Next month’s Historic Leyburn Sprints will welcome two 1939 MG TB Specials into the fold, with the two cars having competed in the 1949 Australian Grand Prix in Leyburn.
Owned by Colin Schiller, the two single seaters will be among the oldest of the 200 entries expected to take part in the 24th edition of the sprints.
In last year’s Sprints, Schiller casually ran the silver-bodied MG, one that had raced in five Grands Prix, but has opted to pass it onto his daughter Belinda after purchasing another MG from the same race, the only difference being the car's red body.
While, Belinda’s silver MG failed to finish the 1949 Australian Grand Prix, Schiller’s latest purchase crossed the line in fourth, a good omen he hopes to utilise for its first competitive crack at the track.
“Leyburn will be my first competitive run. It’s taken me a while to do a few things to it,” Schiller said.
“It used to run on aviation fuel and now has a starter motor instead of having to be push-started. I’m hoping it’s got a bit more power than Belinda’s car.”
With both cars having a wealth of history on Australia’s biggest circuits, including also a maiden one-two during a race at Bathurst’s Mount Panorama in 1946, Sprints Race Director Mike Collins believed the MGs would be well received by the attending crowd.
“It’s extraordinary that Col Schiller has collected not one but two cars from the 1949 grand prix when few others remain and that they’re coming ‘home’ for the 24th Historic Leyburn Sprints,” Collins added.
“Both MGs are 80-years-old and still going strong. It will be exciting to see them on track again.”
While the event will welcome a vast array of historic and classic cars to race around the makeshift track, there will be a number of activations throughout the weekend for fans of ages to enjoy.
The popular Vintage Caravan display and Sunday’s Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine line-up are confirmed to be on display, as well as a number of Australian motor sport legends on hand including Dick Johnson, Kevin Bartlett and Bill Gates.
With the gates opening at 6.30am and action to get underway at 8am local time, tickets can be purchased on site with adults starting from $20, while children under 14 have free admission.
The 24th annual Historic Leyburn Sprints takes place in the rural Queensland town of Leyburn on 17-18 August.