Geelong revival 2013

By: Scott Murray

Date: 13.02.2014

The Geelong Revival of 2013 was a fantastic spectacle. It had ‘Goodwood’ written all over it, but at a fraction of the price

Geelong revival 2013

The first important observation for a first-timer was the location. Along Geelong’s stunning foreshore, under the palms and only a couple of paces to the sand, with a picturesque spectator area on a grassy hill, a healthy crowd took in all the colour and noise.

Saturday was a big day, with Geelong's flamboyant new Lambo-driving mayor, former paparazzi king Darryn Lyons, officially opening procedings by waving the green flag like a professional at the Porsche Panamera course car.

Drivers were naturally anxious to get familiarised with the course as the morning practice runs began.

The unusual curving section of public road provides a bit more of a challenge than a regular quarter-mile strip, and is a little shorter at 360-odd metres.

Not only was it a technical effort for drivers and event organisers, it was also a scorcher. What was originally predicted to be a partly cloudy 18-degree day with light howers, instead led to sweat and sunburn along pitlane.

The palm trees lining the strip brought welcome shade, but the drivers also had to deal with a fairly dusty startline while practicing take-offs and dialling their cars and brains into the conditions.

The rest of the day’s highlights included Dean Montgomery’s V8 Supercars, which brought a hint of more modern, carbonfibre-panelled purposefulness to the event, reminding the crowd that this
event’s backbone is all about speed.

The collection of chrome bumpers, jerry cans and race suits was a glorious sight to behold.

The Production Sports Car category provided the big numbers, with four separate classes and a total of 30 entries.

A swathe of fiery Fords, including Mustangs, Falcons and even a Roaring Forties GT40 replica, kept the fans entertained on both days of the weekend. And various Holdens, Chevys and Cobras – of both the AC and Shelby variety – represented the muscle-car sector in style.

A number of British and Aussie sports cars lined the pit bays, including Lotuses, MGs, Jaguars, Triumphs, Caterhams, Austin Healeys, Elfins and a lovely Bolwell Mk IV, then took to the drag strip with European exotics like Porsches, Audis, Alfa Romeos, a Ferrari 365 GTB, a DeTomaso and even a Renault Alpine. You could’ve been forgiven for thinking you were in southern France.

There was also a strong Japanese presence with Mazda RX-7s, Skylines, Subarus and Mitsubishis.

Class E Production Touring Cars 2001cc-4000cc was a real mixed bag. There were a couple of Fords (AU Falcon, Focus RS), two BMW E30s and an E21, Holden EH, HQ and Gemini, two Audi 80 Quattros and an S4, a Mazda Capella rotary, Datsun 1600, 1996 EVO, Subaru Impreza STi, VW Golf R, Mini Cooper JCW Turbo, Mercedes 190E Cosworth and even a Hillman Hunter GT.

Other classes included Tarmac Rally Cars, where it was a case of chalk and cheese. A 48/215 Holden, ’67 MGB Roadster, ’68 HK GTS Monaro, ’70 Cooper S and Datson 240Z took on the likes of a VE ute, ’99 TT Quattro and a Bluebird Attesa.

Five cars flew the Formula Ford flag, while a couple of Group A and a few Group C Touring Cars joined the overall mix.

The Vintage (pre-1931) and Post Vintage (1931 to 1940) sports and racing cars were undoubtedly the highlight on Sunday, with the many aged drivers sporting the same vigour for these machines as
they undoubtedly did in their youth.

It was fascinating to see how the automotive and motorsport landscape has changed so dramatically. Given the cars’ skinny tyres, open cockpits, lack of safety devices and steering wheels that would
have looked more at home on a Greyhound bus, we all marvelled at their undying enthusiasm for speed.

The Geelong Revival successfully brings together a community passionate about mankind’s mechanical and technological achievements on wheels.

The car as we know it today would not exist if it weren’t for these works of automotive art, with their bare welded panels and thirsty, oily engines. Not to mention the mechanical pioneers who tinkered with them.

It was an exhaust-crackling, tyre-smoking, rev-matching tribute to those who kept us moving forward as fast as possible.

We had a fantastic weekend, and there’s no doubt that next year’s Revival will be bigger again. We're even thinking about running a UC entry along Australia’s very own slice of Monte Carlo.

*****

More reviews:

> Video: UC at Geelong Revival

> Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013

> Goodwood Revival 2013

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