Hill Climb and Half Mile events to hit Gunnedah in September

The Inaugural ‘Race Revolution’ Half Mile Motorsport Event will be held on the Saturday at Gunnedah Airport Aerodrome while the Gunnedah Motoring Enthusiasts Mount Porcupine Hill Climb will celebrate its 50^th anniversary on Sunday.

GME secretary Geoff Hood was excited about the big weekend, both as an organiser and a race enthusiast.

“If there’s motorsport happening in Gunnedah, it’s a good thing,” Hood said.

“We’ve had some competitors in that event [Race Revolution] enter out event, too. So that’s a plus.”

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Saturday’s Race Revolution event will consist of individual single vehicles racing the clock non-stop across a half mile distance. Speeds from competitors are expected to reach in excess of 300 km/ph.

Racing will commence at 8.30am and will cease around 5pm.

The general public will have access to get up and close to the race vehicles and chat with the drivers during lunch between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

Then GME, assisted by the Tamworth Sporting Car Club, will celebrate 50 years of Hill Climb competition.

There will be Hill Climb practice on Saturday afternoon followed by an evening function with guest speaker Dave Morrow.

Morrow will speak on his motorsport career including his Repco Round Australia Rally, Bathurst 1000 and Surfers Paradise 12 hour experiences.

On Sunday, a reopening ceremony and demonstration runs at 9.15am with sponsors and people that helped reinstate motorsport heritage to Gunnedah will precede the day’s competition on the the Apex Drive Course.

There will be variety of vehicles including historic, road registered, sports sedans and open wheelers.

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Five of the competitors from 1968’s first Motorsport Hill Climb are set to return to Gunnedah for the golden anniversary.

Three will be competing including Morrow.

He’ll be bringing the “Nota Mac” vehicle. It’s the vehicle he used to set the fastest time of the day back in 1968.

Hood said entries had piled in for the event and along with the Nota Mac, a few other exciting vehicles would be on show.

“We have a record amount of entries. The Maserati, Lamborghini and the Nota Mac are confirmed for the demonstration,” Hood said.

The Tourist road to Porcupine Lookout was started in the early 1950s as a Apex Club project. With picks, shovels, a small bulldozer, some explosives and over a decade of effort to reach the summit.  Apex Drive, now maintained by Gunnedah Shire Council for the community as crown trustee, is a premier Hill Climb motorsport venue.

Entries are in for the September 2 anniversary and Hood is expecting a full field of over 50 competitors.

Those wishing to participate, help out, or come celebrate with the GME Mount Porcupine Hill Climb special events are most welcome. Contact details or to RSVP for evening function ($20) can be sent to gme2380@gmail.com or to the race secretary on 0427421503.

For more information regarding the Race Revolution half mile, please see their Facebook page 'Race Revolution' or website www.racerevolution.com.au.