Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Monthly Meeting
    • Join the Club
    • Stay informed
    • Membership Application
  • Events
    • Current Events
    • Day Run Sign On Form
    • Articles
    • Lotus 2019
  • DTC
    • 2021
      • DTC Live Results – March 2021
      • DTC Live Results – Feb 2021
    • DTC Results Archive
    • DTC Entry
    • DTC Articles
  • Calendar
  • For Sale
    • Classifieds
    • Merchandise
  • Technical
    • Expert Panel
    • Model Info
    • Driving
      • Paul Stokell’s Driving Events
    • Autokhana Layouts
  • Links
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Video Links
    • Lotus Racing
    • Lotus Cortinas
      • Lotus Cortina Articles
      • Lotus Cortina Videos
  • Galleries
    • All Galleries
      • Gallery 2020
      • Gallery 2019
      • Gallery 2018
      • Gallery 2017
      • Gallery 2016
      • Gallery 2015
      • Gallery 2014
      • Gallery 2013
      • Gallery 2012
      • Gallery 2011
      • Gallery 2010
      • Gallery pre-2010
    • Articles
  • Magazine
    • Magazine 2021
    • Magazine 2020
    • Magazine 2019
    • Magazine 2018
    • Magazine 2017
    • Magazine 2016
    • Magazine 2015
    • Magazine 2014
    • Pre-2014
      • Magazine 2013
      • Magazine 2012
      • Magazine 2011
      • Magazine 2010
      • Magazine 2009
leyburn-banner

Historic Leyburn Sprints 2019

Words and pics by Shane Murphy.

This year’s event was a dual celebration, the 24th anniversary of the Sprints and the 70th anniversary of the Australian Grand Prix, run in 1949 on an ex war time airfield just outside the town of Leyburn.

With over 200 cars entered, 2019 was a fantastic affair with a vast and divergent range of competition cars, show cars and historic caravans.

A bit of history for the Murphy’s as well. In 1949 Jen’s dad and grandfather were present at the original Grand Prix, we still have a copy of the original program in our family archives. In 2000 we travelled to Leyburn, located the original airfield, which was not easy to locate, stumbling on the stone monument.

For a couple of years I have wanted to compete. This year the stars aligned and, encouraged by Phil Hart and Jason McGarry, I made the trek to the Southern Downs.

What a cracker of a weekend, the town of Leyburn (pronounced Leeburn) turned it on with huge crowds, plenty of sunshine, celebrities of the calibre of Kevin (Big Rev) Bartlett, Dick Johnson, John French, Colin Bond, Don Holland, Bob Holden, our own Paul Stokell mingling with the crowd and enjoying an adventure into grass roots competition. Queensland Rugby League great Shane Webcke was also a crowd favourite, gladly posing for pics and enjoying the vibe.

Phil and Gail Hart jumped the gun, arriving at Leyburn by 7.30 am on the Friday morning and pegged out a vast pit area for the troops to follow.

Our crew consisted of Phil and Gail Hart (Porsche GT3), Stephen Foss (Westfield XTR2), Rod and Narelle McCray (Porsche 911SC), Bruce and Gail Absolon (Porsche 911 Turbo S), Bob Hamilton (Ford XW Falcon GTHO), Paul and Louis Stokell (Lotus Exige), Jason McGarry (Caterham R300/420R) and Shane and Jen Murphy (Lotus Seven). A united nation of cars, British, German with a bit of Japanese Hayabusa mixed in for good value.

Scrutineering went well, but don’t mention the seat belts and all was cool, literally, until on Saturday morning Steve’s Westfield would not fire and despite a new battery, multiple attempts at fiddling with the wiring loom and other complexities, Steve never managed to get it started and sat out the event – a real bugger. Even Steve’s mother and brother, while offering all manner of sage advice could not coax the Westy into life.

Louis Stokell managed to collect five huge bags full of plastic bottles over the weekend, well on the way to purchasing his first Lamborghini. Well done Louis.

The Southern Downs is gripped by a severe drought, and the region is dry and dusty and looking pretty forlorn. Kangaroos were everywhere hunting out a feed; just ask Rod and Bruce who had to navigate a big Skippy who thought it would be fun to cross the track mid run – a couple of very close shaves.

The track is a lot of fun. Six corners, five of them right angle bends, the final corner being a big left hander sweeping onto the finish line. All you have to do is miss the big hay bales and all is good, and it was for our team, although throughout the weekend a few of the competitors sadly cleaned up the bales, resulting mainly with dented pride and bent mudguards.

Winners are grinners of course, and after seven runs, four on Saturday and three on Sunday, the scoreboard was very complimentary to our group.

Yours truly placed first in the Historic Racing and Sports Cars – Group O (non log book) with a blistering time of 55.832 seconds; Bob Hamilton finished ninth in class in his spectacular GTHO; Paul Stokell finished first in class and seventh outright; Rod McCray was third; Phil Hart and Bruce Absolon were first and second in the Modern Sports Car Class over 3,500 cc and Jason McGarry placed a brilliant second in the Modern Clubman class.

A great all-round weekend, highly recommended, lets get a big team of Lotus for 2020.

190820-Replica-Program
2000-crowd-scene-spot-the-young-Murphys
2000-Start-Line
Jen-and-Sam-Murphy-At-the-original-GP-Track-Airfield
Monument-at-the-original-Track-Airfield
IMG_3687
IMG_0031
IMG_0053
IMG_0055
IMG_0056
IMG_0032
IMG_0058
IMG_0029
IMG_0039
IMG_0057
IMG_3693
IMG_0068
IMG_0080
IMG_0082
190820-Track-Map
190820-2019-Program
[Show thumbnails]
Key Fob Fun & Games Historic Qld Race Meeting Warwick 2019

Related Posts

Elan S2 Greg Test Driving

Articles, Lotus Cars, Technical

The rebuild of my 1965 Lotus Elan S2 SE

gear-banner

Events, Gallery 2020, Homepage, Lotus Cortina, Racing

GEAR Club Nov 2020

dtc-banner

DTC, Events

DTC – 28th March 2021

Random images

img_1093
DSC_5342
Ploughman's Lunch
Ploughman's Lunch
IMGP2257
Morning_Tea_stop_Canungra
2006_08_27_Gympie_Skid_Pan0055
2006_08_27_Gympie_Skid_Pan0090
P1010421
IMG_4893
main-1
Sharing-thoughts-
Geoff-in-his-Honda-powered-Elise
Jan-main-20
Carolyn,Jenny-and-Chris
Fire-at-Camp
image_073
IMG_7394
IMG_8569
IMG_0514
P8310110
P8310154
168_168
20090822_091
DSC_1537
36_MG_2552
09d
15d
IMG_5063
IMG_5065
Aug_F02_2393a
lot_020
image_103
image_210
121_2145_IMG
121_2195_IMG
122_2201_IMG
122_2205_IMG
IMG_7659
IMG_8727
IMG_4273
IMG_0007
IMG_0023
Stearman_Toowoomba
Waiting_for_the_bus_Yackandandah
zephyr-wagon
8-Lotus-vs-Holden
MG_6518
13-King-Parrot
Keith
Brad-talks-tools
11-Loti-at-the-Cafe
George-Rowes-Lotus11-overall-winner
DS7_3470_full
Cat 'n' Seven
Marshall Tony
Exige_pic1
Timers
An Indian feast
20161105_073640
20170424_133300_001
elan-mkII
Martin and Syd
Tyre Time
Daryl-Morton's-Mini-1
Keith, Dick and Daryl
A Pair of Clowns
Garry-James
gw_Greg
20180415_122738
Day-of-the-long-shadows
DTC-Pits
Bling-on-the-landscape_gw
Mt-Cotton-1975
IMG_3503
Photo-28-11-20-8-10-23-pm
Packed and Ready
Sizing-up-the-competition
main-3
main-4
John and Penny
Getting-ready-for-the-home-run
Phil and Daryl
Fraser1
winner-bill-blackmore-plus2
Sam Murphy
Assorted goodies_gw
Daryl & DTC Champion, Dick_gw
Dick and Luke
20181111_144442
IMGP8370
_MG_9900 as Smart Object-1
steve-01
joe's-1947-alfa-6
IMG_6185
Pat
main-74
Steve and Paul
181111 Cover
IMAG6133

Recent Articles

  • The rebuild of my 1965 Lotus Elan S2 SE
  • GEAR Club Nov 2020
  • EMR to Mt Glorious 05/01/2021
  • December Day Run
  • DTC – 28th March 2021
  • Noosa Summer Hillclimb 2020
  • Interclub Challenge MGCCQ – Hillclimb Round
  • Off-street parking in Cairns

Latest Gallery Images

The-Europas Shanes-Seven Europas-new-and-old Daryls-Seven Daryl-manning-the-timing IMG_20200621_104957

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios