Dear team thicko listers,
We haven't exactly had an overwhelming response Internationally from Team
Thicko listers regarding this all Healey race - I take it the geography &
cost of bringing yourself and your car to Australia is a bit too
overwhelming. There has been huge interest in the event here in Australia.
There is another option for potential International starters. There are a
number of Australian Austin Healeys (both big and small) - where the owners
themselves do not have the required level of licence to compete. Some of
these owners have expressed interest in an experienced, Internationally
licenced driver using their car.......
This means you would only have to bring yourself (and in some instances,
your engine ) to Australia.
Comments? Any International Team thicko interest ?
Please send me an email if you are interested on this basis.
Chris
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ALL AUSTIN HEALEY RACE, BATHURST, AUSTRALIA, OCTOBER 1998.
As many of you are aware, the crowning motorsports event for Healey
enthusiasts worldwide in 1998 was to have been the "International Donald
Healey Trophy Race" - to be held at Le Mans, as a support event for the "24
Heures Du Mans" International Sportscar race.
Unfortunately, for a range of reasons, mostly related to Le Mans traditional
weekend clashing with the World Cup Soccer (Le Mans had to move to a
different date); and then the start of the race (on the new date) clashing
with the French Open Tennis finals (Le Mans had to move the start of the
race forward 2 hours) - the International Donald Healey Trophy Race at Le
Mans has been cancelled.
All reved up with no event to go to, Neil Dunn and Chris Dimmock have
proposed to the Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC), and Bathurst 1000
Event Management, that an "All Austin Healey race" be staged as a support
event for the world famous 1998 Bathurst 1000 - to commemorate the Centenary
of DMH's birth, and the 40th anniversary of the Bugeye Sprite. The Bathurst
1000, to be held in October 1998, is the 36th consecutive running of
Australia's "Great race", for 2 litre super tourer cars. We have since had a
very positive response, from both Bathurst 1000 Event Management and CAMS
(Confederation of Australian Motorsport).
The aim of this document is to clarify what the event is all about; and
ascertain levels of interest in the event from potential competitors in both
Australia and overseas.
SPIRIT OF THE EVENT:
In summary, we have proposed a support event for the Bathurst 1000 1998 which :
- is predominantly a race for "standard" type production Healey and Austin
Healey cars (and MG Midgets as a "model run on" of the Austin Healey
Sprite") - rather than "modsports" type cars - ostensibly to the spirit of
Australian CAMS Group S regulations;
- allows "historically significant" Austin Healeys (which do not comply to
current CAMS Group S regulations) to compete - such as the Australian ex
Ross Bond Healey, (generally, these cars would hold or qualify for
Australian Marque Sports logbooks)
-allows the maximum number of roadgoing competition Austin Healey Owners
Clubs & AH Sprite Clubs vehicles to compete (many of which may not comply to
CAMS Group S regulations - but, generally, these cars would hold, or
qualify, for Marque Sports logbooks).
PROPOSED CAR ELIGIBILITY:
Entries by invitation only. Invited vehicles to be logbooked as:
1. Group S logbooked Healeys / Austin Healeys / MG Midgets;
or
2. Marque sportscar logbooked Healeys / Austin Healeys / MG Midgets -
provided they run under Group S wheel/ tyre regulations (ie max 5" rims with
radials on Sprites & Midgets, max 6" rims with radials on Big Healeys - the
tyre list will include at least one "R" rated tyre choice); and are not
modified beyond the spirit of the event;
or
3. FIA Appendix K logbooked Healeys/ Austin Healeys / MG Midgets
The aim of these proposed eligibility rules is to provide an event structure
to deliver:
- closer and potentially safer racing: by NOT mixing 10" slicks (allowable
on a big Healey under Marque Sports car rules) with 5" radials (limit for a
Sprite in Group S(a)),
- a full grid of 50 - 55 Austin Healeys
THE CIRCUIT AND THE ALL HEALEY RACE:
Mt Panorama Bathurst is 6.2 Km long, steepest gradient is 1:6, "Conrod
straight" is 1.9Km long, and "Mountain straight" is 1.1Km long. As a guide,
the fastest lap time (set in qualifying) by a 5 litre V8 touring car is just
over 2min 10 secs - an average speed of around 170 Km/hr (100 miles per
hour....) . If you need to know more - go to the Bathurst 1000 website:
www.bathurst1000.com.au
The "All Austin Healey race" will actually be 2 races; a 4 lap race on
Sunday; and a 5 lap race on Saturday, with 2 practice sessions during the week.
There is NO offer or suggestion of "bags of gold" being offered to
competitors as start money/ rebates etc. You register your expression of
interest, (hopefully) get an invitation, bring yourself and your car, have a
great time, pay your own way - and your friends and family can stay at home
and watch your exploits on Television. Last year, the Bathurst event was
telecast in New Zealand; and in the UK (BBC TV), Europe (Eurosport TV), and
the US ("Speedvision" cable TV) - as well as (obviously) Australia.
WHAT DO YOU DO NOW??
If you wish to express your interest in being a part of the Austin Healey
race at Bathurst, Australia in 1998, could you please provide me with:
1. Your name, address, and contact details
2. Your CAMS national competition licence number/ status (or your country's
FIA body's equivalent)
3. Your car details (model, history, etc)
4. Your CAMS logbook type and class/ group (or your country's FIA body's
equivalent)
to: Chris Dimmock
12 Harold Ave,
Pennant Hills NSW. 2120 Australia
or chrisd@genitech.com.au
or fax to 61 2 9980 9047
Note - Editors - Please feel free to print this as an article in your AH/
Sprite Club magazine.
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