Welcome back to the official website of the Tasman Revival! Preparations for the 2012 Tasman Revival are well under way and our efforts are building each and every day. We’ll be bringing you a lot of useful, interesting and fun content right here, so stay tuned!

Each year on Australia Day, the NRMA and the car community take over a large section of Sydney’s CBD, fill it with lovely old cars and open up the streets for people to wander and take it all in. It’s a fun day with a great atmosphere and is brilliant for introducing classic cars and car culture to people who have not experienced it before.

Our preparations for the 2012 Tasman Revival are building each day, and we took this as an excellent opportunity to meet new people and introduce them to the event.

We set up a miniature paddock across the road from Hyde Park and spent a relaxed and enjoyable day mingling, chatting about cars, life and everything and spreading the word about the Tasman Revival. A huge “Thanks!” to everyone who helped to organise it and who brought their cars along and, of course, any and everyone who stopped by!

Enjoy this small gallery of photos from the day.

In a little over two months’ time, the HSRCA will be heading back to Eastern Creek International Raceway to burn off the winter blues with some hot historics.

Last time we were there was for the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival, and a ball was had by all. We recently received some photographs taken by Roderick Mackenzie during the event, so it is time to share! Thanks to Rod for sharing his work!

Photography by Roderick Mackenzie

Good times were had with great friends. Beautiful historic racing machinery danced, and sometimes pirouetted, with brave and talented drivers in the rain. Lap records were broken. Here are the results for Sunday’s feature races at the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival.

Detailed results and timing can be found on our results page, and on this link to the Natsoft website. The HSRCA lap records for Eastern Creek International Raceway can be found here.

Thank you to Peter Schell for his fantastic photography.  Please hit this link to view the full gallery of his photography from the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival, including photos of the feature event winners.

Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival – Sunday 28^th November 2010, Feature Races

Event 34 – Regularity – Peter Finlay and Ian Forsyth Trophies

Heidi Jackel – 1970 Valiant VG Pacer

Jake Williams – 1974 Holden HQ

Event 35 – Frank Gardner Trophy for Group L Sports

Peter Giddings – 1953 Masserati 250F

Event 35 – Alec Mildren Trophy for Group L Racing

Dick Willis – 1959 Mildren Cooper T51

Event 35 – RACA Trophy for Sa Sports Cars

Peter Jackson – 1959 Austin Healey 3000

Event 35 – Jack Myers Trophy for Na Touring Cars

Allan Bryson – 1952 Austin A30

Event 35 – The VSCCA Trophy for Group K

Peter Greenfield – 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C-36

Event 36 – The Ron Tauranac Trophy for Group Q Racing

John Gale – 1972 Surtees TS9 F1

Event 36 – Trophy Race for Group R Racing

Guido Belgiorno-Nettis – 1985 Ferrari 156/85 Turbo

Event 37 – RACA Trophy Race for Group Sb Sports Cars

Tony Dains – 1970 Triumph TR6

Event 37 – Trophy Race for Group Sc Sports Cars

Stephen Borness – 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera

Event 37 – Trophy Race for Group T Sports Cars

Jason Lea – 1968 Datsun 2000

Event 38 – John Leffler Shield for Formula Ford

Fa – John Tarran – 1970 Lotus 61M

Fb – Geoff  Walters – 1981 Elwyn 003

Event 41 – The Jack Brabham Trophy for Group M Racing Cars

Ed Holly – 1963 Brabham BT6

Event 41 – Leo Geoghegan Trophy for Group O Racing cars

John Smith 1968 Lotus 49/R8

Event 42 – The Repco Matich Trohpy for Group M Sports Cars

Stewart Mahony – 1965 Bolwell MK 4

Event 42 – The Spencer Martin Trophy for Group O Sports

Murray Sinclair – 1969 Chevron B16

Event 42 – The Bib Stillwell Trophy for Group Q Sports Cars

Scott Whittaker – 1972 Milano GT 2

Event 42 Trophy Race for Group R Sports Cars

Jamie Larner – 1979 Ralt RT2

Event 43 – The Kevin Bartlett Trophy for F 5000

Stan Redmond – 1976 Lola T332C

Event 44 Trophy Race for Formula Junior

David Methley – 1960 Lotus 18 FJ

Event 44 – Trophy Race for Formula 3

Tom Tweedie – 1965 Lola T60 F2

Event 45 – Trophy Race for Formula Vee

David Cutts – 1984 Spectre FVee

Event 46 – The Ian Geoghegan Trophy for Nb Touring Cars

Victor Waterhouse – 1964 Jaguar 3.8 MK. 2

Event 46 – The Brian Foley Trophy for Nc Touring Cars

Vince Macri – 1972 Holden Torana GTR X

Legends, good friends, thrilling racing, deft drivers and beautiful cars– the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival had it all and then some. Hit this link for a full gallery of photographs taken over the course of an action-packed, sometimes soggy and always fun weekend at Eastern Creek International Raceway.

Many talented photographers were present at the event, and this is just one perspective on what was a massive weekend, so be sure to check back here soon for even more photos from the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival!

We are preparing some on-board video footage from the races and will have it online on our YouTube channel soon.

If you have footage, photos or writing from the Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival that you would like featured on the club’s website, YouTube channel, and social networking sites, send me an email or drop by our Facebook page to let us know. We would love to promote your work, and your talents show the world all the fun, challenges and friendships to be found in historic racing!

Please see the following links for photos from the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival:

HSRCA’s 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival photo gallery

Motosport Retro’s 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival photo galleries: Friday, Saturday and Sunday

All historics, all racing, all day. Saturday at the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival was a scorcher, and it had nothing to do with the weather. Each class hit the track twice today, and after two days of practice and qualifying, they are going faster and harder than ever.

Sunday is what we’ve been building up to; look forward to some tooth-and-nail historic racing from every class, a paddock full of timeless historic racing machinery and a friendly group of people to share it all with.

Motorsport Retro has some great shots from the pits and paddock on Friday and Saturday, and we will have a full gallery for you early next week.

See you tomorrow for the 2010 Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival’s biggest, fastest and most amazing day of racing yet!

1. You may park your car and trailer off outside of the tunnel (grassed area where trailers are parked) any time on Wednesday. Security will be provided.
2. From 5:00pm to 9:00pm you may unload and set-up.

Special arrangements for the overseas cars are being organised.

Here is our third post featuring images from the Tasman Series by photographer Brian McInerney.

This time we take a look in and around the Pits and Paddock. As you can see, things have changed!

These photos are special, because this is the first time they have been published in any medium for 40 years.

Brian is a professional photographer and in the 1960s he was the young assistant photographer at Channel Seven in Sydney. For each of the Tasman Series races in 1967, 1968 & 1969 he acquired a press photographer’s pass and had complete access to the drivers and the track.

As a result he has a truly remarkable collection of images of the Tasman Series stars, including Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Derek Bell and the local heroes.

Its only three weeks until the Tasman Revival at Eastern Creek, so make sure you grab your tickets.

Images: Brian McInerney, Fine Image Gallery ©

Via: MotorsportRetro.com

The HSRCA was out in force at Sydney’s Concours d’Elegance Australia this weekend, and took a few examples from the Tasman Revival’s stellar line-up, as well as a beautiful example of the Lotus Elise we are giving away, along for the ride.

The cars looked stunning as they basked in the sunshine at Manly, and did a great job getting people excited for the Lotus Sydney 2010 Tasman Revival. I’m really looking forward to seeing and hearing them out on the track! Bring on the roar of engines, the smell of petrol and hardworking brakes, clutches and tyres and the excitement of historic cars racing on the raggedy edge.

Getting people pumped for the Tasman Revival wasn’t all the cars did. Tickets to our Win a Lotus Elise competition were on sale and going fast and we now have only 588 left.

Chances to win one of the next generation of trackday classics are running out faster than Avgas on raceday, so head to our Win page to buy your ticket now!

Only 588 tickets to win a Lotus Elise are left and they are going fast, click here to buy one today!

A mammoth International contingent is again what the Tasman Revival has that no other Historic event in Australia can match. As at the time of writing there are 45 overseas entries confirmed including a swag of cars from our 1960s era. Once again Graham Adelman will be bringing both his Ferrari 246T and the most gorgeous sounding car ever, the BRM P126.

Thinking forward, the 3^rd running of the Tasman Revival will see some great competition at the front of the field. From the entries so far it looks like the winner may be any of four makes of car, Lotus, Brabham, Ferrari, or BRM, and maybe there is a dark horse in there as well.

Firstly we will have the 2006 winner, John Smith in the Dawson-Damer family’s Lotus 49. Then the 2008 winner, Rob Hall in Graham Adelman’s Ferrari 246T Dino. Add to that equation the car Sir Jack Brabham drove to many victories in 1967 to come  2^nd behind team- mate Denny Hulme, the Brabham BT24 of Brian Wilson.

And a recent addition to the sharp end of the 1960’s grids, the Brabham BT23 of Trevor Simpson will be driven by Australian racing legend, John Bowe.

The BRM of Graham Adelman may yet be a dark horse in the field; this car is definitely capable of taking a win just as it did over 40 years ago.

Finally ex Kiwi Phil Harris is bringing Sir Jack’s and later Bib Stillwell’s BT31 Repco V8 from the USA.

The BT31 in both Sir Jack’s hands and later Bib Stillwell’s  was a very competitive car. It was also the car that Bib Stillwell had a very nasty accident at Geelong Sprints some years ago.

Entries so far at the time of writing this are 40 Group M cars of which 27 are Formula Junior or Formula 3 – and 31 O cars of which 2 are F3. This is a pretty good entry, but looking at the list there are a few owners and drivers who haven’t yet entered. It looks like we will exceed total M and O cars that were present at the last two runnings of the Tasman Revival. So if you haven’t entered yet, you are going to miss out on one wow of a single seater time.

We are also very fortunate to have Sir Jack Brabham accept our invitation to be Patron at the 2010 Tasman Revival. Sir Jack and Lady Margaret will be at the event on Sunday 28^th November. Sir Jack was the 4^th highest points earner in the 1960s Tasman series of events, behind Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Frank Gardner, and shared the 4^th placing with 80 points accrued with Chris Amon.

There will be many Brabhams in attendance at the meeting of cars built by Sir Jack and Ron Tauranac, A couple of cars that Sir Jack is sure to remember will be his 1967 car which carried him to 2^nd in the World Championship that year and now belongs to Brian Wilson and another is Sir Jack’s car from the 1969 Indianapolis event. Recently brought to Australia by Aaron Lewis, it  is one of two BT25s and the first of the Brabham monocoques built by Sir Jack and Ron to run at the Indianapolis 500 in 1969. The car was to be ready for the Tasman Revival, but Aaron has found some chassis problems that he wants to put right but just to whet the appetite for the future enjoy the photo of  Sir Jack with Aaron’s car 41 years ago.

Images: Aaron Lewis, Peter Schell and Peter Ellenbogan

Group M and O entry list: Lotus Sydney Tasman Revival 2010

When New Zealand’s Graham McRae took out the 1973 Tasman Series he become the first – and only – driver to win the Series three years in a row.

His winning mount for 1973 was the hot pink McRae GM1 Chevrolet, powered by British developed Alan Smith engines. McRae was running hot, having just returned from winning the rich L&M Formula 5000 series in the United States.

Graham is pictured in this ad for Australian petroleum company Ampol at Adelaide International Raceway. Interestingly the image is from the 1972 series, as the following McLaren M10B is driven by Kevin Bartlett, Kevin entered a Lola T300 in the 1973 Tasman. Despite his success, Adelaide proved to be unkind to McRae as he failed to finish at this round in both 1972 and 1973.

With the introduction of Formula 5000 to the Tasman Series the stars of Formula One no longer made the long haul down under each summer. However for 1973, there was an intensely competitive field of New Zealanders, Australians and some well credentialed internationals.

The man most pundits expected to be McRae’s strongest opposition was Frank Matich, fresh from his dominant victory in the Australian Drivers Championship – or Gold Star. Ultimately Matich endured a patchy run, winning only once at Surfers Paradise.

Local hopes also rested with big name Formula 5000 heroes like Max Stewart, Kevin Bartlett, David Oxton, Johnnie Walker, Warwick Brown and John McCormack in the Ansett Team Elfin MR5 Repco.

The US contingent was led by Sam Posey. Sam came to the Tasman Series with a big reputation and experience in American Formula 5000, Indianapolis and Le Mans. From England came Alan Rollinson, one of the name drivers of British and European Formula 5000 racing, along with his 24 year old cousin, and relative new comer, Steve Thompson. The cousins would score a win a piece during the series.

McRae opened his account with a troubled run to fourth at Round 1 at Pukekohe, where a pit stop to replace two damaged wheels dropped him well off the leaders. Victory a week later at Levin and another at the Wigram Airfield Circuit near Christchurch made for a strong New Zealand leg. A consistent run in the early Australian rounds kept McRae well in the hunt, and his third victory of the series at Sandown’s penultimate round in Melbourne sealed his third consecutive Tasman crown.

Tragically the days of the Tasman Series were numbered, costs and a shift in popularity towards sedan racing sealed its fate. What had once been the pinnacle series of the southern hemisphere ended with the last race held at Sandown Raceway in February 1975.

James Meale

Via: Motorsport Retro