ARDC Fanbelt, June 2024
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ARDC Fanbelt, May 2024
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MEGA rides for another five years at Sydney Motorsport Park
November 27, 2023
- The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) and Motorcycling Events Group Australia (MEGA) jump onboard for another five years of SMSP Ride Days
- Continues an association that commenced in 1997
- Your Bike – Our Track program: from beginners to racers on the Brabham GP circuit at Australia’s premiere permanent race circuit
Sydney: The Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC) is pleased to announce the signing of a new five-year contract with Motorcycling Events Group Australia (MEGA), ensuring the continued success of ‘Your Bike – Our Track’ riding experiences at Sydney Motorsport Park, a partnership that commenced in 1997.
As operators of the NSW Government-owned Sydney Motorsport Park since 1996, the ARDC believes that to be the best you need to partner with the best; and certainly as far as motorcycle ride day operators go, none are better that Steve Brouggy and MEGA.
With over 600 different events per year, Sydney Motorsport Park is arguably one of the world’s busiest permanent race facilities. Outside of major events, motorsport experiences such as Ride Days, Track Days and Fastrack V8 Race experiences contribute to a significant percentage of calendar slots each year.
No strangers to hosting the country’s hottest two-wheeled action, throughout the course of a year, over 3,500 individual riders take to the track at SMSP ride days alone, covering over a staggering 750,000 kilometres during the multiple events.
Glenn Matthews, ARDC CEO, acknowledged the strategy of the Club was to partner with industry-recognised experience providers to present world-class products to the thousands of motorsport enthusiasts looking for the adrenaline rush that only motorsport can deliver, on a globally recognised circuit and in a safe and professional environment.
“Steve Brouggy and his MEGA team first joined the ARDC experiences family as far back as 1997, and have been the mainstay provider for that period. There is no better ride day operator in the country. His reputation and quality of product is without parallel, and the decision by the ARDC to ride pillion with MEGA for another five years to 2028 was a no-brainer”.
Steve Brouggy, MEGA Director, was equally excited about the new contract extension.
“I’m extremely happy to have signed with the ARDC to be the provider of SMSP Ride Days at Sydney Motorsport Park for another five years. Next year (2024) is the 30th year that Motorcycling Events Group Australia (MEGA) has been operating, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with this new contract” said Steve.
“We became (and maintain) our position as industry leaders due to our constant engagement and attention on what happens during each and every event, and that will not change during the course of this contract period, or indeed any future extensions there might be. We are committed to developing and evolving every element of SMSP Ride Days to maximise every rider’s enjoyment and safety, and can’t wait to welcome new and returning riders in 2024 and beyond!”
Sydney Motorsport Park is located in Eastern Creek in Western Sydney, less than 40 minutes from the CBD, and is one of the country’s only racing facilities within a metro area.
About Motorcycling Events Group Australia (MEGA)
Motorcycling Events Group Australia (MEGA) is an industry leading provider of non-competitive racetrack activities (Ride Days) to the Australian motorcycle market, with 30 years’ experience in running these type of events. As the provider of SMSP Ride Days, MEGA uses the skills and experiences gained from its core staff having operated a variety of motorcycle training and track activities in 10 x countries at 45 x racetracks, bringing truly world standard flavour to a world standard venue. For further information: www.smsprd.com
THE ARDC GRAND PRIX
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On the Saturday of the Bathurst 1000 this year (October 6) it will be exactly 60 years since the ARDC ran the 23rd Australian Grand Prix at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. At this fabulous meeting not only was the 1958 Australian Grand Prix decided but the 1958 Australian Tourist Trophy was run and won. This was the quaint old name given to the Australian Sports Car Championship. At the time Australian Motor Sports magazine described it as “the best motor racing meeting for some time”.
The Tourist Trophy was run over 26 laps of the 3.8 mile (6.115 kilometre) circuit at 3.10pm on Saturday October 5.
Many of the fancied entries were Jaguar powered such as Ron Phillips (Cooper Jaguar), Frank Cantwell from New Zealand (Tojero Jaguar), Bill Pitt (D Type), Jack Murray (D Type) and Frank Matich (C Type). There were 3 current model DB3S Aston Martins for David McKay, Tom Sulman and Warren Bloomfield. Another car which could not be discounted was Doug Whiteford’s 3 litre ex-works Maserati 300S.
Bill Pitt pushed the D Type Jaguar into the lead at the start from David McKay (Aston Martin DB3S), Derek Jolly’s little 1500cc Lotus 15 and Doug Whiteford (Maserati 300S). Whiteford easily worked his way up to the lead but on lap 10 he was caught by a gust of wind on the second hump on Conrod Straight. There was no Chase chicane in those days. Whiteford spun out of control straight through Murrays Corner and down the escape road to Bathurst. He bounced off four fences as he went almost being flung out of the car. Fortunately he suffered only bruising.
This left McKay comfortably in the lead from Jolly and Phillips. After a brief rain shower this was the final order after 26 laps.
Up until 1958 the Australian Grand Prix had always been a classic Formula Libre run what you brung type of race in which sports cars were often highly competitive. As an example of the increasing sophistication of Australian racing and the increasing number of competitive sports/racing cars in the country sports cars of any type were banned from the 1958 AGP. Even though the field was made up of open wheelers only there was tremendous variety in the best Formula Libre tradition.
There were big cars like the Alf Harvey 4.5 litre V12 OSCA which had run in the 1951 Italian GP. There were small cars like the Ralt Vincent of Noel Hall that finished third in heat 1 but failed to start in the GP itself. There were old cars like Ray Walmsley’s 1934 Grand Prix Alfa Romeo P3 whose original straight 8 supercharged engine was long gone. Like the Ern Seeliger Maybach, the Curly Brydon Ferrari and the Ted Gray Tornado Walmsley was relying on a new 260 cubic inch Corvette V8 to provide reliable lightweight power. Merv Neal’s Cooper (chassis F2/20/58) was probably the newest car – it even had disc brakes all round!
The field for the AGP was split into two heats which were held on Saturday afternoon. Heat one appeared to be for the slowest half of the field and heat two for the fastest.
Heat 1 was initially led by Allan Ferguson driving the spectacular Holden powered MG Special known as “Isk”. He was chased by the little air-cooled twin cylinder Ralt of Noel Hall and the Jaguar Special driven by Jack Robinson. Alf Harvey started slowly from pole position in the ex-Prince Bira OSCA 4500G. This car was famously fragile but as the heat progressed Harvey gained confidence and speed. He won the race with a fastest lap of 2.59.5 and a registered speed through the flying quarter mile of 133.33mph (214.573kph).
Heat 2 was for the fast cars. Gray was on pole in the Tornado Corvette but Jones’ Maserati led the field through Hell Corner from Mildren (Cooper) and Davison (Ferrari). On lap 2 Jones dropped oil on the exit of the cutting. Mildren spun on it and was hit by New Zealander Tom Clark (Ferrari Super Squalo). Gray hit the lead on lap 2 and won easily from Jones and Davison. Gray’s fastest lap was 2.50.0.
At the start of the Australian Grand Prix Jones jumped into the lead from Davison and pole man Gray. These three were 7 seconds clear of the rest after only 1 lap. New Zealander Clark passed Neil’s Cooper Climax on lap 2 and settled into a lonely 4th place.
By lap 10 Gray was 8 seconds clear of the battling Jones/Davison duo. 50 seconds behind was the Clark Ferrari with the Seeliger (Maybach) and Hawkes (Cooper Holden) fight another 4 seconds back. Clark dropped back and pitted on lap 18 with overheating. He continued but was much slower.
Alf Harvey in the OSCA was getting faster (2.58.0 fastest lap) but blew a spark plug clean through the bonnet and had to retire. Having led from lap 3 Gray pitted to report strange handling on lap 22. Fuel was sloshed around the fuel filler with only a small proportion going in. Gray was shouting at the mechanics but he was sent back out with no correcting action. He returned to the pits next lap after glancing off a barrier to have some chassis bolts tightened. After 2 slow laps the car was retired after achieving a fastest lap of 2.45.5 and a top speed of 155.17mph (249.722kph).
With the Tornado out Stan Jones was left in the lead. Lex Davison was all over him but Jones held him off even with a non-operating clutch in the Maserati. Coming down the mountain on lap 26 the Jones Maserati trailed thin, then thick blue smoke out of Forrest’s Elbow. Davison swept by and then slowed to coast to victory. He was just over 2 minutes ahead of runner up Ern Seeliger in the Maybach Corvette with Tom Hawkes 6 seconds back in the Cooper Holden.
In his victory speech at the presentation dinner Lex Davison referred to the Cooper Climaxes as “Anti-Climaxes”. History would show that a small rear engine car was the way of the future, even in Formula 1.
Incidentally it has been 20 years since the ARDC last ran a race meeting at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. That was the 1998 AMP Bathurst 1000. Also it was just over 20 years ago, in August 1998, that Amaroo Park hosted its last meeting. The registered office of the ARDC was at Amaroo Park in Annangrove from 1970 to 1996.
Brian Goulding
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