It has been my intention to write a story on VW racing for quite a while now. In fact at the beginning of the year I was going to give a report each month on the NSW Hillclimb Championship, but as we all know, even the best laid plans can go astray.
From it’s humble beginnings as cheap reliable transport for the masses (more like political propaganda if you ask me), Volkswagens have developed a race history that other
manufactures would be proud of. From reliability trials, such as Redex, touring car racing at Bathurst, one make series such as Kafer Cup, Formula Vee, and modified club motorsport the VW flat four has won it all. Well we haven’t had an F1 victory yet.
It’s no surprise that they perform well. Lightweight and all of it on the drive wheels. All independent suspension. The flat four engine’s low profile keeps the center of gravity low. Any displacement up to around 3 litres is possible. Parts interchangeability between models, Porsches and a thriving aftermarket means anything is possible.
Hillclimbing is possibly the cheapest form of motor racing available (except motorkhana). I should say now that I don’t include drag racing in motorsport, but let’s keep my prejudices out of it. One car is on the track at a time, against the clock, fastest time at the end of the day wins. There are different classes depending on the type of vehicle and most have sub categories for different engine capacities. VW is represented in different classes such as Group 3J (middle modified) Sports Sedans (highly modded) and Formula Libre (open wheelers), and of course, Formula Vee.
I first started drag racing in my Kombi when it had the old Webber carb engine, but was nervous about putting it through the bends of the local hillclimb track, but I just had to have one crack at it. Famous last words as I became hooked on it to the stage where I gave away my Club VW Illawarra presidency for Wollongong Sporting Car Club secretary (now Vice Pres). It offers more of a challenge; to get every corner right where as drag racing is just a matter of getting off the line. (Too easy Ive won it 3 times).
So after
exceeding the limits of a Kombis handling and knocking some Armco out of the ground I
decided to get serious and built the fastback to do the NSW Championship Series, but alas
I found 3 other money pits to pour my money into. Wife, Daughter, House, not necessarily
that order.
Now that my rambling intro is out of the way… I intend to give a bit of an update to the series each month along with a "mini feature" on one of the competitors.
Round 4 was conducted at Huntley, Dapto, May 14. It’s an old mine access road that is extremely steep.
Peter Gumley open wheeler 19.42 won Formula Libre new record. nearest rival was Toyota supercharged open wheeler 19.99
Formula Vees - 10 drivers ranging from 39.27 to 32.72 (record is 31.81)
Anthony Draper won Sports Cars over 1600 cc 27.47 record is 23.69 set in 1973!
Group 3J 1601- 2000 cc record is 26.67 held by grant cook from 1998
1ST grant cook 27.86 69 beetle 1916 cc
2nd Ben Durie in the same 69 28.48
3rd Greg Ward 1916 cc Beetle 28.70
Wayne Penrose won sports sedans 2001 - 3000 25.48 record was 25.72 did I mention this is still a swing axle? And finished 9th outright
A J&S buggy driven by Antony Draper competes in Open Sports Cars over 1600 cc. Currently leading the class, Antony continued on his winning way, after watching his opposition Austin Healy crash out on it’s second run.
1600-2000 cc 3J Club Cars is lead by 4 Beetle drivers. Craig Torrens 42, Grant Cook 31, Ben
Durie 27, Greg Ward 21 lead a pack of 5 also rans.
Wayne Penrose is murdering the opposition in Sports Sedans 2001-3000 cc. In his first year of the Championship Wayne is leading the class undefeated breaking class records along the way. Continuing where he left off at Ringwood Wayne broke the class record here at Huntley with a time of 25.??. In a 62 swinger!!!
In the big banger open wheeler category Formula Libre over 2000 cc anything goes. Peter Gumley reigning outright champion runs a 2.3 litre supercharged type 4. This class is very closely fought out between Peter and Eric Barnes in a Farrel F2 S/C. Peter has held the outright record at Huntley for many years and continued to whittle it away this year from 19.61 to 19.48. Eric’s best a 19.99, before crashing heavily into a tyre barrier.
Formula Vees have a hard time at Huntley and just hold it flat all the way. Not much to report except that there is 7 registered competitors in a class that’s nearly as old as the hill itself (53 years)
Stan Pobjoy, is registered with his openwheeler in Formula Libre 1301-2000 cc. Jeff Unwin in the VWRX notchback, John and David Spinks in a heavily reworked beetle compete in over 3000 Sport Sedans. Unfortunately none of these guys came down to race.
So as you can see VW motorsport is very competitive. Maybe you might like to have a go. At the clubbie rounds it’s not near as fast and there are classes to suit even stockers. If interested you can email me at amazer39@yahoo.com or come down for a look 9th of July.
Antony Draper
The car,
owned by Tony Draper, is a J&S buggy built on 11.5 inch shortened IRS’d pan. It
runs a 1916 Pobjoy engine. Bought 3 years ago, it was fully restored, fitted with disc
brakes on a lowered front end. ZF limited slip diff keeps both wheels spinning through the
close ratio, solid mounted gearbox and engine combo (not solid enough). The car is road
registered and driven often. It has been raced for 12 months and holds class record at
Ringwood and Bathurst. The car also ran an 8.7 at our Nationals this year.
Chris Fraser.