The author opens up the wailing Crowfoot Special onto Wakefield Park’s front straight. Photo: Casey Annis
Now I understand why Australia was put where it is. When world geography was organized, it was recognized that motor racing would get everywhere, but in places where it would be hard to find a lot of cars, local ingenuity would create them. Australia is one of those places.
When VRJ made its recent maiden venture to Oz and the Phillip Island Historic meeting, it discovered several things. Between bouts of savoring the great scenery and fantastic hospitality, there was a nonstop tour of automobilia. Car and racing fanatics abound, and under the guidance of our Sydney-based editor, Patrick Quinn, we saw lots of fascinating machinery. At Phillip Island itself, 33 races in 2 days at the fast and challenging circuit south of Melbourne brought out a brilliant field of pedigreed European, a few American, and lots of Australian cars which had made it into production and a feast of specials. These included Bacchus, Welsor, Seco and Mawer Clubman cars, and a range of older “real” specials: the TS Special, Wilger Special and prewar Dodge, Ford and Chrysler Specials. There were immediate postwar MG Specials, later 1950 Sabakat, Faux Pas, Sabrina, Newbounds 500, Regah and Dees Offy Special, and many more.
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