Old Holdens head stateside to tackle Monterey
Well-known Targa and Touring Car Masters competitor Paul Freestone is pitching a local hero car into the mix of exotica on track at this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion, at Laguna Seca in California, in the shape of a 48-215 Holden.
Appearing on an American racetrack for the first time, the Australian-built but American-designed and engineered car, sometimes referrred to as the FX, is sure to turn heads.
American car enthusiasts are in for a double dose of old Holdens with Freestone also taking an FJ Holden ute to the states to use as a support vehicle while over there.
The 48/215 race car has been built to Group K regulations and its Holden grey motor, with a crossflow Repco head produces a very tidy 192 horsepower.
“We’ve done a Burt Munro with the engine going from 60 to 192 horsepower, so that’s not bad for something designed in the mid-1940s,” said Freestone.
Both the race car and ute are painted burgundy with white and black stripes on them.
This will be Freestone’s third visit to the daunting Californian circuit, having competed there the past two years and as was done back in the day, Freestone and his wife Christine will drive the two Holdens from San Francisco to Laguna Seca and back.
“We believe in keeping with the period when they used to like to drive them to and from the track so that is our goal,” Freestone added.