HTCAV – 2024 All Historic Mallala report
Words: Darren Knight
Photos: John Lemm
Presented by the Sporting Car Club of South Australia (who are celebrating their 90th Anniversary this year), All Historic Mallala is the club’s biggest annual event and has been a must-do for SA racers since it was first held in 1982.
Thanks to numerous Facebook posts and general cajoling from HTCAV teams that had journeyed over last year, this year’s 43rd edition of All Historic Mallala rounded up a great Historic Touring grid.
With two practice sessions, qualy and five races – all part of a 45-race programme - it was a very busy track!
Race 1, early Saturday AM, 6 laps
Off the line, pole-winner Andrew Williams (Torana) bogged down badly to lose several spots. Rapid local, Adam Smith (Falcon), squeezed on to the grass, then got back onto the black stuff, moving up from sixth on the grid to third just before the tight Turn 1. Shortly after, the big XW slowed momentarily when the clutch pedal went to the floor as Darren Hossack (Mazda), the dominator at this event last year, led the pack.
Williams recovered from his slow start and began harassing Hossack at the front, with Peter McNiven (Mazda) ready to pounce on any mistakes from the leading pair. Behind them, Darren Collins in the well-travelled ‘Warhorse’ Mustang was having a stonking battle with SA’s Josh Axford (BDA Escort). It was Collins’s first visit to Mallala in 26 years, but he was handling the circuit like a local.
Justin Elvin proved to be the quickest of the Minis in tenth, while the Cortinas of Stu Barnes and Don Knight were having a close tussle with the Mini of Richard (everyone calls him Harry) Harris and the Datsun of Derek McLaughlin.
Mallala first timer, Michael Hibbert (“I like this track!”), retired his Charger with a carbie issue, while Phil Barrow’s ridiculously quick FJ Holden lost brakes and ploughed into the sand trap within sight of the flag. Barrow was able to extricate himself and finish 15th.
Hossack beat Williams to the line in what was a thrilling finish, with McNiven third, making it a 1-2-3 for the Vics. Axford was the best of the locals in fourth, ahead of Collins, veteran Tony Hubbard (Camaro) and Smith.
Race 2, early Saturday PM, 6 laps
Williams had a better getaway as Hossack suddenly slowed out of Turn 2 with clutch dramas, but the two-time National Sports Sedan Champion continued the chase after losing several places. Smith went off-road again, dropping the Falcon into the sand at the entrance to the esses this time and eventually re-joining well down the order.
Hubbard retired after a plug lead jumped ship as local Historic Open Wheeler and Clubman stalwart Keith Williamson (making his Historic Touring debut in a Cortina) pursued Racer Industries’ trackside hero and perennial wisecracker Gordon Cox (Cortina MkII).
Just inside the Top 10, Ian Pringle (Mini) was showing all his old speed in front of Kim Shearn (Lotus Cortina) after being caught up in a serious prang at this event last year that wasn’t of his own making.
Williams took the win from McNiven and Hossack, followed by Axford and the RX2 of Kirk Davis, making it three Mazdas in the top five.
Race 3, late Saturday PM, 6 laps
McNiven jumped out to an early lead after Williams was slow at the flag drop. Further back, Hibbert and Smith had a great battle around the outside at Turn 1 before the latter stopped when the shifter snapped off the Ford’s Toploader gearbox.
There was also early drama for Knight, who found himself facing the wrong way on the first corner after local Paul Atkins clipped the massive inside curb and tagged his fellow Cortina runner.
Barnes continued his barn-storming (sorry…) form, holding out newcomer David Cheney (Mini) and Shearn early, but this pair, along with Harris and Barrow, would ultimately finish ahead of the Cortina.
At the end of 6 laps, Williams led home Hossack by three seconds, with a similar gap to McNiven in third, then a larger one to Axford. Fifth-placed Collins lost a couple of spots after a brief excursion off track in the busy Warhorse Mustang; the old warrior also being run in the mixed category sprint events by gun engine builder, Mark Johnson.
Race 4, early Sunday AM, 8 laps
Hossack got the jump as Collins moved past Axford to grab fourth place while Hibbert parked the Charger with a split oil cooler. McNiven was all over Hossack, who then dropped back a couple of places with driveline issues that would subsequently rule him out of the last race.
Atkins retired with a constant miss that had bugged him all weekend, as did Elvin. When Davis came in with gearbox woes, it was proving to be a rough stint for the locals.
Up front, Williams bagged another win after getting past McNiven, while Axford benefitted from Hossack’s woes to finish third, although the latter did enough to beat Collins home. Further back, Hubbard led Evan Gobell (Torana) to the flag, followed by Smith, Pringle and Cheney.
Race 5, early Sunday PM, 6 laps
The final race of the meeting for the Historic Tourers saw McNiven get the holeshot, but Williams blasted past on the back straight to begin building what would become a race-winning lead.
A lack of tyres hampered Hubbard in his pursuit of the leading bunch, but he never gave up, sending the big Chev sideways as Barnes held a narrow margin over the warring Cortina duo of Michael George (Lotus) and Knight (GT).
Gobell’s immaculate Torana suffered gearbox dramas, forcing the Gawler native to circulate in third gear as Smith pressured Collins for third place toward race end. Williams took the win, securing his fourth S.A. Historic Touring Car Cup from four attempts. McNiven finished a strong second, while Collins just beat home Smith for third.
The 2024 All Historic Mallala was a sensational weekend’s motorsport, made even better by the traditional hospitality from the hosts who can expect even more JUST CARS racers next year.
