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It’s the most unlikely grudge match since David took on Goliath and the result
could be just as unpredictable.
Dual Australian Gold Star Champion and 1974 Bathurst winner Kevin Bartlett
has been challenged to an on-track duel at Queensland Raceway during the
Shannons Historic Racing & Classic Car Festival from August 5-6.
But it won’t be one of his old sparring partners, Dick Johnson, Peter Brock
or Allan Moffat that will rub mudguards with Bartlett and the famous Channel 9
Camaro Z-28 he once raced; unexpectedly, his challenger will be Shannons
Queensland Business Development Manager Phil Ross at the wheel of a diminutive
1959 Goggomobil Dart.
According to Ross, it will be a fairly equal contest. The Camaro, now owned
by Queensland enthusiast David Bowden, punches out over 500 hp from its 350
Chevrolet V8 engine, giving it a slight ‘paper’ advantage over the Dart’s 13HP
from its two cylinder 400cc two-stroke.
But size and power aren’t everything and while the Camaro and KB together
weigh in at a fairly beefy 1.5 tonnes, the Dart with Phil Ross wringing wet will
be more than a tonne lighter.
And if the wind is blowing in the right direction, who knows?
In fairness, KB has agreed to give Phil Ross and the Shannons Dart a decent
head start (about a week would be reasonable!) and has promised not to run them
over if he catches up.
However Ross has some special race tweaks in mind that he believes may spring
some surprises.
He’s planning to give the Dart a major power boost by mixing its 2 stroke
brew using Premium Unleaded instead of Standard Unleasded fuel and may even bump
the mixing ratio dangerously from 40:1 to 50:1. And to further improve his power
to weight, he’s planning to skip breakfast on race day.
The Camaro/Dart duel will be one of the highlights of the two-day Shannons
Historic Festival, which has attracted more than 300 entries.
Chevrolet/GM is the meeting’s featured marque and more than150 cars powered
by Chevrolet or Holden engines are entered in the Shannons Show & Shine that
will be one of the infield highlights of the meeting. The Corvette Club Qld,
Corvettes Downunder, the Monaro Club Qld, the Qld Chevrolet Car Club, Camaro
Firebird owners Club and HSV/HDT Club are some of the enthusiast groups mounting
displays.
And apart from the KB’s Camaro, feature cars seen on track will include the
ex-John Bowe Veskanda sports car now owned by Peter Briggs and the ex-Allan
Grice Chevy Monza now owned by Steven Voight. Peter Brock and Bob Jane at
different times will also be giving on-track demonstrations.
While the racing programme spans both Saturday and Sunday, the historic
demonstrations and the Show & Shine will be on Sunday August 6 only, with
vehicles invited to set up for display from 7.30am.
All display cars will feature in a grand parade around the track at
approximately 12.30pm.
Normal General Admission cost for the meeting is Saturday $20, Sunday $30,
with a weekend pass $40.00 and children under 12 admitted free.
However as a special concession while places are available, car club members
entering the Show & Shine can pick up a special window sticker from Shannons
in Newstead (Brisbane) that gives them Sunday admission for $15.00 per head and
also includes free entry into the Show & Shine.
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