Historic Road Race Nationals head to Wakefield Park
Goulburn’s Wakefield Park Raceway will be visited by the Australian Historic Road Racing Championship on the weekend of the 9th-12th of November, with a huge variety of historic racing machinery to be on display and out on track.
In what will be one of the largest race meetings ever held at the venue, Wakefield Park will host races for motorcycles ranging from Period 2 (from as early as 1920) through to Period 6 (up to 1990) across a four-day extravaganza. Iconic bike brands of history will all be represented, including Indian, Norton, Matchless, Ducati, Triumph, Honda, BSA and Harley Davidson.
Aussie road race mainstay, Chas Hern explained why he loves the Australian Historic Road Racing Championships:
Chas Hern
“I won both classes last year in Period 5 and 6 at Symmons Plains in Tasmania. I was on the F1 Harris Honda in the P5 class and the period 6 I was on the Yamaha FJ1200 – the same bikes as last year. I haven’t raced at Wakefield since 2011 so I will be regrouping and learning my lines again, looking for those braking zones and apexes. So it will be a bit of work throwing a 200+ kilogram monster around the tight and twisty circuit. We will be running supersport tyres because we can’t run slicks! The historic has a massive following as a road race discipline because it is so inclusive.
“Everyone and anyone can join in no matter what kind of bike you are interested in. I just think that you get more spectators to these events than the more corporate racing events. Its still got the friendly and open atmosphere that other forms of high level motorsport holds. Also, its generational. A lot of people racing are third, fourth or even fifth generation motorcycle racers who have been passed the torch down and bikes from father to son and so on.
“With modern bikes that run in series like the Australian Superbikes, the engines will last a season before they need to be torn down, but most parts for historic bikes are obsolete, unavailable or need to be made from scratch, so there is quite a high level of pride, skill and workmanship involved in maintaining them. There is quite a lot of money tied up in the bikes an most are worth more than modern day bikes.
“Usually we see the likes of Alex Phillis, Beau Beaton on the Vincents, and Aaron Morris who is always competitive. It’s almost like an ASBK a few yeas ago. The bikes are more relatable to the audience and are cult classic’s like Suzuki RGV’s, Honda CB’s, Vincents, Triumphs. So it’s great to see some of Australia’s best riders on fantastic machines!”
Matt Baragwanath – Operations manager of Wakefield Park
“We are expecting around the three thousand strong crowd and we have been advertising quite heavily. Currently we have around 250 entries and are expecting around 380 bikes all up, which is quite healthy. Last year, the event was run in Tasmania and saw a very strong competitor field in the idyllic location of Symmons Plains in Launceston. In 2016, the Historic Road Race Championship was held at South Australia’s Mallala and 2015 it was Lakeside Park Raceway in Queensland.”
Spectator entry fees are $40 for a three day pass, $10 for Friday, $20 for Saturday or Sunday and camping is available through the venue.
If you wish to learn more of the 2017 Australian Historic Road Racing Championship at Wakefield Park Raceway, please visit their website at www.wakefieldpark.com.au (link).
