With less than a week remaining until the seventh running of the Winton Historic Festival of Speed, the official entry list has been revealed, and some iconic names of Australian motorsport are lining up to join in the action.
Headlining the list will be Australian legend John Bowe, who will race a March ex-Formula 1 car in the Group P, Q and R (1970s and ‘80s racing cars) races.
The March, owned by Bowe’s friend Joe Calleja, was raced in the 1974 Formula 1 World Championship by Hans-Joachim Stuck, who achieved a best result of fourth at the Spanish Grand Prix.
“The mid-1970s was a great era for Formula 1 and a period where I really enjoyed the racing,” Bowe said.
“The car is 42 years old now and by modern standards, it’s challenging to drive but it was before the ground-effect era, so it still had relatively soft suspension and is more comfortable than some of the later cars, which could really rattle your teeth.
“For a Formula 1 car, it was a simple design and easy for a privateer team to run.”
Bowe is looking forward to returning to the Winton circuit, a venue which has provided him with a lot of success and some happy memories.
“I first raced at Winton in 1979, driving a Formula 5000 in the Rose City 10,000 race,” Bowe recalled.
“I drove the exact same car that James Hunt had driven the year before, which was quite a thrill at the time.”
Bowe most recently raced at Winton in the Touring Car Masters round in May, winning two of the three races, and expressed his approval of the new track surface.
“I was really impressed with the new surface, the grip levels were obviously higher but also more consistent,” Bowe said.
“In the TCM car it was enjoyable but in an open-wheeler it will really make a difference.”
The Group P, Q and R category is just one of many on the program, which also includes the Group N Just Cars Touring Car Cup, featuring an assortment of Australian and American muscle cars which will compete for the ultimate prize over a 50km feature race.
The Group N races will be contested by regular contenders including Tony Hubbard (Chevrolet Camaro) and Darryl Hansen (Ford Mustang), while Harry and Alf Bargwanna (father and uncle of Bathurst winner Jason) will drive a Mustang and Torana respectively.
Big fields are entered for historic Formula Vee and Formula Ford, with the latter including entries from John Blanchard (father of Supercar racer Tim) and Richard Davison (father of Will and Alex).
A strong field will line up for the second round of the HQ Holden FUSO Interstate Challenge, with Phil Brock (brother of late legend Peter) having another steer after his appearance in last year’s HQ 4 Hour. Brock will face strong opposition from regular Victorian frontrunners John Wise and David Tessari, while a number of front-running NSW drivers are also making the trek including John Baxter, Brett Osborn and Chris Molle.
The oldest cars in the field will participate in the Group Lb races, while a capacity grid will contest the Group S Rose City Sports Car Trophy, which will take place over 15 laps.
The newest cars will participate in the Group C and A races, with a particular vehicle of interest being the infamous 1992 Mark Skaife/Jim Richards Bathurst-winning Nissan GTR, which will be raced by Tony Alford.
The Winton Festival of Speed will be held on 5-7 August; entry is free on Friday, $30 for Saturday, $35 for Sunday or $50 for a weekend pass. Children under 16 are free and race programs are $5.00, or free with admission.
