HSRCA Summer Festival 2024

The last race meeting for Group N Touring cars for 2024 was the HSRCA Summer Festival meeting at SMP November 30-December 1, 2024. A strong field of 24 Group N cars went out on a damp track in very warm conditions including interstate visitors Mark Johnson #97 Mustang, Kim Shearn#58 Cortina both from Victoria Craig Robertson #131 Charger down from Queensland. Qualifying seen Mark Johnson put the Mustang on pole with 2.00.6 followed by Peter O'Brien #27 Falcon XY, David Nokes Escort #1 the ever-present Greg Toepfer #88 Mustang Anthony Colton Cortina#5 Spencer Rice #295 Alfa Chris Dubois #3 Cortina Steve Page #54 BMW John Harrison #89 Cortina then it was Paul Battersby #271 Mini Paul Tierney Torana#72 and the usually reliable Francis Meier Mini #188 that's the top twelve. On to race one Saturday afternoon again a damp track over five laps and an unfortunate start for Toepfer who stalled in P4 and brilliant driving from all cars seen them all get around Greg, who did eventually got off the line for some reason the safety car was deployed for two laps. Peter O'Brien won in the XY but both he and Mark Johnson Mustang both received 5 second penalties the latter finishing third, David Nokes crossed in second, Toepfer up to tenth from last, Paul Battersby eighth, Paul Tierney ninth, one car that was of note is the Matt Sullivan #180 Torana was on the move forward and looking faster and faster as the meeting went on along with David Wheatley #61, David Roberts#20. DNF for Jerry Lenstra#41 Cortina with a gearbox issue but Jerry would change the box and return to racing. Race two again on Saturday 5 laps this time no safety car O'Brien again the winner from Nokes, Johnson, Anthony Colton#5 Cortina, Rice, Toepfer, Chris Dubois#3 Cortina, further back seen some spirited driving by John Battersby#270 Dave Gray#181 both in mini's followed by the bullet proof Volvo#22 of Loris Mariotto. Bad luck for the popular driver Mick Bevan Torana#353 who lost an oil line and had a DNF. Sunday was hot and dry for race three over six laps. Johnson was home first followed by O'Brien (with another 5 second penalty) then it was Nokes, Toepfer, Matt Sullivan was on the move up to fifth, Lloyd Parry#289 Mustang Paul Tierney Torana, Hugh Zochling#73 Torana DNF's for the following Rice, Gray, and Meier. The last race for 2024 over 7 laps was a little depleted. Johnson again the winner from Rice who recovered from the previous DNF, Nokes third, Matt Sullivan showing that both he and the Torana had the pace to get up the front in forth then Tierney, Zochling, Paul Battersby was the first mini, 5 second penalties for Kim Shearn and Mick Bevan. That's it for 2024. Thanks to all the drivers, crew, members, and supporters of Group N plus the event organisers and track marshalls, recivery teams see you all back in 2025 for another great season.

Mark Walsh, Throttlejam Photography