HTCAV – 2022 CLUB CHAMPIONS - JUST CARS

HTCAV – 2022 Club Champions

Words: Chris Ralph

Photos: Phil Wisewould (unless indicated)

Just like a modern race enduro, HTCAV Championships are notoriously difficult to win and often come down to the wire. But before we unpack the year’s topline results, what’s the HTCAV Club Championship actually all about?

First of all, it’s class-based

If the championship wasn’t, no small car (eg. Mini, RX-2, etc.) would ever get a look-in. Diversity of size, shape and sound is what makes this immensely popular category so absorbing.

As far from a one-make group as you could get, rotaries and small fours towelling up some of the big sixes and V8s guarantees the whole competition a David v Goliath fascination.

Minis monstering Mustangs, for example, has been a popular ‘sport within a sport’ for almost 40 years of historic touring cars. And as the results show, whether you run an earlier pre-65 Nb or later pre-73 Nc car, your chances are just as good.

More cars in your class = more points

Zooming around all year by yourself in a rare car can yield some great on-track battles and a good number of points.

But when your class is full of fellow Mustangs, Minis, Toranas or Cortinas, that’s when they can really mount up. If you can add fastest lap for the weekend and don’t break down, that means you’re looking good for the title.

Speaking of breakdowns, only your best five meetings count. Remember, these are 50 to 60-year-old warriors we’re racing here, so you’ve got to cut them some slack! This can also mean that a competitor with the most points might lose out against a better five-round score.

So which class has the most cars?

Listed competitors in 2022 totalled 111. Almost half came from the biggest capacity classes, with 50 cars, made up of 22 from Group NcA Over 5100 cc (Camaros and 351 Mustangs), 16 from Group NcB 3501- 5100cc (302 & 289 Mustangs and Chargers) and 12 from Group NcC 3001-3500cc (Toranas).

Also with 12 cars was Group NbE (Cortinas), but the plucky little Dagenham Dashers provided four of the Top 10 championship results – a 40 per cent haul.

‘Black Pete’ backs up last year’s win

After taking the championship in 2021, ‘Black Pete’ Meuleman in his all-black Mustang felt he was a lucky rookie who didn’t really deserve the win and wouldn’t wear the number 1. (When asked if it’d be on this year, he just chuckled and said: “Watch this space…”)

In 2022, speed, reliability and more seat time for Pete yielded a record points haul over eight recorded meetings (10 in all) to win the President’s Cup, while a massive ‘Best 5’ points tally made him uncatchable in the championship chase.

“Car’s run down, driver and crew worn out, heading for bankruptcy – would we do it again? In a heartbeat!” he laughs.

Pete’s standard procedure after every race – on jacks, wheels off, spanner checking, bleeding, adjusting, cleaning everything - gave him and crew guys Tony and Ryan a 100 per cent reliability record. “We’re Team OCD here, mate – works for us!”

The podium dudes

On the second step, former HTCAV President and Charger charger Les Walmsley had a great year in his Cortina GT.

“I’m over the moon with this little car. Not trying for outrights, but just running in your class is massive fun…,” Les enthuses. He may not have been gunning for the overall, but he’s not called the Silver Fox for nuthin’. Les races the only way he knows how - hard!

Third overall for 2022 was another black Mustang: the immaculate ’69 Fastback of Andrew Lane, who won last year's Historic Sandown outright (“I had brakes for the first time all year!”) and scored well in four other rounds. Still humbly claiming to be a learner, Andrew gets excited at “being able to race up the front with the big names, to see how they do it!”

What’s in store for ’23?

At time of writing, another major HTCAV year is ready to roll. First up, Round 1 of the Victorian State Race Series on 18-19 Feb followed by the biggest meeting of the year, the Phillip Island Classic on 9-12 March.

Huge entries are already listed, ensuring two big JUST CARS grids, so don’t miss out! As a bonus, the HTCAV will be celebrating at Phillip Island with a big awards night where trophies for all the winners that are shown and listed here will be presented.

Here's to another great year of historic touring car racing!

JUST CARS/HTCAV Top Ten 2022

1. Pete Meuleman Group NbA Ford Mustang 174 points

2. Les Walmsley Group NbE Ford Cortina 158 points

3. Andrew Lane Group NcA Ford Mustang 157 points

4. Rob van Stokrom Group NcE BMW 2002 148 points

5. Glenn Miles Group NcB Valiant Charger 141 points

6. Nathan Gordon Group NcA Holden Monaro 138 points

7. Peter George Group NbE Lotus Cortina 127 points

8. Don Knight Group NbE Ford Cortina 123 points

9. Jason Humble Group NcD Mazda RX-2 121 points

10. Peter van Summeren Group NbE Lotus Cortina 116 points

2022 HTCAV Class Champions

The HTCAV champs are proudly class-based, so here are all the respective classes, with podium placings for each, across the contested Group Nc and Group Nb categories.