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front of us, obviously burning up time before the main straight so that he could get close to
his nominated time. I was told that the regularity rules only prevent you from coming to a
dead stop so his bizarre behaviour was within the regulations but perhaps not in the true
spirit of the event.
As 4.30pm swung around I was feeling it had been a very long day. Driving in the Albany
Classic is definitely the easy part, and I have a new appreciation of what a fine job we do as a
club to make these events happen and how much work goes into it.
All I can see is a big thank you to all the officials who have helped me compete in our club
events since 1997. You’ve done a grand job. I’m gonna get that new head gasket on
Silverwings and get back to the other side as soon as I can!
Albany Classic Motor Event 2016 by Ross Oxwell
Many (members and non-members) have contacted us with effusive comments on the
event, particularly the Sunday, describing it as the “best ever”, this from drivers and
spectators alike. For this the entire team need take a bow – our officials, the Albany group,
competitors and all associated, something like
300 in total. I offer my sincere thanks to those
members (and non-members) who stood up on
competition days at Albany to help out with the
presentation of the events – without you, they
could not have happened. Through a
combination of death, illness and just plain bad
luck, a number of volunteers just could not turn
up on the day, so I was forced to scour the
crowd, and drivers whose car had just failed, to request assistance, and you blokes were so
gracious in accepting the challenge. I’m not going to name names lest I omit someone, but
you know who you are – I doffs me lid to youse! Of course there were a big heap of volunteer
officials who did appear, and you were no less appreciated. Gate takings (as a measure of
attendance) were up by about 10% on 2015, itself a record, entries were received from 175
people (some subsequently withdrew for various
reasons) for 204 total entries (Hillclimb and
RtHs), all records. The adjunct activities, the
Friday night event launch, the Saturday arvo
Parade out to Discovery Bay, and the Sunday
Parade, the Sunday night Dinner (94 attended)
were all highly successful. While we were
lollygagging in Albany I received notification
that the WA Government through Tourism WA,
will support the event in 2017, and the Mayor of
Albany publicly stated the on-going support of the City of Albany for “the Classic”, and
promoted the notion of a five-year support deal. All of this indicates that the event is
thriving, and has a real future, but it needs
members to put their hands up to assist with its
running – not just on the day next year, but now
– this event takes enormous effort to get where it
gets. If you’re not a competitor, here’s an
opportunity to be associated with the Albany
Classic Motor Event’s success in 2017.
Vince Monachino, Alfa Romeo Sprint
Rodney Cocks (Model A
Ford) climbing in the rain
John Webb took 2nd in his 911 Carrera