andrew Magilton had three wins over Ryan Woods. Simon Elliott dominated the MG field, while Mark Baggetto couldn’t be touched in the Alfa Romeos. The Groups J, K, Lb, M and O, as well as Formula Vee, were combined, and Andrew McInness was the overall winner in his Brabham BT29.
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