2014 Historic Sandown
May November 8 – 9 2014
Report by Darrren Knight. Pics courtesy Phil Wisewould.
A nearly 50-strong entry would line up for the 23rd running of Historic Sandown, with a harsh Northerly blowing on the Saturday making for very warm conditions for qualifying and Race 1. Sunday dawned coolish and much more comfortable for the days racing.
Group Nb . Race 1
Visiting West Aussie and Sandown newbie Shane Atwell (Mustang) found himself the only V8 in Nb and duly streaked away from pole into the lead. Nick Cascone (Cortina) picked up where he left off almost three years ago by showing he had lost little speed and moved into second ahead of Daniel Berry (Mini) while the Minis of John Battersby, Ted Brewster, Paul Battersby and Len Read had a terrific dice.
A red flag to retrieve the Simon Browning Cortina after it had holed the block curtailed the race after five laps, Atwell the winner from Cascone and Berry. Darren Collins was eighth but the Paul Trevethan-owned Lotus Cortina would not line up on Sunday.
Race 2
Atwell elected to join fellow Nb Mustang man Bill Trengrove in Nc for the Sunday events, so Berry and Cascone fought it out at the front until the Cortina blasted past on lap two. The Mini mayhem continued behind them with Read now leading the pack while John Battersby retired at half distance. Michael Holloway circulated in his genuine Cooper S after his regular racer (the mud flapped one…) broke a gearbox in qualifying.
Newcomer and former speedway racer David Forbes began to climb the order in his ex-Paul Knott XK Falcon, the stunningly presented “early Bird” a welcome addition to Victoria’s Nb ranks. Ted Perkins (Lotus) and John Eeles (Mini) had a great scrap as Cascone took the win from Berry, Read, Paul Battersby and Brewster. Teddy would not line up for the final after a suspected bearing failure.
Race 3
Berry really took the bit by his teeth and led for the first few laps in front of Read as Eeles scrapped with John Battersby. Ian Cowie retired his Mk II Lotus as Cascone put the foot down to post his fastest lap of the meeting and move into a race-winning lead. Berry was a clear second from Read then Forbes who just beat home Paul Battersby and Perkins who were almost side-by-side.
James Hollway (Mini) had an equally close win over John Luxmoore (Cortina) for ninth. Must be the extra weight of all those scrutineering stickers eh Johnny?
Group Nc Race 1
Second fastest qualifier Andy Clempson (Mustang) came to a halt on the warm up lap after the clutch failed, joining the Daryl Hansen Fastback on the sidelines after the red, white and blue machine suffered the same fate during Friday’s free practice. Pole man Hansen (now in his brand new “Eleanor Grey” `68 Mustang originally entered for Denis O`Brien) led early from Rod Hotchkin (Falcon) as Tony Hubbard (Camaro) retired with fuel pressure issues and Darren Smith (Falcon) also with fuel issues due to the foam in the tank breaking down.
Having managed half a lap in qualifying thanks to a sheared input shaft, Paul Stubber (Camaro) had the hammer down from the back of the grid and duly lowered Darren Collins lap record with a 1:19.3029. Clearly “Ol Yella” had lost none of its speed in the ensuing ten years since it last appeared at Sandown in the old Biante Series. The West Aussie went on to win comfortably from Hansen with Sydneysider Michael Cannon (Falcon) a fine third on his Sandown debut, in front Trengrove and Craig Miles (Charger). Hotchkin ended up sixth after a rear uni let go almost within sight of the flag, the big blue XY falling from third.
Race 2
Stubber did not move from the dummy grid for race two after an errant wire earthed out and fried the starter motor. Hansen picked up where he left off at the front after an early safety car period as the big movers were Smith and Daniel Van Stokrom (Torana) from the rear of the grid.
A great battle for second erupted between Cannon, Hotchkin, Trengrove, Smith and Craig Miles until the Charger dropped back on the final lap. Hansen won from Cannon who just beat Hotchkin while Glenn Miles (Charger) just beat home Van Stokrom for sixth with Richard Fairlam eighth in his HQ Kingswood.
Race 3
The final saw Stubber again charge through from the back and take the lead from Hansen before the end of the second lap, the 302-powered `Stang no match for the 350 cube Chev on Sandown’s long back straight. There was a real punch up for the final podium place with the Falcons of Hotchkin and Smith battling the Mustang of Trengrove and the Charger of Craig Miles.
Atwell ran just inside the top ten in front of the Capri of Tony Gilfius as Cannon looked to be struggling slightly in ninth with the big Falcon’s tyres possibly past their best. Stubber dipped into the 19s again on his way to the win, with Hansen a clear second from the flying Smith. Hotchkin narrowly beat home Craig Miles for fourth with Trengrove not far behind in sixth.