One of the best things about being part of a club on display at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix is access to one of the premier motor sport events in Australia to showcase their pride and joys. 

Sometimes, the clubs can get very fortunate with the location of the car display at Albert Park and in 2019, the HSV Owners’ Club of Victoria are one of those clubs with prime position.

Located right against the fence at turn 13, the club has 10 iconic HSV cars on display for fans to come and admire and club member Jeff Harper was excited about their display in 2019.

“It’s absolute magic – it’s our eighth year here at Albert Park and this year we feel like we're a VIP display,” Harper said.

“This exact spot was open to the public last year but now they have put us here, which is perfect, especially now that our new flags identify who we are.

“This weekend there is so much traffic coming through because it’s the Grand Prix and the fans have been really enjoying the display just as much as us.

“I suppose sometimes you can strike lucky and get prime position at an event like this. We are really thrilled.”

The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix won’t be the only time fans can see the HSVs in action, with the club putting on track days, social runs as well as other show and shines throughout the year.

Since its inauguration in 1986, the club has seen steady growth, with a solid membership of more than 280 members all part of the club, and while Harper has only been involved for the past four years, the club is made up of lifelong members.

“There is a really nice family orientated atmosphere within this club because they make your whole family and anybody else feel really welcome,” Harper added.

“A lot of the club members that are there have been part of it since the club first started 30 years ago and they bend over backwards to make a new member feel welcome.

“You sort of get to know a lot of people and make some close mates along the way, not so much solely in the club atmosphere but also outside of the club in other social situations.

“While there are good vibes within the club, a lot of the people are there for the social aspect of it, go out for a meal and catch up without the car, we really are a close knit group.”

As for the benefits of being part of the club, Harper believes that being in a CAMS affiliated club helps him and his wife, who races her own HSV, maintain their cars and keep their passion alive.

“CAMS gives us that extra step to be able to have club affiliations and to be able to be something that you can’t as an individual,” Harper said.

“We go to a track to compete and we’re covered and because most of our members who put cars on the track have a CAMS license, it enables them to race with security.

“There are lots of benefits of having a membership, especially for us, because if your own a couple of cars and you’re trying to get two people driving every year, it can be quite expensive to keep the HSV going.

“However with CAMS being a proud sponsor of HSV for a lot of years, it seriously helps us maintain our membership and enjoy being part of the club.”