Juniors Triumph at Phillip Island...Clive Wilson( Lola Mk2) wins Tasman Cup

Photo by Colleen Conway

As the guests at the Circuit Dinner on Saturday night were told , the spectators were running from front to back of the Pit top viewing point to watch each of the exciting Formula Junior races, as Melbourne's Peter Strauss ( BT6), Jonathan Williamson (22), [son of next week's Race Retro organiser, Ian Williamson], and Californian, Ned Spieker ( BT2/6) put on both an exemplary , and nailbiting battle throughout all four races at the Phillip Island Classic,culminating in a photo finish at the end of race four, as Jonathan pulled out of the Strauss slipstream, just failing to edge ahead by less than a nano-second !!, with Ned right behind , and an excited Don Thallon bringing the MRC Lotus into fourth, after running third from the start. Behind, there was a fabulous drive from Sir John Chisholm , from the back of the grid, and heading for fifth spot , till the ever enthusiastic Roger Ealand gave the 18 just one boot too many , and the engine exploded on turn 4, sending John onto the grass and stalled in avoiding the oil, and other spinners. An agonising delay till the hot engine restarted left John tenth at the flag, behind a battling Peter Anstiss (20/22) and Professor Mac Hulbert , forsaking his ERA and LDS for Phil Segat's 18 , and with a broad smile on his face , hoping that this may be but the first of his Junior races.After putting on a splendid party at the Elfin Heritage Centre on Tuesday, Bill Hemming brought one of his exhibits home to win the drum braked class, while the legendry Bob Birrell[BT6], having flown out just in time for qualifiing, after the sad death of his mother,headed the rest, with Clive Wilson, once again sweeping clean the front engined class, taking the lead in the Formula Junior Golden Jubilee Series around the World, and winning the Tasman Cup for the 12 race Tasman Series, presented in the post race party by Queensland's David Reid.

The whole Series had been an enormous success, with many people to thank for their efforts, bringing together the European, US, NZ and Australian Formula Juniors, and engendering much cameraderie which will live on as the Golden Jubilee heads back to Europe for the Series events at Monza, Brands Hatch and the OldTimer Grand Prix, the first Lurani at Mugello, the Thruxton 40th Anniversary meeting on Easter Monday, the first HSCC meeting at Donington Park, and , not least ,Monaco where the 47 strong early front engined entry has been whittled down to the 30+ chosen few...

DCPR