Sunday, August 30, 2009

Historic Leyburn Sprints around the Houses, 15 & 16 August



Ahhhhhh....the beauty of a gorgeous Friday morning when one has a long weekend off to go historic racing.
Friday 14 August, 7.15am, promises to be bright & clear with the mist wafting in waves across the dams as we pass.

We are heading off to the 14th annual Leyburn Sprints to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the running of the Australian Grand Prix, which was run at the nearby Clifton airfield circuit.
We will help to swell Leyburn’s population of around 300 to become 2 of the 15,000 fans and competitors expected.
We never did make the trek down to the coast to the airport to stock up on the avgas, so we now have to make the detour to Ipswich to pick it up, $67.00 for 20 litres

We head out the Warrigal Hwy, turn off at Gatton & wend our way up & over a landscape dominated by rolling hills! covered by pastures of many different veg’s & grain crops, towards Ma Ma creek

Lord give me strength!

We dilly & dally our way to the top of the summit of the Great Dividing Range with its spectacular views

We brave the 3 metre bitchamin road, i.e. wide enough for one car in one direction, the one lane bridges, the side track ahead signs, to name but a few of thee delights that we encounted
Past herds of cattle, rusty old woolsheds & abandoned houses & other scattered remnants from a bygone era of early settlement

Tom tom, sat nav, really did do us proud this time, NOT!

But on a positive note, it was places we had never been to before, & this is what this is all abt, the “Feeding of Our Souls” before they float sky high & our worn out bodies are 6 foot under

OMG!!! HOLD ON....

Yes indeedy the brakes on the trailer do indeed work, as Bri makes a sudden stop!
They locked up as smoke belches from the tyres leaving behind beading!

F off all you meandering cattle!!!

...I am brave and strong and courageous....... breath in, exhale out!

Across to the New England Highway through Clifton we travel, at 11.10am we hit Leyburn, winch the Mustang off & unhitch the trailer & set up our spot for the weekend

1pm Bri takes the car off to scrutineering, where they find a missing weld in the roll cage! Between the top of the bar & the roof!
“Must get that welded mate”!
Yeah right!
Ahhhh how?

Still, I am sure my hero will find a way to rectify this matter in time; still it didn’t stop getting the baby out on the track, which was the main thing

We walked the track, darling a bit dubious when he saw the size of the stones in the road, “I’mmmm, I can see the paint tin will be getting a work out when we return home” he says Luckily darling had foreseen what these stones do & had previously adhered a thin layer of foam to the underside of the front mud guards to stop dents

Not so lucky were a lot of the other once pristine cars that on the Sunday arvo were peppered with dents & dings! to the top of their guards!

We then enjoyed a beer & a few rum & cokes in the sun at Leyburn's only pub owned by former Bronco Shane Webcke
Then off we drove to find the Cunningham highway to Warrick to our hotel

Saturday morning at 6.30am we leave Warrick & travelled the 45mins to Leyburn past frost laden fields which sparkled & glittered like crystals as the sun dawned, the Granite Belt indeed living up to its name of being one of the coolest parts of Queensland, breathe taking to see

As he drives, Darlings mind is always on the job & works out the plan for the day, “I’ll take it easy for the first 2 runs, until the road & tyres warm up“ should be ok after lunch to let loose”

Oh yeah that has so put me at ease!!

The car is still tucked up where we left it, luckily not a layer of ice on that baby, as so many others had that had been left in the open air

The 7.30am drivers briefing saw breathes of vapour & frozen lip gloss gasp as the Marshall said “stay away from the hay, each one weighs 600ks a piece, it’s like hitting a kangaroo,
Yea Gods & little fishes!

At 8.30am Leyburn sprints is off & running, 1100m closed street circuit winding its way around the houses

I’m off to rub noses with the Motor Racing greats, Dick & Steven Johnson, & yes indeed the aging autograph hunter, aka me, will again be armed with her paint pen, as these 2 men are yet to be hunted down & capture by my camera

Three!!! attempts later & the assurance I am not a stalker & I have a photo of Dick & I

Bri gets in 4 runs today
1.16.21 - 1.07.71 - 1.06.76 - 1.05.12
Big Boy, you are Smokin!

Sunday dawns & it's freakin' cold here, the scene was set for another nail-biting lap around “the houses” on this cold, zero Sunday morn!

We again attend the drivers briefing, again misty breaths are coming out of nostrils & mouths like smoke!

But like yesterday, again the day soon heats up & jackets, scarves & gloves are stripped off

Bri gets 3 runs today, each run knocking off seconds
1.05.73 - 1.04.77 - 1.03.96

Bloody hell!
Bri! 1.03.96 - Tricky Dicky!! 1.03. 87 & Steven! 1.05.26

But in their defence, Dick & Steven did do a bit of drifting at times, & left so much rubber on the road tyres had to be replaced!

Shhhhhhhh...don't tell him, but I did witness the Squeal of Bri’s tyres a few times in his search of the right grove! This just may have slowed him down!

The most sort after Leyburn rock trophy (second in his category) sits amongst the others in the shed, to be gazed upon lovingly at times

Well done sweetheart, you are indeed my Hero xx