The Bend Classic
October 25-26, 2025
Pics by John Lemm
Weather Chaos & Classic Metal — The Bend Classic Delivers a Wild Weekend
The Bend Classic once again lived up to its growing reputation as one of the nation’s great historic and sports car gatherings — and this year, the big talking point was the weather. Sunshine one moment, crosswinds the next, and heavy rain sweeping through late in the day meant drivers were constantly guessing where the grip had gone.
With a strong interstate contingent swelling the already healthy South Australian entry list, the paddock was packed with everything from lightweight screamers to thunderous muscle cars. To keep things clean — and fair — the field was split into over-2-litre and under-2-litre grids, giving both classes their own spotlight across multiple sprint and race sessions.
First the Under 2 Litre Cars
Precision, Pace & Classic Spirit — Under 2 Litre Stars Shine at The Bend Classic
There’s something special about the Under 2 Litre Historic Touring Cars. They don’t always boast the biggest engines or loudest voices in the paddock — but when the track goes green, they deliver some of the purest racing on the program.
At The Bend Classic this year, the category served up a compelling mix of pace, grit, resilience and variety. Escorts, Minis, Alfas, Datsuns, BMWs, Volvos and Cortinas all shared the circuit — and rarely has the class looked stronger.
Across four races and a fiercely competitive qualifying session, three major themes emerged:
• The Escort was the benchmark
• The Minis never stopped attacking
• And when the Alfa stayed healthy — it could win
Qualifying — Allan & the Alfa set the tone
Saturday morning dawned cool and clear — perfect conditions for momentum cars on the International Circuit layout. And it was Queenslander Craig Allan who struck first, putting The Little Pool Co Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV on pole with a superb 2:17.8489.
Just 0.27s back, Josh Axford slotted the Ford Escort RS1600 onto the front row, while the Minis immediately showed their hand with Jason Armstrong topping the Cooper S brigade in third. It was the first sign that this class would be a three-way contest: Alfa finesse, Escort precision, Mini momentum.
Race 1 — Escort strikes first, Minis swarm the podium
Sunday morning’s first race delivered the weekend’s opening twist. Allan’s Alfa — so strong in qualifying — retired after five laps, clearing the road for the consistently quick Escort.
Axford seized the opportunity brilliantly, winning in 14:09.8709 and posting the fastest lap (2:18.8372).
Behind him, the Minis took centre stage. Jason Armstrong, Cono Onofaro and Paul Onofaro stacked up in formation, finishing 2nd–4th and proving just how potent the Cooper S remains in the right hands. The Volvo 142S, BMW 2002, Lotus Cortinas and Datsun brigade filled out a deep field — variety everywhere and racing right through the pack.
Race 2 — The Escort doubles up, Minis refuse to yield
The shorter, five-lap second race rewarded drivers who could switch on tyre temperature quickly — and once again the Escort was immaculate.
Axford won again, this time stopping the clock at 11:49.2270 with an even quicker 2:17.7335 fastest lap — the quickest tour of the weekend for the class.
With Armstrong eliminated from contention, the Minicraft Motorsport pairing of Paul and Cono Onofaro flew the Mini flag proudly, finishing 2nd and 3rd in another tight and controlled display.
Behind them, the BMW-Volvo-Datsun fight intensified — the kind of battle where every apex mattered. But the headline remained clear: Two races. Two wins. Escort flying.
Race 3 — Escort perfection, Alfa redemption
By midday Sunday the track was dry and fast — perfect for a five-lap sprint. And once again, Axford and the RS1600 looked untouchable, sealing a hat-trick of wins in 11:44.4491 and banking another fastest lap for good measure.
But the story behind the Escort was arguably just as compelling.
After Race 1 heartbreak, Craig Allan mounted a superb recovery — driving the Alfa Romeo smoothly and decisively through traffic to claim second place, restoring the Italian coupe to the sharp end where it clearly belonged.
The Minis again fought hard — Cono then Paul Onofaro finishing 3rd and 4th — while Vic Draper’s Datsun, Shaun Relf’s Volvo 142S and Kirk Davis’ BMW 2002 waged their own four-way battle of styles and engineering eras.
Race 4 Final — Alfa revenge as the Escort finally yields
The late-afternoon finale provided a closing chapter worthy of the script.
This time, the Alfa stayed strong. And when Allan got into rhythm, the red GTV was poetry in motion — flowing through the long, fast corners and turning a best lap of 2:23.4592 on the way to a deserved victory in 11:20.6923.
Axford, unbeaten up to this point, chased hard all the way to the flag — but had to settle for second, just over two seconds adrift. Three wins and a runner-up finish cemented the Escort’s status as the class benchmark.
Behind them, Draper’s Datsun, Relf’s Volvo and Colton’s Lotus Cortina staged a brilliant multi-marque scrap for the final podium spot, eventually resolved in Draper’s favour.
And then there was Cono Onofaro — who delivered the fastest lap of the race (2:22.8096) in the Mini, only to be hit with a 15-second penalty that dropped him to 14th on paper, despite top-ten pace on the road.
Frustrating for the team — but proof of just how quick the Cooper S still is when it hooks up.
Weekend Standouts
Josh Axford — The Benchmark
Three wins, four fastest-lap-class laps, relentless consistency. Escort. Driver. Package. Complete.
Craig Allan — The Comeback Story
Pole, heartbreak, podium, victory. The Alfa was fast from the first lap — and finally got the result it deserved.
The Minis — Small Cars, Big Presence
Armstrong, the Onofaros, Cheney, Forster — always in the fight, always entertaining, and never far from the podium.
Variety = Great Racing
Datsun 1600
Volvo 142S
BMW 2002
Lotus Cortina
Holden FJ
Each brought flavour — and fans loved it.
What Made This Class Special All Weekend
• Racecraft — not brute force — decided results
• Mechanical sympathy was rewarded
• Close competition existed across the grid — not just upfront
• Almost every car finished everything (until late attrition crept in)
This wasn’t survival racing.
It was pure touring-car craft.
Final Word — Old Cars, New Memories
As the sun dipped behind the main straight and transporters rolled out for the long interstate drives home, one thing was certain:
The Under 2 Litre class once again proved why it’s the heartbeat of historic touring car racing.
Fast.
Respectful.
Authentic.
And endlessly watchable.
At The Bend Classic, the category delivered four races filled with personality and precision — the kind of motorsport that feels as honest as the machinery itself.
And that’s why people keep coming back.
Now the Over 2 Litre big bangers
Thunder, Theatre & Touring-Car Soul
Some categories don’t just race — they set the soundtrack.
All weekend at The Bend Classic, the Over 2 Litre Historic Touring Cars supplied that soundtrack: Camaros barking, Mustangs howling, Falcons booming, Mazdas buzzing and Toranas singing — a rolling celebration of eras when metal was thick, engines were big, and styling had attitude.
And the racing?
As good as the noise.
Across four races, the battle fell beautifully into place:
Ford vs Chevrolet. Heavyweight vs heavyweight.
With one fearless Mazda refusing to be intimidated.
Qualifying
Qualifying for the Over 2 Litre Historic Touring Cars set the tone for the entire weekend. The session ran over 20 minutes on Saturday morning, and with the weather kind, the big cars — Camaros, Mustangs, Falcons, Monaros, Toranas, Chargers and one very fast Mazda — could let their engines breathe properly.
It didn’t take long for a pattern to emerge.
At the very sharp end, there was almost nothing between the three fastest cars. Behind them, the field fanned out into deeply competitive clusters — factory V8 muscle, classic six-cylinders, and the lighter “small-block” brigade all finding their place.
And yes — we’ll cover every single runner.
Pole Position — De Paoli puts the Camaro on top
Aldo De Paoli (Car 96) drew first blood for Chevrolet, hustling the NLS Fluid Solutions Camaro to a superb 2:09.0967 — set on his second flying lap.
It was a lap built on confidence through the fast corners and big braking stability. The time would stand as the benchmark — but only by the smallest of margins.
The Front Row — Tilley vs Tilley vs Camaro
Just 0.2436 seconds back, Jamie Tilley (Car 9) hurled the Tilley Racing Mustang to second with a 2:09.3403.
Then came Brad Tilley (Car 28) — another Tilley Mustang — in third at 2:09.7857.
Three cars.
Three laps separated by 0.689 seconds.
Two Mustangs. One Camaro.
This was going to be a weekend-long brawl.
Race 1 — Camaro strikes first
The opening six-lap sprint delivered the first major blow of the weekend. Aldo De Paoli (96) made the most of pole to steer the NLS Fluid Solutions Chevrolet Camaro to victory in 13:23.7581, setting the fastest lap at 2:10.2666 — a brisk marker that told Ford the fight would be serious.
The Tilley Racing Mustangs led the blue oval resistance — Jamie (9) second in 13:27.5938 and Brad (28) third in 13:42.9688.
Behind them came a wall of big-capacity theatre:
• Andrew Beard (86) — Camaro — 4th
• Ian Mewett (55) — Mustang — 5th
• Jason Humble (2) — Mazda RX-2 — 6th (the little hero already punching high)
Then the midfield muscle:
Meuleman (43) Mustang, Smith (69) Falcon GTHO, Wilkinson (189) Mustang, Stern (90) Mustang — all inside the top ten.
Further back, the classics rolled through with proper grit:
• Moyle (25) Camaro
• Wakefield (88) Mustang Coupe
• Gordon (45) Monaro
• Miles (16) Valiant Charger
• Miller (95) Camaro
• James (111) Capri
• Davidson (27) Valiant VG
…followed by Tobin (46) Mustang, Girvan (29) Torana GTR, R. Smith (125) Torana, Hepburn (59) NB Mustang, Trengrove (64) Mustang, Gobell (7) Torana XU-1, Sullivan (39) Mustang, and Hotchkin (4) Falcon XY GT.
Every starter. Every finisher. A beautiful thing.
Race 2 — Camaro again… but Mustang fires the warning shot
Race 2 followed the same script on paper — De Paoli winning again in 13:03.5867 — but the stopwatch told a different story.
Jamie Tilley finished barely a second back in 13:05.0077 — and this time he set the fastest lap of the race at 2:09.0329. The Mustang absolutely had the pace.
Brad Tilley banked another podium in third, followed by Mewett, Wilkinson, the flying Mazda RX-2 of Humble, and then:
• Adam Smith (69) Falcon
• Hibbert (71) Valiant VH
• Beard (86) Camaro
• Miles (16) Charger
Through midfield came Meuleman (43), Hepburn (59), James (111 Capri), Davidson (27) Valiant, Finemore (19) Mustang, Gobell (7) Torana, Wakefield (88) Mustang, Stern (90) Mustang, R. Smith (125) Torana, Trengrove (64) Mustang, and Hotchkin (4) Falcon GT.
Three DNFs hit late:
Gordon (Monaro), Tobin (Mustang), Girvan (Torana GTR).
The championship mood shifted.
Ford now knew it could win.
Race 3 — Mustang lands the punch
By Race 3, everyone had settled in. Drivers, cars, tyres — all in harmony. And finally, Jamie Tilley converted outright pace into victory — stopping the clock at 13:11.0461, with the fastest lap 2:09.3398.
De Paoli chased him home in second.
Brad made it Mustang 1-3 again.
Behind them, the Ford backbone stayed strong:
• Mewett (55) Mustang
• Wilkinson (189) Mustang
• Humble (2) Mazda RX-2 (still grinning through the revs)
Then came Hibbert (71), Beard (86), Miles (16), Stern (90), Meuleman (43), Hepburn (59), Wakefield (88), Finemore (19), Davidson (27) and Adam Smith (69).
Further back — James (111 Capri), Trengrove (64), R. Smith (125), Gobell (7) and Hotchkin (4) ticked off another clean finish.
Two DNFs:
Gordon (Monaro) & Tobin (Mustang).
Scorecard now read:
Camaro 2 — Mustang 1.
Momentum: Ford.
Race 4 — Mustang signs off on top
The finale felt calm. Experienced drivers. Fast cars. No desperation — just one last clean push.
Jamie Tilley delivered again — winning in 13:04.9849, with the fastest lap 2:09.2760.
De Paoli chased him home and Brad locked out another podium.
Then the little hero again:
Jason Humble’s Mazda RX-2 — 4th.
Followed by:
• Beard (86) Camaro
• Mewett (55) Mustang (carrying a small penalty — result unchanged)
• Hibbert (71) Valiant
• Miles (16) Charger
• Meuleman (43) Mustang
• Stern (90) Mustang (also penalised — no position change)
• Davidson (27) Valiant
• Finemore (19) Mustang
• Gobell (7) Torana XU-1
• James (111 Capri)
• Hepburn (59) Mustang
• R. Smith (125) — Torana
• Hotchkin (4) — Falcon XY GT
Two DNFs closed the book: Adam Smith (Falcon GTHO) and Wakefield (Mustang Coupe).
De Paoli also carried a time penalty — result unchanged.
Every Car. Every Driver. Every Bit of Soul
Ford Mustang
9 • 28 • 55 • 189 • 43 • 90 • 59 • 64 • 39 • 46 • 16 • 88 • 19 • 69 • 4 —
The backbone of the grid. Fast, loud, and endlessly charismatic.
Chevrolet Camaro
96 • 86 • 25 • 95 —
Big, bold, powerful — and absolutely in the hunt.
Mazda RX-2
2 —
The lightweight giant-killer. Brave. Precise. Cheered everywhere.
Falcon GT / GTHO
69 • 4 —
Thunderous heritage, lovingly driven.
Valiant & Charger
71 • 16 • 27 —
A proper Mopar presence — tough, stable, and spectacular.
Holden Torana & Monaro
7 • 29 • 125 • 45 —
Aussie touring-car DNA through and through.
Ford Capri 111 —
Light on weight. Heavy on style.
And one very happy paddock
Because none of this works without people who love the cars as much as the driving.
The Themes That Defined the Weekend
• Ford vs Chevrolet — pure, respectful rivalry
• Mazda RX-2 — maximum entertainment value
• Mopar — always in the fight
• Toranas & Capri — nimble, gritty, determined
• Clean racing — minimal drama, maximum enjoyment
• A soundtrack you feel in your chest
Final Word
By Sunday evening, as the sun dipped across the South Australian plains and the last V8 echoes rolled away from the main straight, it felt like the racing gods had delivered the perfect script:
Two wins apiece.
No cheap shots.
Just pure touring-car craftsmanship.
And honestly? That’s exactly how it should be.