AN enormous field of classic Sports Cars from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s will take to Mount Panorama this week for the Group S Classic Sports Car support races at the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Group S covers the racing of historic production sports cars. But unlike most other categories in historic motor sport, Group S cars do not need to have a racing history nor are issued certificates of description.
The Bathurst grid includes everything from thundering Chevrolet Corvette’s to Alfa Romeo GTVs, MG Midgets and a plethora of Porsche’s.
In a broad sense, the GT3 cars that will tackle the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour are the modern incarnation of the cars that will compete in the Group S Races.
Notable names include Joe Calleja and his 1965 Chevrolet Corvette, Terry Lawlor in a Shelby GT350 Mustang, Geoff Morgan in his 1975 Porsche 911 and Touring Car legend Rusty French in his incredible DeTomaso Pantera.
Group S cars are not historic racing cars; they are historic production sports cars, modified within the limits of Group S eligibility criteria.
Any historic production sports car within the specified historic period can become a Group S car – meaning the category therefore has a large pool of potential cars from which to draw.
The class attracts a substantial band of devotees who have a passion for historic sports cars, an enthusiasm for affordable and amateur motor sport, and who wish to enjoy the satisfaction of spirited competition on a race track.
The stability inherent in the governing rules for Group S is also a factor in the success of the class as new entrants can enter the class without the fear of having a rule changes make their investment in historic production sports car racing obsolete.
The Group S Classic Sports Cars field will practice, qualify and stage their first sprint race on Friday, prior to two more races on Saturday.
ENTRY LIST:
| Car # | Name | Year | Car | Model | Colour |
| 2 | Joseph Dibartolo | 1969 | Chevrolet | Corvette | Blue |
| 3 | Neil Choi | 1977 | Alfa Romeo | GTV | Red |
| 4 | Joe Calleja | 1965 | Chevrolet | Corvette | Red / White |
| 6 | Tony Dains | 1970 | Triumph | TR6 | Red |
| 7 | Paul Blackie | 1971 | Chevrolet | Corvette | Red |
| 8 | Terry Lawlor | 1966 | Shelby | GT350 | Dark Green |
| 9 | Stan Adler | 1975 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | Blue |
| 10 | Bret McManus | 1966 | MG | B | Red |
| 12 | David Withers | 1974 | Porsche | 911 Carrera | White/Green |
| 13 | Damien Meyer | 1970 | MG | Midget | Light Blue |
| 14 | Tom Walstab | 1979 | Porsche | 928 | White |
| 16 | Harry Brittain | 1971 | Lancia | Fulvia Zagato | Yellow |
| 22 | Jeffrey Thomas | 1974 | Datsun | 260Z | Blue/White |
| 24 | Mark Johnson | 1968 | Porsche | 911 | White/Green |
| 25 | Tony Floreani | 1975 | Porsche | 911 Carrera | Orange |
| 26 | Geoff Byrne | 1969 | Triumph | TR6 | Green/Gold |
| 27 | Wayne Seabrook | 1976 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | Blue/Green |
| 23 | Paul Girt | 1969 | Porsche | 911 | Gulf Blue/Orange |
| 33 | Ian Ross | 1966 | Shelby | GT350 | White |
| 34 | Tony Antoun | 1966 | Shelby | GT350 | Red/White |
| 35 | Richard Watts | 1976 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | Red White/Yellow |
| 38 | Lyall Moyes | 1968 | Austin Healey | Sprite | Red |
| 39 | Don McKay | 1959 | Austin Healey | 3000 | Green |
| 40 | James Calvert-Jones | 1976 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | Silver |
| 41 | Geoff Morgan | 1975 | Porsche | 911 Carrera | Light Green |
| 44 | Lyndon Mcleod | 1976 | Alfa Romeo | Alfetta GT | Blue |
| 46 | Matt Blanch | 1967 | MG | B | Red |
| 47 | Andrew Gibson | 1960 | Triumph | TR3A | Green |
| 50 | Ryan Curnick | 1969 | Porsche | 911 | Yellow |
| 51 | Kent Brown | 1967 | MG | B | Black/Red |
| 52 | Michael Heaton | 1960 | Triumph | TR3A | Green |
| 57 | Colin Connaughton | 1977 | Alfa Romeo | Alfetta GTV | Red |
| 58 | Phil Baskett | 1977 | Alfa Romeo | Alfetta GTV | Red |
| 62 | Peter Axford | 1964 | Alfa Romeo | 105 | Red |
| 63 | Damien Maloney | 1953 | Austin Healey | 100/4 | Light Blue |
| 65 | Ray Narkiewicz | 1965 | Chevrolet | Corvette | Blue |
| 66 | Alex Webster | 1969 | Porsche | 911 | Green/Gold |
| 69 | Stephen Smith | 1977 | Datsun | 280Z | Blue |
| 72 | Zach McAfee | 1956 | Austin Healey | 100/6 | Light Blue |
| 73 | Peter Boylan | 1973 | Porsche | 911 Carrera | Black/Grey |
| 74 | John Carson | 1974 | Alfa Romeo | GTV | Black |
| 76 | Timothy Lynas | 1979 | Porsche | 928 | Green/Gold |
| 77 | Bryan Taylor | 1974 | Porsche | 911 Carrera | Blue |
| 78 | Nicholas Taylor | 1977 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | White Blue/Red |
| 80 | Colin Goldsmith | 1959 | Austin Healey | 3000 | Dark Blue |
| 85 | Steve Constantinidis | 1971 | Chevrolet | Corvette | Orange |
| 91 | Adriano Dimauro | 1973 | Alfa Romeo | 105 | Red |
| 99 | Rusty French | 1972 | De Tomaso | Pantera GTS | Black/Gold |
| 100 | Peter Jackson | 1959 | Austin Healey | 3000 | Ivory |
| 105 | Richard East | 1969 | Alfa Romeo | 105 | Blue |
| 111 | Greg Horwill | 1976 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | White |
| 121 | Peter Mohasci | 1966 | MG | Midget | Green |
| 131 | Simon Meyer | 1964 | Austin Healey | Sprite | Light Brown |
| 172 | Ross Jackson | 1972 | De Tomaso | Pantera | Yellow |
| 181 | Peter Tillett | 1979 | Alfa Romeo | GTV | Silver |
| 289 | John Harrison | 1966 | Shelby | GT350 | Black / Gold |
| 308 | Steve Dunn | 1976 | Ferrari | 308 | Black |
| 666 | Graeme Rutledge | 1974 | Triumph | TR6 | Dark Blue |
| 911 | Douglas Barbour | 1976 | Porsche | 911 Carrera 3 | Dark Blue |
| 999 | Paul Chaleyer | 1965 | Alfa Romeo | 105 | Red/Green |
