06/09/2017: The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) has always supported endurance racing for production cars, from the humble beginnings of what is now the Bathurst 1000, to holding and hosting various endurance races over the years at its current venue, Sydney Motorsport Park.
The ARDC recently teamed up with experienced promoters AMSport to create the Sydney 6 Hour; which was to be included on the program for the iconic Australian Muscle Car Masters annual event.
Unfortunately, the event did not attract enough entries to justify holding the race; to justify having our volunteer officials endure very long days; or to simply put on a good show.
Naturally, the ARDC is disappointed that the event has been cancelled, and is disappointed for AMSport’s Rob and Liam Curkpatrick who worked tirelessly to try and get this new format off the ground.
The Australian Muscle Car Masters program will be supplemented by at least one, but possibly two categories with details to follow in coming days.
Confirmed categories and Anniversaries for MCM 2017
OFFICIAL RELEASE: MCM is a race down memory lane for those that grew up spending the October long weekend viewing the Great Race on TV or spectating trackside on Mount Panorama.
As a return to the gutsy glory days of Bathurst, the MCM is a horsepower heaven for motorsport fans.
Six categories are now confirmed for Masters weekend, October 28-29. The full line-up is:
– Heritage Touring Cars (Group C/A)
– Historic Touring Cars to 1964 (Group Nb)
– Historic Touring Cars 1965-72 (Group Nc)
– Sports Sedans (National level)
– Kumho V8 Touring Cars (superseded V8 Supercars)
– PLUS Master Blasts demos (for historically significant racecars)
Other track sessions will be confirmed in the coming months.
Every year we dip our lids to a handful of muscle car milestones – the big events and most famous models that shaped our country’s legendary heritage of homegrown high performance. This year we celebrate:
– 50th anniversary of XR Falcon GT
– 45th anniversary of Brock’s 1972 XU-1 win
– 40th anniversary of the Torana A9X
– 40th anniversary of Ford’s 1977 1-2
– 30th anniversary of Bathurst’s 1987 WTCC round and the hard-fought ’87 ATCC.
Off-track attractions include ‘meet and greet’ sessions with legend race drivers, a mega show n’ shine (what we call the Pit Straight Car Club Corral) for road registered muscle cars and merchandise alley.
Unlike other motorsport events, fans can get up close to the machinery and chat with the drivers and their mechanics. Spectators are admitted free of charge to the competitors paddock and undercover grandstand, and kids 12 and under are FREE!
Sydney 6 Hour Teams Up With Muscle Car Masters In 2017!
OFFICIAL RELEASE: For the first time in Muscle Car Masters history, a six-hour production car endurance race will test the mettle and metal Production Touring and Production Sports Cars.
Nicknamed the ‘Double Three”, the SYDNEY 6 HOUR will be spread across two three-hour legs across the Australian Muscle Car Masters weekend this October 28 – 29.
The first leg is set to start as the sun starts to go down on Saturday afternoon, and resumed on Sunday morning as the first flag drops.
Punctuating the Double-Three is a Saturday evening Australian Muscle Car Masters / 6 Hour ‘pit party’, with invitations open to competitors, fans and officials alike.
“The introduction of the 6 Hours of Sydney within the fantastic Australian Muscle Car Masters event is a win-win for fans and competitors alike,” said ARDC CEO Glenn Matthews.
“It offers potential competitors a high profile race meeting that remains one of the most popular held at Sydney Motor Sport Park each year. Fans will enjoy a different style of racing for that weekend and an even broader array of vehicles.
“We think it integrates well into the existing Muscle Car Masters concept and evolves the event moving forward into the future.
“We are strong supporters of the concept and think it will be a fantastic addition to the event.”
The field is expected to comprise a mix of state and national level Production Car competitors, selected Production Sports car racers and those with eligible vehicles that may not race presently race on the national scene.
Technical regulations will include a mixture of Production Touring car and selected Production Sports cars, with an array of more than 200 vehicles eligible for the race ranging from the Lotus Exige / Elise sports cars to vehicles like the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, Holden Commodore / HSV and Toyota 86s – amongst others.
Improved Production vehicles will also be eligible, with classes for both over and under two-litre cars featuring alongside the existing Production Car and Production Sports Car categories.
All cars will be required to run a control R-Spec tyre, with the brand yet to be finalised.
