Massive field set for Formula Ford celebrations at Phillip Island
This weekend a field of 56 Historic Formula Ford cars will celebrate the category's 50th Anniversary at Phillip Island for the largest Historic Race Meeting in the Southern Hemisphere. Competitors from all over the country will be joined by six international drivers, who will be flying in from the U.K. and New Zealand. Renowned historic competitor Andy Newall will this year be headlining the U.K contingent aboard a Palliser FF. Newall will share the circuit with fellow British drivers Don Boyack, Mark de Rozarieux and Oliver White. White is here for his second outing Down Under, after winning the Historic Formula Ford races in support of the 2018 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour last year. New Zealander Henry Kircher will be the only Kiwi racing at the Island this year, after a big contingent crossed the Tasman to race at Phillip Island in 2018. Kircher's car has been living in Australia ever since and the Kiwi is planning on doing more racing in Australia in 2019. Last but not least is Melbourne-based American competitor George Thornton. George will be steering his Australian-based RF86 Van Diemen.
This event will be all about celebrating the long history of the category in Australia. Cole Spender will be participating in the event aboard a Spender Lynx that his father, Phil Spender, built in New Zealand in 1971. Phil will also have a steer of his old car during the Regularity events at Phillip Island. Among the Aussies, a few names will ring a bell to the general public. Richard Davison, son of the late Lex Davison and father of Will and Alex, will be racing his RF89 Van Diemen, alongside his niece Claire Greig, who will be the only woman in the field aboard her Reynard FF84. Former Australian Formula Ford Champions David Roberts and Tim Blanchard will join the 50+ car field aboard a Swift FB89 and an RF88 Van Diemen, respectively. Tim, who's now retired from his full-time Supercars career, is expected to race at various Formula Ford events this year. The Blanchard family is a strong supporter of the category, with Tim's brother Harri racing in another RF88 Van Diemen over the weekend at Phillip Island. This year the VHRR (promoter of the event) have allocated more track time to Formula Fords, with a parade lap and a longer, "trophy race", to be held on Sunday afternoon. Various cars will be presented during the parade lap, with John Bowe, Larry and Terry Perkins, Tim Blanchard and David Roberts confirmed to take part in the parade. The trophy race on Sunday will mark the beginning of a new perpetual trophy, the "Perkins Cup". Both Larry and Terry Perkins won the TAA Formula Ford Driver To Europe Series in the 1970s and will be at Phillip Island on Sunday to award the winner of the final race with the trophy. The weekend celebrations will kick off on Friday with qualifying and race one, followed by another four races on Saturday and Sunday. General public admission prices: Friday $30.00 Saturday $35.00 Sunday $45.00 2-day (Fri/Sat) $50.00 2-day (Sat/Sun) $70.00 Weekend (3-day) $95.00 Pensioner concession $5.00 off each of above fees For any further information regarding this event, please feel free to contact our VHRR category representative.
Formula Ford schedule for the weekend: Friday Qualifying - 11:05AM Race 1 - 3:05PM Saturday Race 2 - 10:50AM Race 3 -2:35PM Sunday Race 4 -9:10AM Trophy race "Perkins Cup" - 12:25PM
Formula Ford Entry List: #1 Andy Newall (UK) - Palliser #2 Andrew McInness (Vic) - Van Diemen RF89 #3 Richard Davison (Vic) - Van Diemen RF89 #4 John Greig (Vic) - Reynard FF82 #6 Todd Willing (Vic) - Reynard FF82 #7 Jeremy Mantello (Vic) - Van Diemen RF86 #8 David Roberts (QLD) - Swift FB89 #10 Henry Thomas-Kircher (NZ) - Ray FF87 #12 Ian Edgar (Vic) - Lola T642A #13 Paul McMahon (WA) - Van Diemen RF88 #14 Steve Willing (Vic) - Swift FB89 #17 Adam Berryman (Vic) - Van Diemen RF86 #18 Lyndon Arnel (Vic) - Lola T440 #21 Tim Blanchard (Vic) - Van Diemen RF88 #22 Norm Vesty (NSW) - Zink Z10 #22 Glen Woodforde (SA) - Reynard FF83 #23 Bo Jensen (SA) Van Diemen RF89 #26 George Thornton (US) - Van Diemen RF86 #30 Andrew Lamrock (Vic) - Reynard #32 Jacob Bonisch (Vic) - Crossle 32F #33 Claire Greig (Vic) - Reynard FF84 #35 Warwick Foletta (Vic) - Van Diemen RF75 #36 Don Boyack (UK) - Van Diemen RF89 #39 Mark Brunning (Vic) - Elfin 620B #41 Neil Richardson (SA) - Van Diemen RF89 #42 Harrison Blanchard (Vic) - Van Diemen RF88 #46 Phil Oaks (NSW) - Elfin 600 #47 Adrian Wilkinson (Vic) - Van Diemen RF89 #48 Patrick Mullins (SA) - Van Diemen RF86 #49 Eric Bellamy (Vic) - Wren 3 #50 David Grant (NSW) - Reynard #51 Jonathan Miles (Vic) - Van Diemen RF89 #53 Nicholas Bennett (Vic) - Elfin 600 #55 Raymond Stubber (WA) - Royale RP31M #57 Cole Spender (Vic) - Spender Lynx #58 Mark de Rozarieux (UK) - Van Diemen RF88 #60 John Van Leeuwen (WA) - Van Diemen RF80 #65 Robert Surman (SA) - Van Diemen RF87 #70 Phil Marrinon (Vic) - Galloway HG5 #72 Anthony Mann (Vic) - Van Diemen RF86 #73 Graeme Degotardi (Vic) - Bowin P6F #80 Ewan Geals (Vic) - Lola T644 #81 Simon Matthews (WA) - Royale RP29 #87 Jeffrey Sorensen (NSW) - Streaker Ford FF01 #88 Andrew Nethercote (Vic) - Reynard FF87 #94 Paul Faulkner (Vic) - Crossle 32F #95 Will Faulkner (Vic) - Van Diemen RF86 #100 Daniel Holihan (NSW) - Swift DB1 #117 Craig Degotardi (Vic) - Elfin 600 #177 Oliver White (UK) - Reynard FF89 #188 David Brennan (Vic) - Van Diemen Piper #221 Frederick Frech (NSW) - Crossle 32F #330 Frank Harris (Vic) - Van Diemen RF86 #342 Kevin Kosa (Vic) - Lola 340/342 #416 Andrew Barron (Vic) - Van Diemen RF73 #783 John Flint (Vic) - Lola T440
