Changes aplenty for 2008 Sportsclassic Rally - Brindabella Motor Sport Club

Matt Sosi · 03-03-2008, 07:42 PM

Members of the Nissan Datsun Drivers Club and Carlos Casmiri, owner of Sportsclassic Cars Pty Ltd, kindly invite all competitors, officials, service crews and spectators to the 2008 Sportsclassic Rally, formerly known as the Oberon Rally.

The 2008 event, the 24th running of the event, is to be held on the Saturday 12th April 2008 is the second round of the following series:

CAMS NSW Clubman Rally Championship

PCD Engineering ACT Regional Rally Series

ACRA NSW Classic Rally Championship

Awards will be presented to competitors in all series in which they are eligible for . For the ACRA NSW Classic Rally Championship, there will be awards for Classic as well as Historic cars.

Past winners of the Sportsclassic Rally (Oberon Rally) have included former NSW CAMS Clubman champions Brett Wright and Warren Ridge, multiple ACT Rally Champions, Trevor and John Stilling, current owner of PCD Engineering Phil Donahue as well as veterans of the sport such as Frank Neale and Karl Willett.

The 2008 Sportsclassic Rally will consist of eleven (11) stages covering 294km, with approximately 125km competitive in the pine forests surrounding the township of Black Springs, 20kms south of Oberon. There will be one central service park located in Black Springs.

Two stages to be used have not seen a rally car on them for 8 years and these roads are in superb shape. It does not matter if you are in a 2WD or 4wd vehicle, the roads will suit all types of vehicles.

The stages consist of smooth forestry trails recently upgraded from recent logging operations through to technical sections in amongst the pines with minimal humps used.

Another inclusion is the close proximity of the main spectator point, approximately 7km to the north west of Black Springs. Here you will see cars on three different roads from the one spot, and best of all, it is FREE!!

After listening to competitors concerns for the past few years, the 2008 Sportsclassic Rally will start at 10.30am at Black Springs and the last car finishing back at the Oberon Leagues Club at approximately 7.00pm. This will minimise the dust issue that had caused problems to everyone in the past.

The Oberon Rotary Club will also be on hand in Black Springs for food as well as the General Store in Black Springs. But remember, there is no fuel available so you will need to ensure you have plentiful of supplies.

At the end of the 2008 Sportsclassic Rally, you could either stay in Oberon for the night, camp down at Black Springs or return home. The Leagues club has agreed to put a BBQ on for us, as well as make available a licensed bar, so even if you spend a short time back in Oberon, it will be appreciated.

With the early start on Saturday, the organisers have made Documentation and Scruitneering available on Friday night at Black Springs. However, it is highly recommended that competitors get regionally scruitneered by an accredited S3 scruitneer prior to the event.

The last thing to mention is we need officials to run the event. Remember no officials, no rally. So if you are not competing and would like to assist, please let Matthew Sosimenko know on 0413 727 257 or via email at oberonrally@nddc.com.au

For further information on the 2008 Sportsclassic Rally, please contact Graham Humphreys on 0409 126 308.

Regards
Matt

Matt Sosi · 03-03-2008, 08:02 PM

On a side note to this, two ACT people, the Walkers and Julie Lucas has agreed to be Stage Commanders for this event. If officiating, let me know on email which stage you would like to be part off and I will accomodate your needs.

Regards
Matt

heyehy · 03-03-2008, 08:35 PM

where is everyone staying for oberon? I am not sure where to stay, and would like to be with some famailiar faces, as well as close by for a drink after the event.

cheers

Byron

TKM · 03-03-2008, 09:04 PM

If you can afford motel accomodation, the Big Trout is popular (but I don't think we can return there after Tristan's effort last year).

Otherwise the cabins at the caravan park are pretty good value (probably where we'll stay if we can find a service crew).

When will the regs be out Sosi?

heyehy · 03-03-2008, 09:18 PM

thanks TKM. I do remember the big trout now, i stayed there when navving for haggers.

sounds like the caravan park moight be the go tho.

Byron

Jme · 03-03-2008, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Sosi

Past winners of the Sportsclassic Rally (Oberon Rally) have included former NSW CAMS Clubman champions Brett Wright and Warren Ridge, multiple ACT Rally Champions, Trevor and John Stilling, current owner of PCD Engineering Phil Donahue as well as veterans of the sport such as Frank Neale.

Dad won Oberon 33 years after he won the Clubman Series...

At a guess Peter Grindrod and Kari Dirickx may have won the event twice... maybe even Urquhart as well. Rod Salman got up one year.

Matt Sosi · 04-03-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TKM

When will the regs be out Sosi?

The event regs have been submitted to CAMS, so the answer Mark will be shortly. They will be posted here once they are released.

Regards
Matt

Matt Sosi · 04-03-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jme

At a guess Peter Grindrod and Kari Dirickx may have won the event twice... maybe even Urquhart as well. Rod Salman got up one year.

I was looking at competitors who have won Oberon and have won the NSW Clubman Championship outright - I have the trophy at home at the time of writing.

And the reason why your father is in there was to show the guys from ACRA that even people from the OBC can still win events. It is round 2 of that championship.

Regards
Matt

Jme · 05-03-2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Sosi

the reason why your father is in there was to show the guys from ACRA that even people from the OBC can still win events.

Yeah I see what you are doing Sosi... it's a good read. I don't think Frank will have a car for Oberon, but will probably be sitting in with AMSAG cross-over Scott Kuhner- who may surprise some with his speed.

ACT series PT and TS will represent the OBC well in the Corolla v Ray Day v Mark Kent etc

Clubman will be Shab, Mel Mazzei, Myself, Newman, Scott Jackson (great drive at Narooma) maybe Inall will be back after the roll.

Adam Casmiri (WRX?) will no doubt have a run, and a few AMSAG'ers have suggested they might turn up as well.

Who else?

KPW · 05-03-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jme

Dad won Oberon 33 years after he won the Clubman Series...

At a guess Peter Grindrod and Kari Dirickx may have won the event twice... maybe even Urquhart as well. Rod Salman got up one year.

Jme · 05-03-2008, 06:31 PM

Maybe KW won it as well... funny I can only seem to remember the events KW has lost due to mechanical failure whilst leading.

Although there was the 01 Natcap where he got home.... the top 7 were separated by just over a minute. That was a great rally- swapped and changed from start to finish. Shaw, B Barker, Sandy, Craig Neale, KW, Louie?? and Giddo?? I think.

One of the best battles at Oberon was Mark Thompson in the Excel trying to hold off the Crokers in Dato's for the ARN Junior Challenge. I can recall DNFing early and watching them come up Dingo Rd in the night. Awesome- I reckon Thommo went top 3 that rally.

KPW · 05-03-2008, 06:58 PM

I won it in '98. The only time I've run there I think? Tim Drake might remember, I think he was in the silly seat? Maybe not?

NatCap 01 we stripped reverse early in the event and I was waiting for the box to blow up with all the bits floating around in it. Then my esteemed team manager, Wayne Kenny, Rally of Canberra clerk of course, told me at the start of the last stage we were leading by 40 seconds (co-driver had no clue where we were). I did the stage and didn't back off too much, which was just as well...Giddo was actually only 8 seconds behind us... we took 4 off him on the last stage to win by 12. I was bloody lucky to get away with that...I could well have backed off and dropped that 8 seconds. But yeah, great rally, it was all happening.

Sorry Sos, hijacked your thread.