HTCAV – 2023 Phillip Island Classic report
Words: Darren Knight
Photos: Chris Wisewould, unless indicated
The huge appeal of competing at the VHRR’s annual Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport means racers and spectators come from all over the country. This year, that appeal was evidenced by nearly 80 entries from the JUST CARS Historic Touring family, with big grids in all the other categories, too. Two huge fields of large and small classics – Under 2 Litre and Over 2 Litre - saw the Victorian Historic Touring contingent face Australia’s best.
Under 2 Litre and Invited Cars
Race 1, Friday afternoon
The South Aussie trio of Josh Axford (BDA Escort), Justin Elvin (Mini) and Jason Armstrong (Mini) topped the timesheets in qualifying, setting up a classic opening race. Mere centimetres separated all three, led by pole man Axford, with WA’s Cono Onafaro (Mini) close behind in fourth.
Further back, Lachlan Thomas (Escort 1300) and Jim Schilling (Volvo) duked it out in close company, as did David Noakes (BDA Escort) and Dan Forster (Mini), while Phil Barrow’s FJ jumped out of top gear at full noise, the close-following Cortina of SA’s Stuart Barnes just clipping the Holden as he took avoiding action.
At the finish, Axford just beat the Minis home, but was relegated post-race to fourth after copping a 5 second penalty for moving slightly (but stopping) before the lights went out at the race start. That meant Elvin was awarded the win from Armstrong and Onofaro.
Race 2, Saturday morning
Armstrong grabbed the early lead, with Elvin losing a few spots mid race. Onofaro battled Noakes this time, as the Cortinas of Stuart Bailey and Don Knight got stuck right into it before Bailey ran wide at the Turn 4 hairpin, allowing Knight through.
David Forbes (XM Falcon) was climbing up the order after missing race one due to a gearbox change, while Gordon Cox, usually tied up with Racer Industries' spares duties trackside, was enjoying a rare outing on track in his Cortina, keeping the unique Citroen of Michael Stupka at bay.
Axford nipped under Armstrong for victory, and this time it stood, with Noakes third ahead of Onofaro, Forster and the Lotus Cortina of Peter Van Summeren.
Race 3, Saturday afternoon
Unfortunately, the third event for the Under 2 Litre group went no further than Turn 4 on the opening lap. Mike George (Lotus Cortina) had a half spin and was collected heavily by the GT Cortina of NSW’s Jerry Lenstra. The MkII Cortina of Tasmanian Adrian Wilson then ploughed into the back of Lenstra, bringing out the red flag. Fortunately, all drivers emerged unscathed - but the Fords were not so lucky.
Race 4, Sunday morning
A determined Axford shot clear by a few lengths, with fierce Mini rivals Armstrong and Elvin dicing mightily for second place. Newly installed HTCAV life member Les Walmsley (an award richly deserved) was again the class of the pushrod Cortinas as the Lotus version of Chris Dubois was hounded by the Mini of fellow New South Welshman David Roberts.
Noakes and Onofaro swapped fourth place multiple times, while further ahead, Elvin plunged down the inside of Armstrong at MG corner to snatch second on the last lap.
Axford took his third win, but the final corner proved a fateful one for Barrow, his FJ drifting wide coming onto the front straight, hooking a wheel over the kerb and shooting into the inside pit wall, resulting in hefty damage, but thankfully only to the car.
Race 5, Sunday afternoon
In the final race for the Under 2 Litre group, Axford again squeezed out a slender lead over the two SA Minis at the start, while further back, the Cortina punch-on continued with Barnes and Knight joined by newcomer Kim Shearn in an ex-WA Lotus version.
Noakes looked set for a podium until Armstrong and Onofaro nipped underneath the Escort at the bottom of MG. A frantic final lap saw Armstrong pull the same manoeuvre on Elvin to grab second. Elvin immediately fought back and ranged up alongside as the two Minis greeted the chequered flag together. It was close, but Armstrong just snatched second behind race winner Axford.
Back in seventh, a mighty battle raged between van Summeren’s Lotus Cortina and Tasmanian Lachie Thomas’ 1300 Escort, which passed the older car in the corners before being outdragged on the straights. The Lotus won the day by 0.4 seconds, but the Escort scored fastest lap.
It was ‘SA all the way’ as Axford won the weekend and also the Under 2 Litre Makulu Vehicle Storage Driver of the Meeting. Armstrong and Elvin completed the overall podium.
Over 2 Litre and Invited
Race 1, Friday afternoon
In a departure from the norm at the Island Classic, rolling starts would be utilised for all the big capacity touring car races.
After missing last year’s event, WA’s Paul Stubber was back, dividing his time at the Island between his trusty Camaro in this class and an ex-Allan Moffat Mazda RX-7 in the Group C and A Touring Cars.
In the opening race, Stubber soon put his Camaro into the lead, with the similar machine of WA’s Aldo De Paoli on his tail. Diving into the Turn 4 hairpin for the first time, Stubber had an interesting moment as the famous number 31 Chev got well out of shape before composure was restored, while third fastest qualifier Nathan Gordon (Monaro) was coming under sustained attack from all sides.
Ian Mewett (Mustang) had Jamie Tilley (Mustang) all over him in the first outing for the team’s recently completed, 351 Windsor powered `69 pony car. Brad Tilley was close behind in a `64 Mustang before making a successful move up into fourth.
Stuart Young retired with a suspected head issue in his Torana as former two-time National Sports Sedan Champion Darren Hossack (Mazda) pressured Andrew Williams (Torana) for sixth.
Brent Trengrove (Camaro) showed impressive speed and looked set to finish well inside the top ten until a touch with the rapid Mazda of Jason Humble at MG Corner saw both lose several positions on the last lap.
In the finish, De Paoli pushed hard but could not quite catch Stubber, with Mewett just edging out Brad and Jamie Tilley for third.
Race 2, Saturday morning
Long-time Group C touring car racer and collector, Willie Van Wersch (XY Falcon), was squeezed out onto the grass heading into turn one as Stubber looked to better his newly set 1.45.9 lap record from the previous day. That all came to naught on the second lap after a rear wheel cylinder mounting bolt sheared, sending him into retirement. Jervis Ward also parked it after a tyre let go on his unique Falcon Sprint coming on to the main straight.
Williams and Island first-timer Chris Thomas (Torana) swapped fifth place numerous times as the buzzing Mazdas of Peter McNiven, Humble and Hossack all ran in close company.
As Nathan Gordon had good mate Chris Stern (Mustang) hassling him everywhere, De Paoli took the win from Mewett and Jamie Tilley.
Race 3, Saturday afternoon
De Paoli wasn’t waiting around for Stubber in R3, grabbing an early lead as the latter sliced through from the rear of the grid to be tenth by just the second lap!
Jamie Tilley snatched third from Mewett as Adam Walton (Mustang) crept up the order after suffering panel damage earlier in the meeting. Meanwhile, newly crowned and now two-time HTCAV Club Champ Peter Meuleman (Mustang) was having a spirited tussle with the similar machine of Graeme Woolhouse and the Capri of Alex Bland.
With two laps to go, Stubber had reached second place, but would finish two seconds shy of De Paoli at the flag, with Jamie Tilley third. Brad Tilley somehow salvaged seventh after a plug lead jumped off on the out lap, the little 289 sounding rather grumpy as a result.
Race 4, Sunday lunchtime
The 50km final for the Over 2 Litre Historic Tourers had crews brimming tanks full in preparation for this ‘mini enduro’, expected to be 12 laps - stark contrast to the abrupt 3 lap opener.
Stubber leapt out to build a lead and chase another lap record, which eventually proved fruitless with the track conditions not conducive to quick times for most competitors after four days of running.
Brad Tilley made a big dive under Mewett at the hairpin, which saw the latter drop back a couple of spots. Williams, meanwhile, was flying and soon into fourth as Ben Wilkinson (Mustang) and Brent Trengrove ran neck and neck, Hossack constantly nipping at their heels.
Out front, Stubber was well clear, as was De Paoli in second, so the customary (and extremely popular!) sideways tyre smoking from both erupted within sight of the flag. Jamie Tilley took another excellent podium in an impressive first up meeting for his menacing black Ford fastback, slotting into third overall for the weekend.
The Makulu Vehicle Storage Driver of the Meeting for O2LT was awarded to NSW’s Chris Thomas for his stirring drives as an Island rookie, while the entire JUST CARS Historic Touring field had entertained the big crowd (Saturday was a record for the meeting) in trademark fashion.
From the Island to the Inland
While the Phillip Island Classic is done and dusted, there’s lots more Historic Touring action to come in 2023, including Historic Winton in May and the JUST CARS 50k Cup at the Winton Festival of Speed in August.
Watch this space for more as the 2023 season progresses.
