WozzTopia

The Winter Classic Trial and Tour, formerly the Winter Classic Rally and Winter Classic Rally and Tour, is a 3 day multi club event run by Ballarat Light Car Club inc., on the last weekend of August each year. With a 13 year history the event has become a regular for many competitors. The Winter Classic is a Tarmac only event (making it suitable for all types of vehicles) consisting of a Trial or Tour and good number of Driving Tests over the 3 days. The event is set around areas of the Central Highlands and includes some challenging and picturesque scenery.

The Winter Classic Trial and Tour has continually evolved over the last 13 years with this year being no different. Competitors this year were given a choice to enter the full event eg. trial or tour and driving tests or driving tests only. After several years of maintaining the Winter Classic website the new option of competing in the driving tests only, not to mention the reduced price. I was contacted by long time friend and fellow BLCC member Mick, who asked if I was interested in being co-driver for him in his Subaru on the Sunday only. My instant response was h**l yes! To my utter delight after a night to think on it just Sunday soon turned into the whole 3 days.

After a couple of days madly trying to organise my club membership renewal, a helmet, and a CAMS license, the event finally kicked off Friday night the 26th of August at the Ballarat Show Grounds with 3 fast paced laps under lights. What a way to be initiated into motor sport, although I am a long time BLCC member this was the first real event I had participated in.

Saturday saw us at Victoria Park Ballarat for an almost 2.5 km dash through the big old Oak trees. It is good to see the return of Victoria Park to the Winter Classic repertoire after several years. A few chicanes, dog leg turns and a stop, reverse, go kept the speed down on this track for competitors safety. From here we had a couple of hours to fill while the other entrants did their Trial or tour before we had to be at Myrniong for an uphill (not a hill climb) test of about 1.4 km that was all over in under 50 seconds for some competitors.

Next it was back to Ballarat for some more tests including the old favorite the bus park at Morshead Park, the FMP car park and a new test at Villiers Drive Wendouree that was well received by all. Sadly this test saw Rob P hit the gutter, pushing his front right wheel back and well out of alignment, causing the early retirement of this car from the running, but it was good to see Rob pull up in his road car on Sunday morning intent on finishing the event.

Sunday started off with a slightly shortened heart starter run around the car park of Bartlett Blinds, due to a few items being left out in the proposed test track. Next it was off to Clunes for another uphill run up Scenic Drive. This was a great test starting at a creek crossing with a family fishing just metres from the start line. This series of tests proved somewhat eventful for Mick and me with the Subaru jumping out of first gear on one run and totally demolishing the finish garage on another. (see video)

Back to Ballarat Sunday afternoon for our final series of tests starting off in Old Creswick Road for a fast run around Anchor Drive – Golden Crescent that nearly saw the withdrawal of Mick’s car from a strange shudder and noise in the left rear. Next was a tight Motorkhana style test on the car park of the Wendouree Pool. After just a few seconds on this test Mick made the decision to withdraw because of the vibration again.

While driving to the last test location at Villiers Drive Mick decides the car works well in a straight line and when turning left, we’re back in baby! We then head back to the previous test to put a time on the board and then to the final test site that just happened to be predominantly left handers. The car went well and let us put 2 final times on the board.

What a weekend! I can’t believe how much fun we had and the camaraderie with other competitors was great. I can’t wait for next year, maybe I’ll see what else I can do between now and then.