mazda RX2

Hot fields and hotter weather ensured the 2024 Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport, the biggest historic race meeting in the southern hemisphere, would be one to remember. While the recent resurfacing promised a potential fall in lap records the brutal (and very rare) hot northerly wind would have something to say about that. The JUST CARS racers would also be having rolling starts for the first time…

Although historic tourers fielded 15 cars for Round 1 of the VSCRC, Feb 17/18, they were lumped in with the HQs in a 26 car field. Six Camaros, four Mustangs and a lone Falcon GTHO made the contingent power heavy, with three Cortinas and a Mini ready for a four-way four-cylinder fight. Many racers were saving themselves and cars for the Island Classic just three weeks away…

Apart from major historic events, November’s Island Magic meeting has established itself as the most popular meeting of the year. Aside from three Cortinas and a Mini, muscle dominated the 33-car entry – twenty V8s, two Chargers, two Toranas and three Mazda RX2s, with six from interstate.

Victoria’s sunny spring smiled on the Island all weekend, to make the Just Cars historic touring car big banger battles all the more enjoyable. New race formats based on elapsed time rather than laps were in place at this Round 5 of the Victorian State Series, this time run by the Victorian Mini Club.