An Introduction by Ed Holly
I have raced an MGA here in Oz since Jan 1993. I race in Group S of the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association. Group S encompasses 3 sub-categories, as follows:
1...Sa up to 1961
2...Sb 61-70
3...Sc 71-75
We have a lot of MG's in Sa and Sb, and at present there are between 60 -70 cars consistently turning up for 6 home meetings a year, competing with a usual grid of 35 cars in Sb and 20 cars in Sa.   If we travel interstate we could do an Historic meeting about every 3-4 weeks !
I am presently the registrar for Group S in NSW and our only club in our state is the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association (HSRCA) which itself organizes 5 meetings
The Historic Movement goes back a long way in 'Oz' when a lot of our "old" racing cars were not getting any track time. At the time we had a significant race track in Sydney namely Warwick Farm.

As a 14 to18 year old I used to go there and watch the Internationals do battle during the Tasman Series races and often just to see Club Racing itself...
It was at Warwick Farm that a bunch of Enthusiasts got together to firstly form a a formal Association with the sole mandate to promote Historic Racing in its own right....
That Association became the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association. I think that was back in around the late 70's....
In Victoria our next largest state they have a couple of Clubs which promote Historics but here in NSW we only have the one...which now has about 1000 members.

Until about 1992 the racing categories comprised:
Groups J&K for Prewar cars
Group La, Lb for Sports and Racing cars 1946-1960 (La for Production cars without History)
Group M Sports and Racing Cars 1961-1965
Group O Sports and Racing Cars 1966-1969
Group N Production Touring Cars up to 1965
Group Q Sports and Racing Cars 1970-1977

All the above except La and Group N are categories for cars only with a proven and documented history of racing...and the cars must race as per their individual Certificate's of Description

From 1992 our governing body the Confederation of Australian Motor Sports (CAMS) allowed Historics to introduce Group S in lieu of Group La and then Group S was split into 2 sub-categories.
Sa up to 1961 and Sb from 1961-1969
Initially there were many Sa cars and only a few Sb cars, as the Sa cars came straight out of the Group La ranks. Now some 6 years later the Sa numbers have dropped off a little and Sb gets full grids of 30-35 cars and Sa get the overflow of the slower Sb cars in our races.

More recently CAMS have approved Sc which is for cars 1970-1977
But it is early days yet and only 4 or 5 cars have appeared.

The HSRCA holds general meetings about 9 times a year at a Club in North Sydney .These are reasonably formal affairs with each of the Committee members giving a report along with our Eligiblity Officers keeping us updated as to new cars etc....

Incidently the HSRCA put out its own publication called the OILY RAG this comes out 4 times a year and is a well anticipated magazine from the HSRCA editor John Sexton
I am told it is one of the best Historic Club magazines in the world!

Ed Holly.
January 1999
For More Information Contact Ed Holly

Welcome to the last newsletter for 1998. Since the last one we have had two meetings. The All Sports Car meeting and then the Historic meeting both at Wakefield Park.

H.S.R.C.A. Club Champion 1998
Dick Everett was named our Club's Champion for 1998. I have personally known Dick for around the last 12 or so years. It was Dick more than anyone else who took the time to explain to me what was required to get into our beloved sport. This was over a period from 1990 to 1992. Dick's obvious enthusiasm for La racing as it was then took a step up around this time with the introduction of Group S, dedicated to Production Sports Cars. When I finally started competing in 1993 , it was Dick I again turned to for advice on matters of racecraft ,and for improving the way the coupe went. All this time Dick never held anything back, he went into great detail to ensure his message got accross without misinterpretation, and eventually I managed to climb through the field to do battle with him in our A's. Well the score is still well in Dick's favour as to our on track battles,he might give you plenty of encouragement off the track but he sure as hell gives you none when you get on it ! Congratulations Dick from all of us in Group S . You have not only been a great ambassador within and for Group S but for the whole Historic scene over the last 15 or more years.

The All Sports Car meeting
This event was held at Wakefield Park on Sunday 25th October in fine cool conditions.There was an early practice followed by 3 scratch races all on the one day.The Sa honours for this meeting were taken out by myself followed by Wes Dayton and then Richard Rose. The event was marred by Dick's MGA firstly suffering a deflated tyre which put him into the flag point approaching the chicane, causing a fair amount of damage to the front RH guard and adjacent apron area, then later in the meeting his engine threw a rod, making the inevitable hole in the block. A new car on its first outing was Bob Priddle's pretty MGA Coupe which set the 3rd fastest time for an Sa car ( in the mid 22's ) behind Dick and myself .There were 6 Sa cars and 9 Sb cars
The Sb honours and indeed the Wakefield Trophy was won by Chris Smith in the Alfa GTV-1750 followed by Noel Bryen in the Morgan then Mike Wilson in the Fiat 124 (being the only 1300-1600 competitor helped Mike) and very close behind was Greg King in the MGB then Mark Alchin in the Morgan.

Historic Wakefield Park
This meeting was very well attended and in fact oversubscribed for Sb and 4 cars from this field were placed in the Sa field which worked out quite well. It was held over the weekend 21, 22 November in cool sometimes overcast conditions.
The Sa honours went descisively to Don Thallon in that monster Sa car , the Corvette, Roy Best from Victoria and I shared equal 2nd with Geoff Morse not far behind. In fact Roy said to me after the meeting "oh well thats one each" meaning we both managed to beat the other in the 2 scratch races. Typical of the Victorians in that they can't count, he forgot, that, in the handicap race I slipped past him mid-race ,so I reckon its 2 to 1 my favour. Anyway it was nice to see Roy and the Canetoad (John Bate) again. In fact as you will see later John actually managed a class placing in our Championship...well done. After the meeting just 4 weeks prior, unfortunately Dick Everett was a non starter. There were 15 Sa cars in all.
The Sb honours were taken by the Marcos of Roger Ealand followed by Michael Byrne in the Lotus Europa then came Howard Fletcher in the Datsun 2000 equal with Robert Rochlin in the MG Midget followed by Noel Bryen in the Morgan Super Sports. In all there were 30 Sb cars and 2 Sc cars with Chris Gray taking the honours.
Two newcomers in Sb were at the meeting, Bob (Hotrod) Thomas...apparently he got his nickname whilst in the Navy which he thought had slipped into history until Nigel Brookes was talking to his Dad about a fellow 6 hour team member !! And Brett McManus driving the Ex Ray Fletcher MG Midget. Brett finished all 3 races and consistently broke the 1 minute 20 second barrier...well done.
Both Brett and Hotrod had their first race 2 weeks before at the Alfa 6 hr Relay race and were part of a team of 5 with Nigel ,Bruce Smith and myself in the coupe ...sure enough he lived up to his name breaking his time on 4 consecutive laps....so he might be one to watch in the future !!!

New Cars
As mentioned Brett McManus in the MG Midget and Hotrod Thomas in an MGB have both had their first taste of circuit racing. Bob Priddle's MGA Coupe was missing at the Historic meet whilst he played in a blue block of flats called a Zipper in Nb. Another car we should see soon and has been given a logbook is that pretty blue fastback Bugeye that has been at Bob Rountree's of late. Also given logbooks lately are Doug Matley with an Alfa GTV-1750 and Denis Elborn in a Morgan V8. Hopefully it wont be too long before we see these cars on the track. Dennis was also in the 6 Hr race.

1999 Championship
1.Oran Pk...........................Feb 6-7      
2.Wakefield Pre 60's Sa only........Mar 27-28  
3.100 km race Wakefield.............Jul 4             
4.Post 60's Oran Pk  Sb & Sc only...Jul 24-25 
5.Eastern Creek Historics...........Sep 18-19     
6.Wakefield Pk......................Oct 24              
7.Wakefield Historic................TBA 

Feb 6-7	Oran Pk...Sydney NSW
Feb 28-Mar 01	Philip Isl.............. VIC
Mar 01	Pre 60's ..Goulbourn NSW
Apr 18-19	Mallala.....Adelaide SA
Apr 18-19	Thunderbolt Grande Parade...Uralla NSW
May 29-30	Winton...Wangaratta...VIC
Jul ??	Lakeside...Brisbane....QLD
Jul 24-25	Post 60's....Oran Pk Sydney NSW
Sep 18-19	Eastern Crk Sydney NSW....usually the biggest Historic event of the year 350+ cars
Nov ??	Sandown Melbourne VIC
Nov 20-21	Wakefield Pk Goulbourn NSW....great meeting, great track MGA 's love this track

We hope to bring you news and pictures throughout 1999
Our thanks to Ed Holly

External Links
Wakefield Park Racing Circuit
The Motorweb - Australian Motorsport Links Page


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