2016 Interstate Challenge at Winton Raceway
01 December 2016 / Story by Bryan Shedden, Photos by Curran Brennan, Bryan Shedden, Randy Stagno-Navarra
Over a year ago, when Competition Secretary David Lawler was faced with a severe shortage of track bookings at Wakefield Park and SMP, it was decided that we would take the unprecedented step of organising our first track day beyond the borders of NSW - at Winton Raceway in Victoria. The Committee felt it was a risky option as it would require large numbers of club members to travel a great distance and a couple nights accommodation. The event would be supported by members of the MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania as it would serve as the NSW/VIC Interstate Challenge that they would "host". Many of our fastest and most experienced supersprinters had booked themselves in for Challenge Bathurst at Mount Panorama - no problem at first, but then a month after we booked Winton, the Bathurst event was moved to the same weekend. Not only would this clash affect our competitiveness in the Interstate Challenge, it could threaten the viability of the event. Fortune favours the brave, so let's give it go!
And what a huge success it turned out to be! Our track day on Saturday 26 November was fully booked with 79 drivers and one late withdrawal. The trip started with the long drive down the Hume Motorway to our accommodation in Benalla - a beautiful little country town that I always enjoy visiting. Gaynor Lawler organised a group dinner on the Friday night at The Northo Hotel, which was attended by about 50 people, including about 20 Victorians. The interclub banter was richly entertaining and the rather fancy pub meals equally delicious.
Early next morning, we made our way down the road to Winton Raceway, which sits on flat land surrounded by sheep paddocks. The weather was perfect with a few light clouds and temperatures starting in the teens and rising to 22°C. Considering they were in unfamiliar territory, our volunteer officials amazed all with their efficiency. Huge thanks to Jean, Gillian, Cathy and Maria at registration, and Paul, Graham, Stephen and Gerardo in scrutineering. It set the scene for a day that ran like clockwork, with the 79 drivers divided into five groups of up to 18 cars. The NSW drivers were in groups 1, 3 and 5 while the Vics insisted on having groups 2 and 4 all to themselves. Apparently they were reluctant to show us the quick way around their home track!
We also had a couple of birthdays to celebrate. Jean Cook and Gillian Fletcher got to blow out their candles during the lunch break.
There were a couple of sighting runs for those who had not driven at Winton before. Drivers were given four runs of up to 6 laps on the short track in the morning, a short lunch break to allow reconfiguration of the track, and then three runs of up to 6 laps on the long track in the afternoon. Two for the price of one! There were only a few breakdowns, with Gus Elias suffering a head-gasket failure, Peter Barnwell a tyre delamination, and Robert Parr an engine failure. The rest did what MX-5s do and kept going and going like the Energizer Bunny.
It was a double points round in our NSW Motorsport Championship, with results on the short track considered seperately to the long track. Class wins went to Mitchell Bennett (1), Luke Kovacic (2), Jason Atkins (3), Graham Fletcher (4), Phil Mayo (5), John Karayannis & Gus Elias (6), Andrew Digney (7), Phil Donnelley (8), Ralph Thompson (9), Curran Brennan (10), and Peter Barnwell (11).
Scoring in the Interstate Challenge was based on the (bizarre) Victorian MX-5 classes. Russell Garner and I collaborated to pair our drivers against their Victorian counterparts in each class, with points assigned to their respective Club based on their combined best times on the short and long tracks. Late in the day, as everyone packed up and patiently waited for the presentation, Russell and I clawed over the laptimes and did the sums. The Victorians triumphed in all but one class (Standard NC) and reclaimed the Interstate Challenge Cup with a score of 113 to 94. It was a remarkably close result and the closest we have come to claiming an "away win". And David reluctantly handed over the trophy!
Results - Interstate Challenge
More photos by Randy Stagno-Navarra
