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The Vintage Sports Car Club Of Western Australia Inc.

                

VSCC W.A. Achievements - by Graeme Lukey

Only three months after the clubs formation it conducted its first event , The York Flying Fifty, a day of high speed ‘Regularity’ events by over fifty Pre 1960 classics including names like Porsche, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley, MG, Triumph, Austin Healey,  Riley, Connaught, Cooper Climax, Allard, Frazer Nash, BMW and several early historic sports/racing cars.

The York Flying 50 became a regular fixture on the Club's calendar for many years and was instrumental in bringing out of hiding many historic cars which had not been seen on the road for some time. These included Amilcar specials, a rare 1934 Aston Martin Le Mans, a Brooklands Riley, Frazer Nash, BMW 328, HRG, Lotus Eleven, Salmson, and historic racing cars such as a replica built of the ex-Wally Higgs Peugeot and a Cooper Formula Junior.

The 1987 Flying 50 was the first event to attract overseas interest, with an entry from Singapore. Later Flying 50 events even featured on the BBC, following participation in the event by Alan Whicker, of "Whicker's World" and filmed by his crew. Overseas and interstate entrants have attended numerous events since.
By 1990, the York Flying 50 was celebrating its 10th. anniversary although not all were organised by the V.S.C.C. The earlier ones were real races! Like in earlier events, the historic motorcycle club participated, as did a new group, the Formula V's running a demonstration for the crowd. In addition to the vehicles from well known makers this event also saw more entries of the classic "Australian made" racers powered by the legendary Ford V8 side-valve.

It wasn't long before the next event was run, the Fremantle Speed Classic of March 1987, also modelled on another European classic, the Brighton Speed Trials. This was a sprint along the wharves of Fremantle Harbour and was a great hit with the public who could see an amazing range of vehicles up close and going like the hammers. While a feature of the event was a demonstration run by an amazing vehicle, the twin boom world record breaker "Tarf 2", designed and successfully driven to a number
of records by Piero Taruffi in 1948 ( and still in W.A. in Peter Briggs' motor museum ), there were others of interest to spectators.
These included a Blower Bentley, a rare Cooper Bobtail ex-Bill Patterson, Maybach Mk3, a Jaguar SS100, an Indianapolis racer,
a Maserati 300S, a J1 Allard, and a genuine AC Shelby Cobra, as well as some rare Healey's and MG's and later marquee sports cars.

 Barbagallo Raceway was the venue for the clubs first circuit event in 1987 and has been held very year since. Now called the
Vintage Stampede this popular event gives members in young and old cars a chance to test their skills in a safe, forgiving environment.

 1988 saw an Around-the-Houses event held at Narrogin for the first time. Like all other events preceding it, and following it, it was not a "race" but a re-enactment where consistency of lap times is the criteria. This event saw 87 entries, and under a new innovation, modern vehicles were invited to participate in an "invitation" run around the circuit. As a consequence, the public saw Ferrari's and Porsches mixing it with the more traditional marquee cars such as MG's and Triumph's. The Narrogin Speed Classic event was run again in 1989, as the Club's main activity, and now featured formal runs for the Appendix J saloon cars. In 2001 a weekend of events commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the Australian Grand Prix which was held there in 1951.

1996 saw a milestone in the Club's history. ( Well it had to be in miles, being a vintage club!) The celebration of 10 years of hard work, success, a wide range of events for an increasing membership, and the adherence to the Club's original objectives. The anniversary was celebrated with an Anniversary Rally, and special functions to recognise the original committee of the Club and its Presidents over that period. Some of the stalwarts of motor racing in the Club were also recognised by the awarding of Life Memberships to Don Hall, Clem Dwyer, Arthur Collett and Roy Caldwell.

Historic Albany was the venue for the first Around-the-Houses Race held in Australia [and possibly outside Europe] in 1936 and in 1999 the club held the first Albany Classic The Classic continues to be a favourite with competitors and spectators alike, and even though it is held over the June long weekend, the weather seems to favour the event. An estimated 25,000 spectators came in 2006 and the 8th ‘Classic’ in 2007 saw 140 cars including Historic Touring Cars, and a heap of classic sports and racing cars roaring through Albanys hilly town centre.

 1999 also saw the first Northam Vintage on Avon Around-the-Houses, becoming the Northam Flying Fifty in 2004 , its proximity to Perth and March/April fine weather always draws a full quota of competitors and a crowd of spectators.

 2006, the clubs 20th Aniversary was a busy year with two significant extra events. The riverside suburb of Applecross treated a big crowd to the sight and sound of over 100 historic cars, many of them very rare and rarely seen, roaring around the course of the original circuit of the 1940 Patriotic Grand Prix.

The VSCC also had the privilege of holding the inaugural race and regularity meeting at WA's second CAMS licenced race track The Collie Motorplex in 2006. This is already a firm future favorite with members.

 Unique in Australia and possibly the world the VSCC’S Around-the-Houses events are the nearest thing to the real racing of yesteryear and the club considers it a privilege to be the custodian of such an important part of our history.


Jack Brabham and Bib Stillwell

Practice1962 APG at Caversham

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