HTCAV – 2022 OTR SuperSprint report

Words: Darren Knight

Photos: John Lemm

Demonstrating the driver appeal of the fast and challenging South Australian circuit known as The Bend Motorsport Park, ten JUST CARS HTCAV competitors made the journey interstate for the OTR SuperSprint round of the Repco Supercars Championship on 29-31 July. They were joined by five from Queensland and four each from WA and NSW, with the interstate interlopers comfortably outnumbering the South Australian contingent.

The historics were part of a Supercars undercard that included the Aussie Racing Cars, SuperUtes, Sport Sedans and Carrera Cup. Three races scheduled for the historics were all morning affairs, conducted in very crisp winter weather, but at least they avoided the heavy rain that drenched the South Aussie circuit late on the final day…

Qualifying

In Friday’s qualifying session, the large field covered V8s, rotaries and straight sixes, as well as a mix of cammy and pushrod fours. WA’s Aldo De Paoli (Camaro) snagged pole, with Queensland’s Craig Allan (Mustang) second fastest in front of fellow Queenslander Keith Kassulke in the ex-John Mann Camaro, while NSW’s rotary fan favourite Jason Humble (RX-2) was fourth fastest.

Best qualifier amongst the Victorians was Andrew Williams (Torana XU-1), who claimed sixth on the grid, followed by Nathan Gordon (HQ Monaro) and Chris Stern (Mustang) in seventh and eighth, respectively.

Josh Axford (BDA Escort) was the best of the South Australians and the highest placed ‘four’, qualifying in tenth, with NSW’s Spencer Rice (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) thirteenth of the 31 cars entered for the meeting.

Charger pilot Ben Dahlstrom qualified fifteenth, but awoke on race day with a local version of Bali Belly and would not grid up.

SA’s Richard ‘Harry’ Harris, the subject of a recent Driver Profile article, qualified 25th, ahead of a gaggle of Victorians that included Simon Browning (Cortina), David Forbes (XK Falcon), Don Knight (Cortina), John Clarke (Mustang) and David Schofield (Cortina).

Race One - 7.30AM Saturday morning!

De Paoli must be a ‘morning person,’ as he edged in front of Allan when the lights went out for the (very early) opening race of the day, while Kassulke bogged his Camaro badly and lost several positions.

In complete contrast to Kassulke was Rice, who rocketed his little Italian off the line and set about rectifying his comparatively lowly grid spot. Axford soon found himself engaged in a titanic battle with Rice as the two four-cylinder machines traded places multiple times.

WA-based racer Tony Gilfuis endured a howler of a meeting, his Capri lasting one solitary lap, having already swapped engines before making the journey across the Nullarbor. The ‘Hard Luck Award’ duly went his way. 

As Humble fought off the recovering Kassulke, the SA Torana pair of Rob Smith and Evan Gobell ran in close company early on before the latter retired on lap 4 after ripping out a rear trailing arm. Smith wouldn’t be lonely, though, with the Toranas of Stuart Young (WA) and David Streat (QLD) keeping him company in the midfield.

Further ahead in the pack, Williams was making a very welcome return after a two-year rebuild of his familiar blue Torana that was heavily damaged in an impact with the Phillip Island pit wall back in 2020.

As the 7-lap race wound out, Gordon and Stern joined Williams in what was a very spirited all-Victorian stoush until newly-elected HTCAV President Stern fell off and rotated on The Bend’s now impressively grassy infield (it was dirt and mud this time last year), much to his combatants’ mirth, no doubt.

With a couple of laps left to run, the Forbes Falcon slowed and then became stranded on the outside curb coming onto the front straight, bringing out the safety car as Humble began trailing smoke.

The yellows were still out when the chequered flag fell, with De Paoli claiming the win from Allan and Kassulke, followed by Adam Walton (Mustang), Williams, Gordon and Rice.

Humble retired with transmission issues on the final lap, joining Hansen, Forbes, Gobell and Gilfuis on the DNF list.

Race Two - 11.00AM Saturday morning

Gobell would not line up for the second race due to his suspension damage, and while Dahlstrom did make the grid for the 8-lapper, he was still clearly under the weather. Humble would join him at the rear of the grid after completing a gearbox change with only minutes to spare.

Knight, who led home the Cortinas of Browning and Bend rookie Schofield in Race One, was a non-starter when the Pommy Ford refused to fire on the dummy grid.

From the get-go, Walton made a great start to slot into second behind De Paoli before Allan squeezed past. Kassulke then passed Walton’s 289-powered ‘Stang and set about mercilessly harassing Allan’s pony car. The Camaro and Mustang were swapping positions all over the circuit in a fantastic display of hard but fair racing.

SA local Brett Munns ran well early until his Torana again started misbehaving, the problem traced to a recent switch from SU to Weber carburation that still needed some sorting. Meanwhile, Graeme Woolhouse (WA - Mustang) nipped under Gordon at turn one as Stern had another (smaller) excursion onto the grass before re-joining, making mental notes of the handling improvements required for his bucking bronco (er, Mustang).

The Mini of Justin Elvin clashed with the Mustang of reigning HTCAV Club Champ Pete Meuleman, though both continued, while Dahlstrom mixed it up with NSW’s Michael Rose (Mustang) further back in the field.

Within sight of the flag, De Paoli slowed dramatically and waved his pursuers through with Allan just holding out Kassulke to take the win after a monumental dice. Walton finished third in front of rear-of-grid starter Humble. De Paoli crept across the line in fifth after suffering what was later diagnosed as a fuelling issue.

Race Three – 9:00AM Sunday

The third and final race for the historics at the OTR SuperSprint ended very early for Kassulke when the gearbox in his Camaro gave up, leaving Allan to take the fight to De Paoli. Allan’s Mustang was actually leading the opening lap until De Paoli’s big, bold 5.8-litre Chev blasted past.

Ian Mewett (QLD) was finally getting some laps in at the wheel of the ex-Mike Rowe Falcon Rallye Sprint, the car still needing sorting after being raced very sparingly over a long period.

Best Presented Car winner Darryl Hansen (Mustang) showed much improved speed as he held out the Williams Torana inside the top ten. Of the locally based Minis, Harris was holding sway over Rob Ford early on, while Axford broke clear of Rice on the edge of the top ten.

Nearing race end, Humble began harassing Walton, especially in the twisty stuff around the back of The Bend’s sprawling 18-corner layout, and finally snuck onto the podium on the last lap.

At the end of six laps, it would be De Paoli who took an untroubled win from Allan, followed by Humble, who also garnered Driver of the Meeting. Off the podium, Walton finished comfortably ahead of Gordon (best of the Vics) and Queenslander Graeme Wakefield (Mustang), with Hansen, Williams, Stern and Woolhouse completing the top ten. 

Just outside the top ten, Dahlstrom would be the meat in an Axford-Rice sandwich, while Elvin, his Mini still wearing the bruises of the earlier encounter with Meuleman, would triumph over Harris.

It was yet another sensational adventure for the JUST CARS drivers across the border at The Bend; this meet strengthening the growing bond between the HTCAV and the Historic Touring Car Association of South Australia who were superb hosts all weekend. As HTCAV President Chris Stern posted, “we were treated like kings!”