Celebrating Leyburn’s hosting of the Australian Grand Prix in 1949, the weekend will feature non-stop racing action, car displays and appearances from a number of Australian motorsport icons including John Bowe, Dick Johnson and Colin Bond. 

  

With 58 different makes of racing, sports and touring cars ranging from 1925 to 2019 making up the entry list, there will be plenty of exciting action to take place over the weekend. 

  

However, out of all the many impressive drivers in the event, there is one who fans will be keeping a close eye on - current Motorsport Australia Queensland Hill Climb Champion, Dean Amos. 

  

Having secured his third state title in four years in May, Amos will return to an event he has dominated in the past. 

  

Behind the wheel of his British Gould GR55B V8 single-seater, Amos will be hoping to add to his seven-straight Col Furness Trophies for the fastest outright time, as well as break a new record of completing the course in less than 39 seconds. 

  

“We’ve made some changes to the car’s chassis and braking since the last Sprints in 2019 and some more recent events and we’re starting to get a handle on it,” Amos said. 

  

“The current record from 2019 is 39.97 seconds and I’m hoping to go quicker this time, into the 38s. 

  

“It’s great to be going back to the Sprints. I love the event and missed it when it had to be cancelled because of Covid last year.” 

  

Standing in the way of another title for Amos are many high-profile names in the Queensland hill climbing community including Warwick Hutchison and Michael Von Rappard, as well as Daniel Duffield and Brett Bull. 

  

Other notable entries outside the drivers gunning for the fastest overall time include Justin McCarthy in the tiny 750 c.c. Austin 7 Sports Special, as well as two pre-war MGs that contested the 1949 Grand Prix itself and will be driven by Colin and Belinda Schiller. 

  

After the event didn’t take place in 2020 due to COVID-19, Sprints President Tricia Chant was looking forward to finally putting it on again for the many adoring fans.   

  

“The thousands of spectators and competitors who flock to Leyburn every August are hungry to return again to Queensland’s Motorsport Event of the Year,” Chant said. 

  

“It’s a great weekend of inexpensive family entertainment in a friendly country atmosphere and this year the array of cars is simply amazing. 

  

“It’s wonderful that the public is able to see up-close such a huge array of historic, classic and performance cars at the Sprints. They are fascinating, colourful and exciting machines and you don’t have to be an enthusiast to enjoy them. 

  

Tickets for the event cost $20 per day or $30 for a weekend and children under the age of 14 can enter for free. Racing on each day gets underway from 9am local time. 

  

The 25th Historic Leyburn Sprints takes place in Leyburn on 21-22 August.