BRISPORT: December 2022

From the Pres

Hi Everyone,

We have now reached the end of the calendar year and it’s safe to say, it was a year which for many, was interrupted by weather. Our sport has been badly affected but we always look towards the positives for the BSCC. The best thing about this time of year is not only can we reflect on the year past but look ahead with hope for the year ahead.

Firstly, I need to inform you that this will be the last time I address you as President of the Brisbane Sporting Car Club Ltd. I have decided the time has come to pass the baton to another to take what we have achieved in the past few years into the future.

When I came into the presidency in October 2020, I had already been on the board for three years before.

My idea was to take what I have learned and set about taking the club into its next phase after my predecessors repaid debts on our building and loans, to see what we could do without those incumbrances tied around our necks.

Looking back, I can say with pride that we managed to achieve almost all of what I described to you in my first public address as president at the April 2021 Annual General Meeting.

Since then, we have passed the new club constitution, updated BRISPORT

DOMINIC CORKERON PRESIDENT, BRISBANE SPORTING

CAR CLUB

PHOTO: ZED PHOTOGRAPHY

to the online magazine you see today, extended BRISPORT’s reach to more than 2,500 people every two months and with that, opened our doors to many with our club not yet BSCC members.

Event budgetary formats have been updated, and following the strong example of those previous, events are now even more efficient. Our range of events has been expanded to between eight and ten each year and although we had no real opportunity to experience that in 2022, we plan to in 2023.

Part of that expansion was Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland which the club, Brian Everitt’s team, Gympie Regional Council, Motorsport Australia media and our event partners, especially Glenn Brinkman, worked tirelessly to make it again one of the “must do” events on the national calendar.

We have just updated our IT systems in the club and we are in the process of working towards a new event communications

system and while our radios have provided good service in the past, we need also to look towards the future. Today, we can look at a club with a strong financial position and club facilities which we own outright. Not many clubs can say that. However, there is one item we are finding more difficult each year to grow or even just replace. Our senior organising people are becoming thinner in the ranks.

It is true that we all live busy lives, but the sheer truth is if we don’t have our volunteer ranks turning over and rebuilding, we won’t have events we so look forward to. Some of our organisers are in their 70’s and we are getting to the stage where the best way we can thank them is to offer to step into their shoes.

If there is anything you can do, please raise your hand and come forward. It may be standing on a road closure but equally

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important is helping around the club itself. We still need to look after our equipment, our IT systems, our community engagements in media and our club partners.

A number of you were at Coffs Harbour for the Coffs Coast APRC/ARC round and a week after, were in the Gippsland region for the Alpine Rally. You can turn to pages XX and XX for rundown on our member’s exploits at these events.

A summer rally is a great way to end the year, but we have our eyes set on 2023 with our pre-season Test & Tune scheduled for 25th February and the first round of the

Queensland Rally Championship scheduled for 25th March.

We then move to April, May and June for the Short Course series before our big one, Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland in July.

Imbil will continue with its early September date and we would like to run an Off Road event, but again we need volunteers to stage it. Some navigational runs are also in the works.

Rounding out next year is our planned 70th Anniversary of the Brisbane Sporting Car Club. Your board has planned a big year and nature permitting, we can resume a full year of fun in the forests and dusty trails.

In closing, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in my role as president of the BSCC. It has been an honour and a role I did not take lightly. Your feedback at events when we have met has lifted me and I hope to see you again in 2023.

‘Til next time we meet, Dom.

PHOTO: GEARS AND WHEELS PHOTOGRAPHY

Strong showing at the Lock and Load Alpine Rally

The Brisbane Sporting Car Club had a big presence at the most recent Lock and Load Alpine Rally of East Gippsland, with eight crews taking part in the centenary celebration of the famous event.

While we had no members take home any class or outright victories, there were plenty to finish the challenging rally and finish well – with Ryan Smart and Brad Jones the highest ranked crew of fifth outright.

There were two more cars to squeeze into the top 10, with Phil Thomas and Alex Gelsomino edging out Victorians Brendan Reeves and Kate Catford for eighth, while John and Chris Black rounded out the top 10.

Smart and Jones also managed to come away with a Class six podium, an honour shared by Mike Bailey and Ian Whitehead, who finished third in Class 1.

Although they didn’t finish anywhere near where they would have to, Tristan

Carrigan and Neil Woolley were considered crowd favourites amongst the 100 plus crews – with the duo having been in contention for an outright podium in the early stages of the event.

Other crews to finish the rally included Keith Fackrell and Claire Buccini, who finished 26th outright, and Neil Taylor, who finished 58th outright with co-driver David Ambrose.

Just one BSCC crew was unable to finish the event – RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) stars Tom Clarke and Ryan Preston out early due to mechanical dramas.

Click here for full results alpinerally.org.au

PHOTO: BRUCE KEYS

PHOTO: ADRIAN TAYLOR

EXPERIENCE A UNIQUE GETAWAY IN THE GYMPIE REGION

Two hours from Brisbane, the Gympie region is surrounded by nature and wildlife that you can’t get anywhere else in Queensland.

The coloured sands of Rainbow Beach and the charming fishing town of Tin Can Bay are our coastal playgrounds and the southern gateway to K’gari (Fraser Island).

Away from the coast, you’ll find the pioneering heritage town of Gympie with elegant buildings and heritage railways. Out west, you’ll discover a beauty unmatched; the rolling hills of our western townships and the lush, fertile land of the Mary Valley. There’s more to the Gympie region than you might imagine.

Gympie Regional Council is a proud sponsor of the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland.

Visit Gympie Region 1800 444 222 www.visitgympieregion.com.au

Campbell Smith

BSCC OFFICIAL PROFILE

BRISPORT chats with Campbell Smith, a BSCC Officials who has been keeping spectators and competitors safe on the club and national stage.

BRISPORT: When did you become a fan of motorsport?

Campbell Smith: I have been a fan of motorsport since I first saw F1 racing in the early 1980, I really wanted to be an F1 driver as a kid, but my height quickly became an issue, so went rallying instead.

B: Tell us about how you become involved with motorsport.

CS: In the Christmas holidays after graduating grade 12, Stephen Kennedy bought his 504 and I sat beside him for a few years. I then drove a Toyota Corolla and a Datsun 1600, before running a E type jag with my father in Targa 93 and a Mitsubishi 300GT in Targa 2002. We then ran an HZ Monaro in the London Sydney Marathon Rally in 2004.

B: When did you join Brisbane Sporting Car Club?

CS: I originally joined BSCC in the early 1990’s, when I was navigating in an old Peugeot 504 with Stephen.

B: Why do you take on role in Safety for the AORC?

CS: I originally took on the role of Course Checker solely for the St George George 399 to help out the SEQORRA club.

I enjoyed the challenge of the role before taking on the role for the full BFGoodrich Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship (AORC), because I see the challenge in improving on track safety for the competitors and spectators.

B: What does the role entail?

CS: My role as course checker has two main components - track safety for the competitors and spectator safety.

The concourse safety is driven by course markings and improving both the marking guidelines and protocols. We are trying to set a consistent standard of course marking for the AORC so competitors know what to expect at all the national level events.

With spectator safety, I make sure all officials spectator points are set up to the guidelines Motorsport Australia has set. Most of the events I attend are very well controlled. Finke is always a challenge, but progress in spectator safety is made every year. It’s been a challenge taking on this new role but I have really enjoyed it.

B: What has been the highlight of your year so far?

CS: Kalgoorlie Desert race was my highlight. Great event, great track, great competition, great way to finish the season.

B: What’s your plan for 2023?

CS: Plan for next year is to continue on in the course check role, while competing in some short course off road, little bit of circuit racing and some hill climbs.

“It’s been a challenge taking on this new role but I have really enjoyed it”

FIA Safety Car Bulletin

The FIA recently released a safety bulletin about the worrying trend of official vehicles being involved in accidents when closing off the road for the stage.

Featuring in the bulletin were rules and regulations about running a safety car and the procedures that should be carefully undertaken when they are in use. See below for the bulletin.

Members are encouraged to read Article 5.4.4 of Appendix H to the ISC and to Section 2 of the latest FIA Rally Safety Guidelines regarding Safety Cars and their duties.

The primary function of the Safety Cars is to check the route to ensure compliance with the safety plan and provide this information to Rally Control. It is advisable for all Safety Cars to be able to film each stage and for these videos to be retained by the event for future use.

Safety Cars must be driven at an appropriate speed that allows issues to be identified. At no time should a Safety Car be driven in a manner that puts the occupants, stage officials or members of the public at risk.

In order to have time to solve lastminute safety issues, we recommend using the timetable for running the Safety Caravan through each stage, and following the safety car golden rules.

SAFETY CAR GOLDEN RULES

1. All Safety Cars should be clearly identified, and all Safety Car crew members should also be clearly identifiable as Event Officials when they are out of their vehicles.

2. Where realistic all official Safety Cars and Sweeper Cars should complete the full route according to the road book and maintain a completed time card.

3. Each crew should have a means of communication with the other Safety Cars and with Rally Control/Clerk of the Course, ideally radios with a dedicated channel. A dedicated radio channel enables the Safety Car crews to have an uncluttered and direct line of communication as they work together to get the special stages up and running. Rally Control and the Stage Commanders need to have access to this dedicated channel so that overall event management and stage specific decisions can be made.

4. All Safety Cars should proceed through special stages at a speed suitable to the vehicle being driven and to the prevailing stage condition. At no time should a Safety Car be driven in a manner that puts the occupants, stage officials or members of the public at risk. This is the reason why 000 and 00 should be standard road cars.

5. Safety Cars should not be used to entertain sponsors or to give VIPs a chance to experience, or drive, the stage for marketing and publicity purposes;

they have a vital role to play and as such their occupants are there to work.

6. Safety Car crew members should remember that marshals are volunteers and as such, be courteous to them at all times. It may be the case that marshals require reassurance and brief training on their duties.

7. Safety Cars should always keep to their pre-determined time schedule and ensure that they adapt this to compensate for any delays in the running of the event. The closer an event is kept to schedule, the safer it becomes.

8. The Safety Cars must be driven at an appropriate speed that allows issues to be identified and they must be prepared to stop and sort issues if required. It is essential that all crews have a “see it, sort it” attitude for anything they see pertaining to the rally.

9. All Safety Cars (excluding the Zero Car) should have roof lights, sirens and a Public Address (PA) system. The Zero Car may have these or warning lights if the vehicle is suitable, however, sirens are strongly recommended.

10. Safety Cars should normally only use road books and other printed information supplied by the event organisers. Pace notes should not be used.

NOTE TO SAFETY CAR CREWS

During the event, an informal meeting should be held between loops of stages in order to discuss any issues that may have arisen and could be improved on for the second run. Spectators should be prohibited from walking on the special stage 30 minutes before the time of the first competitive car by closing the start and finish of the stage. This message needs to be reinforced by the Public Address (PA) system on the Safety Cars and with the support of the marshals.

The 00 car will be responsible for checking that no spectator is present on the stage.

To enable spectators to adapt to this new measure, it is recommended that the marshals give a prolonged blast on their whistle at the 30 minutes to first car time.

INTERIM SAFETY CARS

A minimum of 1 additional spare car should be provided to assist the Safety Cars. This car can be inserted into the Safety Car Caravan to

deploy additional marshals and equipment should they be needed on the stage.

Interim safety cars do not have to be competition prepared but they MUST have lights, sirens and a PA system which should be used to advise spectators that further cars are to follow.

It is important that provision is made for the crew of this interim Safety Car to engage with and manage any spectators and to confirm to Rally Control that the situation has been resolved.

ZERO CAR

The Zero Car role is crucial, as it’s the last car from the Safety Car Caravan to enter the stage before the first competing car. Whilst they get to travel at a higher speed than the other Safety Cars and to do so in a competition car, it is a very serious and important job. The crew has to monitor the work done by the previous Safety Cars, monitor the stage radio communications and be prepared to stop on the stage to solve any issues they may come across.

ZERO CAR FUNCTIONS

• To run at 70/80% competitive speed

• To ensure that marshals are prepared for start lights, time cards, spectator zones

• To check for any spectator movement after the Safety Delegate and 00 Cars

To communicate any concerns immediately to Rally Control

To be able to stop to resolve any safety issue on stage

• To indicate to all concerned that the stage is now live

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McLoughlin Australian Ra l y Ch a mpion

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Brisbane Sporting Car Club member Anthony McLoughlin is the champion co-driver of Australia after he and Lewis Bates finished second in last month’s Supercheap Auto Coffs Coast Rally.

The duo entered the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) season finale with a solid lead over Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia teammates Harry Bates and John McCarthy, and sealed the deal when their title rivals crashed out on the final day.

Harry and McCarthy, the latter of whom is also a BSCC member, were leading the event until that point and with a chance of winning the title, only for the crash

As for Lewis and McLoughlin, their first ever maiden title was a just reward of the pressure they had piled on the 2019 ARC championship, with both driver and co-driver winning their first national round this year.

After an inconsistent start to the year, Lewis and McLoughlin won their first ARC round at The Middle of Everywhere Gippsland Rally, before going backto-back at the Adelaide Hills Rally.

Their second win of the year put them ahead of Harry and McCarthy, who had won the opening three

rounds of the season, leading to an exciting finale on the Coffs Coast.

After the opening day of the final round, Harry and McCarthy were just ahead of Nathan Quinn and David Green, while Lewis and McLoughlin trailed in third –meaning the EROAD Power Stage would ultimately decide the championship.

Lewis and McLoughlin’s road to #1

Round 1 - Netier National Capital Rally: 16th Round 2 - Make Smoking History Forest Rally: 2nd Round 3 - Shannons Rally Launceston: 3rd Round 4 - The Middle of Everywhere Gippsland Rally: 1st Round 5 - Adelaide Hills Rally: 1st Round 6 - Supercheap Auto Coffs Coast Rally: 2nd

Overall Points: 474

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SPORTING

However, Harry and McCarthy crashed on the third last stage – elevating Quinn to the lead of the event and taking all the pressure off Lewis and McLoughlin for the win.

The duo then capped off their championshipwinning year with victory in the EROAD Power Stage, beating FIA Asia Pacific Rally Champions Hayden Paddon and John Kennard in the process.

For McLoughlin – it was a moment worth savouring.

“It has been a long journey,” McLoughlin said post-event.

“Starting in Canberra we were sitting there in the rain watching all the other cars go past because we slid off the road and I wouldn’t have thought then that today we would be standing on the top step as the national champions.

“It’s pretty special, Lewis and I have worked very hard and been really consistent all year, we have always been there in the fight, so I am just relieved and happy.

“The whole journey has been a highlight, coming away with our first heat win in Western Australia progressed to Gippsland and Adelaide with the win it’s all been pretty special.”

BSCC President Dom Corkeron congratulated Anthony on his victory.

“For the second consecutive full ARC season, we have a member of the club who was crowned champion of Australia and it’s a fantastic achievement,” Corkeron said.

“Anthony is highly deserving of the title as he and Lewis have shown plenty of promise together over the past few years. It’s great to see him and Lewis rewarded with a championship title after a few solid years now.

“On behalf of everyone at the BSCC, I would like to congratulate Anthony on his success and we look forward to seeing them defend the title next year.”

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“I wouldn’t have thought that today we would be standing on the top step as the national champions”

Test and Test Tune Tune –– 2 22 25 55 5/02 /02/02 (Jimna)

QRC QRC QRC: :: : 25 2525 25/03 /03/03 /03 (Nanango)

Annual General Meeting Annual General Meeting Annual General Meeting Annual General Meeting

12/04 12/04 12/04 12/04

KCF KCF Short Course Series Round 1 Short Course Series Round 1 Short Course Series 1 Short Course Series 1 –– 22 2222 22/04 /04/04 /04 (Benarkin)

KCF KCF Short Course Series Round 2 Short Course Round 2 –– 20 2020 20/05 /05/05 (Location TBA)

KCF KCF Short Course Series Round 3 Short Course 3 Course –– 17 1717 17/06 /06/06 /06 (Benarkin) Accent

Long live the Beetle of ‘67

There have been plenty of iconic cars to grace Australian motorsport over the years –many of which are entrenched in the minds of car enthusiasts around the country.

The 1976 Volkswagen Beetle of Brisbane Sporting Car Club member Sam Donovan is one of those cars with a rich history familiar to the most loyal of motorsport fans.

Originally prepared in the 1990s for Australian Rally Hall of Famer Barry Ferguson, the car went through a fruitful period that saw Ferguson claim a number of credible results.

Its first official event was the 1998 Playstation round of Australia Rally where Ferguson and co-driver managed to complete the highly challenging event inside the top 30.

Eight years later, the popular car would reappear at the famous Round Australia Rerun in 2006 and again, it was guided to another solid result

Unfortunately, the Beetle would be decommissioned shortly after the rally where it would sit idle for more than a decade until it was given the lease on new life in 2018.

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The man responsible for its resurgence was Tim Donovan – a highly esteemed mechanic who had a history working for Volkswagen, as well as being an integral part of Volkswagen’s winning factory effort at the 1967 Southern Cross Rally.

Adding to the fact that Ferguson had entrusted Tim with the task of restoring the Beetle due to his vast experience, Tim and the rest of his Donovan was one with a deep love for rallying –especially within Queensland.

The family had been involved in the sport since the start of the 1980s as officials, while Tim himself had competed in and sponsored events on a regular basis throughout that time.

A passionate member of the rally community, Sam has gone on to be a successful photographer in the discipline and has been a big part of restoring the car, which he now runs.

“Rallying is a big part of our lives, so when Barry called my dad in 2018 and offered us the chance to give the Beetle another chance at life, it was something we were excited to undertake,” Sam said.

“We drove to Sydney, picked it up and then began the restoration process and we found that the car was fine mechanically, but the bodywork was not.

“When we first got it, the rust was so bad that the bonnet crumpled in half when we first opened it.

“It took some time, but the car is now a very well-prepared vehicle. Everything except the bodywork has been done by us in-house in Queensland and it’s a great addition to our collection, which also includes a faithful replica of that 1967 Southern Cross winning car.”

Since its restoration, Sam has run the car in a number of events and

“When Barry called and offered us the chance to give the Beetle another chance at life, it was something we were excited to undertake”

although it has shown solid times, unfortunately reliability has prevented it from reaching its full potential thus far.

Despite its lack of finishes, Sam remains confident it will continue to improve and get to where he and codriver Scott Ferris want it to be.

“The goal is for it to be a consistent and reliable car in the Motorsport Australia Queensland Rally Championship, with plans to run other events in between,” Sam added.

“The car has put in some very respectable, on-pace times in all events entered so far, however reliability has sadly let us down.

“They haven’t been major issues, just little things, but with so few events in Queensland, it’s been hard to get into rhythm – especially because less events mean less chances to find problems.

PHOTO: SAM DONOVAN

PHOTO: ROBERT WAYE PHOTOGRAPHY

Red Bug Rallying instagram.com/redbugrallying

BSCC Buddies

If you’ve got something to contribute to the magazine we’d love to hear from you.

All correspondence to:

Brisbane Sporting Car Club

Unit 16 - 23 Ashtan Place Banyo QLD 4014

Phone: (07) 3267 7647

Email: info@bscc.asn.au

Website: bscc.asn.au