By Chris Nixon
The Historic Leyburn Sprints has wrapped up the biggest event in its 28 year history, with large crowds, superb weather and record entries ensuring a spectacular 75th anniversary celebration of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix.
Lismore, NSW, driver Dean Amos scored his ninth outright around the 1.0 kilometre closed-street course through the Leyburn township in his Gould GR55B.
More than 240 historic, classic and performance cars contested the Sprints, but it was the variety of off-track events and attractions that helped make the grand prix heritage festival an unprecedented success.
Fans flocked to meet guest motor-racing stars Warwick Brown, Dick Johnson, John Bowe, Bruce Allison, Ron Harrop, Charlie O’Brien and Brian Gelding. The guests signed autographs, rode in a grand parade each day and visited the site of the 1949 grand prix outside town with an MG that had finished fourth in the race.
Brown, the 1977 Australian Grand Prix winner, and Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser unveiled a 75th AGP Anniversary plaque that will be mounted permanently near the start line.
While Johnson is a regular Leyburn visitor, his fellow guests said they were amazed by the Sprints popularity and grassroots atmosphere. The Southern Darling Downs town usually is home to around 350 residents, but it was packed with many thousands of spectators and competitors over the weekend, a large number occupying 900 campsites around the precinct.
“It’s the best motorsport event I think I’ve ever been to in my life,” John Bowe said.
“If I’d known it was this good I would have come years ago. It’s just got this awesome vibe where everybody’s here for the right reasons because they love cars and motorsport.”
“I was totally surprised when I came here and saw how many people were here. It’s a magnificent event and I congratulate everyone involved,” Charlie O’Brien added.
Fellow driving legend Brian Gelding said the event was “fantastic”.
“We’ve been to many events like this around the world and this would rank up there with them. It’s probably the friendliness of the people here that I like most,” he said.
“The cars are fantastic and the people driving them are the salt of the earth.”
Sprints President Tricia Chant said organisers had been expecting up to 16,000 visitors, but the final number when all receipts were counted would be significantly greater.
“We had plenty of things planned for the Leyburn grand prix 75th anniversary, but the response was amazing and I’m sure confirmed Leyburn as Queensland’s most popular event after Supercars,” she said.
“Saturday in particular was packed with happy, friendly people all day and into the charity auction in the evening. The atmosphere around town was magical, with many drivers bedding down beside their race cars in the street and campfire parties happening in residents’ front yards and at the campsites.
“And then during the day we had a fantastic grassroots Sprints competition, with everything from a 99-year-old Austin with an 84-year-old driver, to Ferraris, muscle cars and a 350 kmh Indianapolis 500 racer billed ‘too fast to win’ because Leyburn is just a tight course.
“I congratulate Dean Amos on his ninth win after a good battle with Warwick Hutchinson, who himself has four outright trophies here. Congratulations also to David Cross as the fastest driver in an historic car and to 16-year-old Jye Wickham winning the Junior competition.
“It was a weekend with grassroots motorsport at its core but that gave much, much more.”
RESULTS:
Fastest Outright (Col Furness Memorial Trophy): Dean Amos (Gould GR55B) 40.732 sec.
Fastest Historic (Hayden Betts Memorial Trophy): David Cross (Bowin Hay) 52.520 sec.
Junior Driver (Mike and Ann Collins Memorial Trophy): Jye Wickham (Hyundai Excel)
John Mellon Rookie of the Year: Sam Niven
Volunteer Award (Alan Wickham Memorial Trophy): Michael Reid, John Tait
Spirit of the Event (John Butterfield Memorial Trophy): Keith Edwards
Show ‘n’ Shine, Best Car: David Stark (1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28)
Vintage Vans, Best Van: Len and Rosemary Kennedy (Kennedy 14ft, Studebaker Silver Hawk)
