This weekend (23-24 August) sees the return of the Historic Leyburn Sprints with three original cars from the 1949 Leyburn Australian Grand Prix and cars driven by Formula 1 World Champions Sir Jack Brabham and Nelson Piquet to star in a Motorsport Alley display. Up to 20 competition cars representing 100 years of motor-racing will be lined up just inside the main spectator gate in MacIntyre Street, Leyburn, and available to view free all weekend.
As well as the grand prix, Brabham and Piquet cars, others expected to be on show will include Le Mans-type sports cars from Ferrari and Jaguar, classic Bathurst contenders and a rare example of Queensland’s own supercar, the Giocattolo Group B. “Leyburn has never had such a big display of exciting cars and I think our visitors are going to love Motorsport Alley,” Sprints President Tricia Chant said. “There’s something for everybody and the chance to see up-close a Le Mans Ferrari or Jaguar, a Formula 1 Cooper or some legendary Australian Group C and Group A touring cars is something many enthusiasts otherwise would not have in a lifetime.”
The grand prix cars are the ex-John Nind 1938 MG TB Special, Dick Cobden 1946 MG TC Special and 1939 GK Ford Special of Ross Gray. None finished the grand prix, but all are now in top running order and expected to complete demonstration runs during the Saturday and Sunday lunch breaks in the hands of their current owners, respectively Colin Schiller, Evan Redman and Chris Hughes. The GK Ford Special has not been seen or run in 20 years and will be making its first appearance at Leyburn since 1949.
A 1958 Cooper Climax Mk III driven by Sir Jack Brabham will be shown in Motorsport Alley alongside the Ralt RT4 in which Brazilian Nelson Piquet finished second in the 1981 Australian Grand Prix. Renowned Australian driver Kevin Bartlett will be on hand for a reunion with the 1964 Brabham BT11A Repco Brabham Climax in which he set the historic first 100 mph (160 kmh) lap of Bathurst’s Mount Panorama circuit in 1967.
As well as Motorsport Alley, this year's Historic Leyburn Sprints will present a packed line-up of attractions on and off-track, including the new Vintage Van Village, Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine, VIP driver autographs, live music at three venues, a charity auction at the 1863 Royal Hotel on Saturday night, fun-run, market stalls, race-car rides and plenty of country-style food and refreshments. Adult tickets to the Historic Leyburn Sprints cost $30 per day or $40 for the weekend. Accompanied children under 14 enter free.
Read More: Leyburn
