Castrol 78/79 highlights on ABC2 March 13 & 14

[TK]

For those with access to Digital TV, Late Night Legends on ABC2 are broadcasting highlights of the Castrol Internationals on March 13 & 14.
Here's the info from their website:

March 13 – 6 Hour Production Race 1978/Rally

In 1978, the bikes were revving for the Six Hour Production Race at Sydney's Amaroo Park.
Before the motors cool down, we head to the 1978 International Rally.

March 14 – International Rally 1979/81

In this episode Late Night Legends revisits the 1979 Castrol International Rally, which took place in Canberra, and The Descent On The Mountain from 1981.

[Factor]

Thnaks for that - I look forward to seeing both

[TKM]

sh it yeh

[Factor]

Bump - reminder

[Factor]

How good was that!

The bike race was an eye opener - how little safety stuff there was how crappy the track was, and the riders and the bikes. I had a xs1100 as police bike back in the day, and rememeber getting overtaken on the road between Toowoomba and warwick by 2 Honda sixes in the week before the race, they were running them in with a quick road trip.

As for the rally - see the spectators - particularly at the mineshaft? and the cars sound, and some of the dodgy haircuts. And the A-B timing was actually good having been now reminded of it. Cleaning stages and copping maximums. All good stuff. Though the codriving was a little dodgy.

Its on again tonight or tomorrow night if you missed it.

[TK]

Originally Posted by Factor

How good was that!

As for the rally - see the spectators - particularly at the mineshaft? and the cars sound, and some of the dodgy haircuts. And the A-B timing was actually good having been now reminded of it. Cleaning stages and copping maximums. All good stuff. Though the codriving was a little dodgy.

Its on again tonight or tomorrow night if you missed it.

..and the "documentary" style of the coverage...nice shot of Old Parl House in action, logging, minting etc, and there just isn't enough Bush Band action at the starting ceremonies at rallies these days.

A couple of interesting points about the actual event:
* Who saw themselves ?!?
* That first day was pretty damn wet
* Dunko in the Datto Ute "prototype" vehicle...obviously a precursor to Group N(P)
* Where are those "6-lane wide freeway" dirt roads? Where was the "between the tyres" autocross track - next to the airport by the looks of it?
* The Mineshaft actually looked like a mineshaft - rutted and with the lip/jump on exit.
* I assume the creek crossing they showed was Condor Creek - plenty of speccies out in the wet late at night to watch that one.

[Swill]

Bike number 26 was a Ric Cary...?

[ladderman]

Originally Posted by TK

* Where are those "6-lane wide freeway" dirt roads? Where was the "between the tyres" autocross track - next to the airport by the looks of it?
* The Mineshaft actually looked like a mineshaft - rutted and with the lip/jump on exit.
* I assume the creek crossing they showed was Condor Creek - plenty of speccies out in the wet late at night to watch that one.

The 6 lane job looked to me like the northern edge of Kowen.

The autocross track was the old Motorkhana Ground on Majura Road opposite the northern end of the airport runway. (Who remembers the dawn motorkhanas?)

100% pretty sure the creek was Condor.

I'm sure some of the old school will be along shortly to fully clarify these issues. I didn't get to a Castrol until '81 I think - with Carr vs Fury on the streets of Fadden).

79 Castrol is on tonight. That's the 40 Split Seconds one with Vatanen: "You must help!".

The best part of the show last night was the sound....

Roy...

[Rallyray]

What is the main difference with A-A timing A-B timing?

[DaveTrees]

Originally Posted by Rallyray

What is the main difference with A-A timing A-B timing?

Thats a whole thread in itself ... if you want the lowdown on it, PM me ....

[Matt Sosi]

Originally Posted by ladderman

79 Castrol is on tonight. That's the 40 Split Seconds one with Vatanen: "You must help!".
Roy...

Uh sorry, according to my tape, 40 split seconds is the 1980 Castrol International.

Anyway, it was interesting to watch. The first part, the six lane highway looked like parts of Fernside Way in Kowen. The creek crossing was Condor Creek.

On the second day, the jumping grid is Greenhills West which unfortunately is no longer used. Before they showed the cars going over the mineshaft at the hairpin, it looked like Cottage 5. Hyles was shown; the dead give away was that gum tree which is still there after the fires. The two causeways shown looked like Vanity's and the other was down at the bottom of the hill going back towards the Pierces Creek settlement, at the turnoff to Pierces Humps via Willow Flat.

Regards
Matt

[Matt Sosi]

BTW, anyone by chance recorded the program through Foxtel IQ last night? I would like to have a copy to add to my collection and will pay for costs. PM if you can do this.

Matt

[Paul]

Yeah so would a hundred others Sosi.

The jumping grid is still there but it down near Castrol corner.

Some of the other roads I noticed where the Gorge road with it's hairpins and Fernside way.

Oh and if you look closely enough I think the young gentleman on the left of Greg on the back of the trailer is a very young JW.

[rowdytoot]

I was going to go to bed, but I'm going to stay up and watch it!

Rowds

[baldrick250]

That's got the bug going again. Now bring on Rally of Otago with Darryn Snooks and Geoff Portman, I'm goning be in heaven in april. Now all i have to do is not make webber carb noises all night.



Brad