August 23, 2022
LEYBURN (Qld) – Dean Amos dominated a host of hot contenders to claim an emotional seventh outright-fastest trophy at the 26th Historic Leyburn Sprints on 20-21 August.
Amos steered his British-built Gould GR55B-Judd V8 around Leyburn township’s 1.0 kilometre street course in 40.66 seconds, 0.733 sec. faster than main rival and 2021 winner Warwick Hutchinson.
Although Amos’s time was well short of his 2019 track record, winning the coveted Col Furness Memorial Trophy was a significant achievement after the Lismore resident lost his home and car-tuning business in the devastating northern New South Wales floods earlier this year.
But he saved his racing car before the water surged through his workshop.
“I wasn’t going to lose the car. Because of Covid issues I haven’t been to Leyburn since 2019, so it was great to save the car and come back this year and win with all my family here to see it,” said Amos, who extended his record as the most successful Sprints outright competitor.
“I just love coming to Leyburn. The atmosphere is fantastic, it’s a lot of fun and I love the racing.”
The 26th Historic Leyburn Sprints, commemorating the running of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix just outside the former goldrush village on the Southern Darling Downs, attracted 221 entries for the time trials, watched by one of the biggest spectator crowds in memory.
“We haven’t finished counting all the attendance categories as of Monday morning, but it was definitely a huge crowd, especially on Saturday,” said Tricia Chant, President of the community organising committee.
“The weather was glorious, without a cloud in the sky all weekend, the Sprints field was packed with magnificent cars of many vintages and spectators flocked to the vintage vans and Show ‘n’ Shine displays.
“But above all I think people were attracted by Leyburn’s friendly county atmosphere – that’s what everyone says makes this motoring heritage event special.”
Numerous attractions kept the crowd entertained. Matthew Clift, in a 1971 Mazda R100 coupe, made the fastest Sprints run in the Historic category, his time of 50.368 sec. also an impressive 17th fastest in the entire field.
Michael Robinson’s restored 1958 FE Holden Special won Best Car in the Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine competition, which attracted more than 60 entries. Tony Sullivan won Best Van and Tow Vehicle combination in the Vintage Vans display with a 1969 Olympic Riviera towed by a 1960 Chevrolet El Camino ute painted in matching pastel green.
Spectators were thrilled by parade laps on Saturday and Sunday by two cars that raced each other 106 years ago for the Australian Land Speed Record, a 1912 Willys Overland and 1916 Studebaker Six. The old-timers reached 137 kmh on the Southport sands in 1916, but negligible braking ability restricted them to only modest speed on the six-corner Sprints course.
The Sprints weekend was launched officially on Saturday by the Southern Downs Regional
Council Mayor, Cr Vic Pennisi, and attended by State MP for Kurwongbah Shane King and Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser.
Cr Pennisi said the Sprints were a popular annual tourist attraction for the Southern Downs region and generated a valuable contribution to the local economy.
The 27th Historic Leyburn Sprints are scheduled for 19-20 August 2023.
Results
- Fastest Outright (Col Furness Memorial Trophy): 1 D Amos (Gould GR55B-Judd) 40.669 sec., 2 W Hutchinson (OMS28) 41.402s, 3 B Bull (Van Dieman RF03K) 43.412s
- Fastest Historic (Hayden Betts Memorial Trophy): M Clift (1971 Mazda R100) 55.225s
- Ann Collins Memorial Junior Award: S Chant (Hyundai Excel)
- Best Volunteer (Alan Wickham Memorial): Rod & Audra Pugh
- Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine: Best Car, 1958 Holden FE Special (M Robinson)
- Best Vintage Van & Display: Sunliner (P & R Nixon)
View Results
