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Multiple hillclimb champion Dean Amos will chase a record eighth win in his Nicholson McLaren-powered Gould GR55B at the 27th Historic Leyburn Sprints on August 19-20.
He also wants to better his 2019 record time of 39.78s.
“We’ll see,” says the Lismore, New South Wales, workshop owner. “We’ve done some minor aero mods at the back of the car which will make it better over Leyburn’s bumps, especially in braking.”
Expected to offer the stiffest competition are Warwick Hutchinson [OMS28 RPV03/Rotary turbo] and Brett Bull [Van Diemen/turbo Kawasaki].
“Warwick and Brett have both been getting faster this year, so I expect them to challenge,” Amos added.
In the Historic division, last time winner Matt Clift (Mazda R100) could be hard to beat but will have a thoroughbred new contender in David Cross and his Brabham BT16 Formula 3. The Brabham was once owned by the Formula 1 team founder Frank Williams. It weighs less than 500kg, is powered by a 1.0-litre engine, and will race in Australia for the first time.
A record nine 14-17-year-olds will get their chance in the Mike and Ann Collins Memorial Junior Trophy regularity competition. Their challenge is to match a personal target time across the weekend, with points lost for faster or slower variations.
Junior entrants include Stevie Chant, who has recovered from a major crash at Queensland Raceway, while 14-year-old Quinn Partington will make his motorsport debut in his grandfather’s 1922 Wikner Ford Special – said to be Australia’s oldest race-registered car.
The Junior Trophy honours Mike and Ann Collins, who were respectively, the founding Race Director and President of the Sprints in 1996.
The final starting list features historic, classic and performance cars from 10 decades of motoring going back to the 1920s and a line-up of makes from Ferrari to Ford and Aston Martin to Abarth.
The round-the-houses time trials commemorate the 1949 Australian Grand Prix at Leyburn and while the weekend centrepiece, visitors can also enjoy a wide choice of attractions off-track.
More than 100 cars and motorcycles are expected for the Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine and there will be a display of around 20 colourful vintage caravans, matched to classic tow vehicles.
Retired racing legend, Colin Bond, will be guest-of-honour and make several appearances. There will be raffles to win race car rides, a welcome barbecue, charity auction, fun run, market stalls, helicopter rides and live music at the Royal Hotel and RSL club.
Visitors can also tour the many historical locations around the 1860s goldrush town, like the old 6.9km grand prix circuit on a former airbase, used for wartime secret missions.
Ticket sales and more information are available at historicleyburnsprints.com.au.
