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Large crowds, superb weather and record entries at the weekend ensured a spectacular 75th anniversary celebration of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix.
Lismore NSW driver Dean Amos steered his Gould GR55B to a ninth outright win with a time of 40.732s around Leyburn’s 1.0km closed-street course.
More than 240 historic, classic and performance cars contested the Sprints. The variety of off-track events and attractions helped make the festival an unprecedented success.
Fans flocked to meet guest motor-racing personalities Warwick Brown, Dick Johnson, John Bowe, Bruce Allison, Ron Harrop, Charlie O’Brien and Brian Gelding. The guests signed autographs, rode in a grand parade each day and visited the disused site of the September 18, 1949 Grand Prix outside town, along with an MG that had finished fourth in that race.
Brown, the 1977 Australian Grand Prix winner, and Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser unveiled a that will be mounted permanently in Leyburn’s main street.
“It’s the best motorsport event I think I’ve ever been to in my life. If I’d known it was this good I would have come years ago. It’s just got this awesome vibe where everybody’s here for the right reasons because they love cars and motorsport,” said Bowe.
Sprints President Tricia Chant said organisers had been expecting up to 16,000 visitors, but the final number when all receipts were counted would be significantly greater.
“We had plenty of things planned for the Leyburn grand prix 75th anniversary, but the response was amazing, and I’m sure has confirmed Leyburn as Queensland’s most popular motorsport event after Supercars,” she said.
“We had a fantastic grassroots Sprints competition, with everything from a 99-year-old Austin with an 84-year-old driver, to Ferraris, muscle cars and a 350 kmh Indianapolis 500 racer billed ‘too fast to win’ because Leyburn is just a tight course.
“It was a weekend with grassroots motorsport at its core, but that gave much, much more.”
Fastest Outright (Col Furness Memorial Trophy): Dean Amos (Gould GR55B) 40.732 sec.
Fastest Historic (Hayden Betts Memorial Trophy): David Cross (Bowin Hay) 52.520 sec.
Junior Driver (Mike and Ann Collins Memorial Trophy): Jye Wickham (Hyundai Excel)
John Mellon Rookie of the Year: Sam Niven (Mitsubishi Lancer)
Volunteer Award (Alan Wickham Memorial Trophy): Michael Reid, John Tait
Spirit of the Event (John Butterfield Memorial Trophy): Keith Edwards
Show ‘n’ Shine, Best Car: David Stark (1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28)
Best Vintage Van: Len and Rosemary Kennedy (Kennedy 14ft, Studebaker Silver Hawk)
IMAGES: R6 Digital, Roz Harman, Trapnell Creations
