Getting to Know HGNA NSW Treasurer Paul Tierney

In our second HGNA NSW member profile, we catch up with founding member and current club treasurer, Paul Tierney.

With thanks to Paul Tierney

My older brother and I spent the ‘60s and ‘70s glued to the TV watching our racing heroes of the golden era of motorsport. Each year, we’d look forward to the Hardie-Ferodo 500.

The only contact we had in the racing fraternity was a cousin, Gary Harrington, who raced a Ford Anglia Sports Sedan. However, nothing came of that as we settled into dating, marriage, children and a mortgage.

My first car at the age of 17 was an LC Torana, and since then I’ve always had a love of the LC and LJ Toranas. My father had an adventurous spirit, and I think it rubbed off on me. I took the car on a trip to Ayers Rock and Alice Springs in 1974, where it excelled through dirt, mud and water.

In 1999, I purchased a 1970 LC GTR XU1 from Laurie Mason, who had raced the car in the Targa Tasmania. It won its class in 1995 and backed it up in 1996. After some minor adjustments to the car, it is now back to its production appearance.

Owning the GTR XU1, I joined the GTR XU1 Owners Club, where I met David Ellis. We became good friends and remain so to this day. In 2002, the club participated in an event called XU1s on the Mountain as a tribute to Peter Brock’s win in 1972. The event attracted 118 XU1s from every state and territory in Australia. It was a great thrill for our family to be part of a parade lap which occurred before the big race on Sunday.

In 2004, I had a serious health scare, which reset some of my priorities in life. In 2008, with encouragement from Barry Cockayne and my wife Jenny, David Ellis and I participated in our first Regularity event held at Wakefield Park .

I was gone, hook line & sinker.

In my first year of competition I won the Ian Forsythe trophy for the overall consistent driver over twelve months

I had always wanted to drive and compete with Group N racing, so I completed the PNC license course and purchased a 1972 GTRXU1 lookalike. I completed all the CAMS requirements and the car was logbooked as a Historic Group Nc car.

I remember my first Group N race at Wakefield Park. After the first corner, I started wondering what I had done (Group N racing is not comparable with Regularity). However, as time went by, my skills improved, and my lap times kept coming down. Over time I have continued to improve the car and my driving skills. I plan to continue racing as long as my body allows.

I have competed at Phillip Island, Sandown, Winton, Sydney Motor Sport Park, Queensland Raceway, Morgan Park, Lakeside and the Bend at Tailem Bend.

During 2017 and 2018 I proudly held the role of treasurer for the Historic Touring Car Association of NSW. I am currently very proud to be one of the founding members of the Historic Group N Association NSW, for whom I also serve as treasurer.

There is great camaraderie between the members of the club, who are brought together by a shared passion for historic racing. We look forward to expanding the club and encouraging more competitors to get out on the track.

Tin top motor racing has been a passion of mine since I was a boy glued to the TV with my brother back in the ‘60s and getting involved in motorsport has been the fulfilment of a lifelong goal on my bucket list. I hope to continue being involved in the club and the sport for many years to come.