Qualifying didn’t get off the best of starts with an incident not long into the session, with a significant oil spill that caused the session to be red flagged without most of the files completing a lap.

The much-hyped all-Mini Challenge, ‘The Ted Brewster Trophy’ was always going to be a big deal, much as the all-Cortina race had done the previous year. Guns from SA, Tas and NSW plus a strong Vic base formed a 23-car grid facing the drop of the Australian flag for six torrid laps.

Only nine entrants braved the Phillip Island weather in mid May for Round 3 of the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships. Michael Miceli’s Boss 302 Fastback Mustang was still on a high from Bathurst the month before and took pole, half a second ahead of the Camaros of Trever Talbot and Geoff Munday.

The mid-April pilgrimage from Victoria to Australia’s magic mountain of motorsport saw eight of the faithful on the long haul up the map.

The THR Developments Historic Touring Car Cup, part of Autosport All-Historic Mallala, attracted 28 entries, but lost five of them during Friday’s practice and qualifying due to a spate of engine failures.

It was the turn of historic touring cars to be rostered down to one group in 2025, but with more than 30-pus cars from all over Australia (only the NT was missing) and polenty of depth and variety it was great racing throughout the field.