This year's Phillip Island Classic will consist of a large influx of incredible race cars from our friends in New Zealand.
Among them will be a contingent of from BTCC 90's Supertourers including Peter Sturgeon’s 1996 Honda Accord Supertourer was originally raced by David Leslie in the 1996 British Touring Car Championship, Neil Crompton in the 1997 North American Touring Championship and Graham Dodd in the 1998 Australian Super Touring Championship.
This particular car will be driven by Kiwi legend Greg Murphy who at last year's event drove and factory Nissan HR31 Skyline up against Steven Richards who will again be driving his fathers former championship winner.
Other highlights include two highly competitive BMW Supertourers owned by Steven Kelly and Dennis Chapman, which will be racing plus Scott O’Donnell’s 1995 Ford Mondeo Supertourer.
Also part of the New Zealand contingent will be Andy Greenslade’s Benson & Hedges RS500 Grup A Sierra.
This car was the last of five Benson & Hedges Sierra’s and the only one built in Australia with the aim of winning the 1990 Bathurst 1000. It first raced in round 3 of the 1990 Australian Touring Car Championship and seven weeks later was at Bathurst where it competed with Tony Longhurst and ex-F1 champion Alan Jones setting a lap record for Mount Panorama however it did not finish the actual race that year.
With such a strong team of New Zealand cars and drivers, there is no doubt that trans-Tasman rivalry will be to the fore with competition coming from some of Australia’s best drivers and cars including upwards of 15 Australian Formula 5000s.
The Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport will take place on March 8-10th at the famed Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Tickets at the gate. Patrons under 17 years of age are free to enter if accompanied by an adult.
Visit the event page here.
Author: Trent Collett / Graeme McLean