THREE healthy veterans of the day the little Darling Downs town of Leyburn hosted an Australian Grand Prix will be reunited for the event's 60th anniversary at the historic Leyburn Sprints on 15-16 august.  The 14th annual Leyburn Sprints will celebrate the running of the AGP - these days part of the Formula international calendar - at the nearby Clifton airfield circuit on 18 September 1949. The entry list for the sprints, in which around 190 cars will tackle a temporary round-the-houses track against the clock, includes two cars that contested the 1949 grand prix.

And they will be back on the grid again with the official starter, Colin Davy, now 81.

"That's wonderful to hear that the original starter of the grand prix will be back again this year," said Eric Worner of Mittagong, New South Wales, who will bring his So Cal Ford V8 Special back to Leyburn for the first time in 60 years.

The So Cal, in those days simply called a Ford V8 Special, was one of 28 cars on the starting grid. Its driver Dick Bland withdrew when the car suffered tyre problems after 26 laps.

Ray "Laddie" Gordon brought his stripped MG TC home second to the French Delahaye of John Crouch. It also is returning for the 60th anniversary, driven by Peter Gostelow of Melbourne.

Mr Davy, a retired plumber who lives in Toowoomba and was a familiar motor racing official for decades at Darling Downs events, won the privilege of being the grand prix starter after the regular official failed to show up on the important day.

The results of the 1949 race show Leyburn's only grand prix attracted a fascinating array of cars, from the exotic Delahaye to Bugattis, Jaguars and the humble Ford V8 Special.

In the years after World War 2, race tracks and racing cars were in short supply. Enthusiasts created tracks out of airfields like Clifton and Lowood and many built their low-slung, lightweight single-seaters of parts scavenged from ordinary cars of the time. The So Cal Special uses a Ford Model A chassis and side-valve Mercury V8.

The Aussie specials lost favour and many disappeared as more sophisticated machinery became available again from Europe.

But a surge in the popularity of historic racing and a fresh appreciation for the ingenuity of Australian post-war mechanics and constructors means they are now particularly cherished.

Competitors at the Leyburn Sprints will come from far and wide and represent a wide diversity of motoring interests, united by the fun, camaraderie and enjoyment of true amateur motorsport in a country atmosphere, complete with markets, camping and Queensland‘s oldest licensed premises.

Celebrities attending include Gold Star winner Kevin Bartlett and Dick Johnson and Steve Johnson, who will share the driving of a Ford Falcon GT and Ford Escort just one weekend before their Jim Beam Racing V8 Supercar team lines up at Queensland Raceway.

The Johnsons also will be on hand on both days to present prizes in a special on-line competition at www.leyburnmotorsprints.com.au.

The competition, open now for entries, offers prizes of three-day double passes to the Queensland House and Land.com 300 V8 Supercar event on 21-23 August and V8 Experience track drives at Queensland Raceway.

Tickets to the Leyburn Sprints will be sold at the gate only and prices have been reduced to help patrons dealing with tight economic times.

Adult: $10 per day or $15 for Weekend Pass
Children: Free under 14 (School ID required)

Campsites are available for $10 in a designated area near the general store.

Leyburn is located in the Southern Downs Region (formerly Warwick Shire). Once a bustling goldfield, the town is 219 km southwest of Brisbane and 36 km from Clifton. Toowoomba is approximately 75 km away and Warwick approximately 60 km away.

Proceeds from the Leyburn Sprints are held in trust and re-invested to improve spectator, camping, and safety facilities.

The Sprints also play a major part in annual fundraising for local community organisations.

Further information about the event can be found at www.leyburnmotorsprints.com.au

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