Driving a turbocharged and all-wheel drive Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec, Garwood recorded the fastest stage time of the day, achieving 1:10.43 over the event’s 1.8km closed road course, which was run seven times around the normally quiet suburban streets of the Midlands village.

Finishing 1.15 seconds behind the 18-year-old, was Launceston’s Scott Deane, in a nimble Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Rounding out the top three with the slimmest of margins, was Hobart’s Jamie Longergan, in another Nissan Skyline GT-R, a further 0.12 seconds behind Deane.

“I had to work hard to achieve the result,” said Garwood. “The GT-R is such a big and heavy car.

“I struggled in the morning’s wet stages because of the hard tyres, but when the sun came out the road’s temperature warmed, so we made some set-up changes to improve the car’s turn in and bump control,” says Garwood, winner of the 2016 Touring Car Masters Series Pro Sport class, Poatina Mountain Race 2015, and recent recipient of the Bursons Rising Star Award for Australian motor sport.

In the inaugural festival Heritage competition, for cars produced before 1986, Moore’s custom engineered and turbocharged 1979 model Escort achieved 1:13.89, a stage time fast enough to secure sixth place overall, and second fastest two-wheel drive car of the event.

“Coming off the back of winning the Poatina Hillclimb last year, this is so good” says Damien. “We were up until 10pm the night before tuning the car, and it ran perfectly all day”

Finishing 2.56 seconds behind Moore, was Boat Harbour’s Phil House, in a highly-developed 1983 BMW-based Alpina C2. Third was Adrian Hodgetts of Elliott, in a 1970 Datsun 240Z, a slender 0.20 seconds behind House.

Overall winner of the Stuart Benson Petrusma Property Show and Shine car show, was Hobart’s Jon Chandler, who despite a damp start to the day, presented his rare 1975 Ford Falcon John Goss Special, in immaculate condition.

“Although rain caused some challenges in the morning, we delivered everything we set out to achieve in the first year of this colourful new motoring festival” said Event Director Stuart Benson.

“Overwhelming is the only way to describe the positive feedback from everyone involved. I really must thank the community of Ross, Neil Buckby Jaguar, the Australian Auto-Sport Alliance and the many dedicated officials involved, for playing all their important parts in bringing the festival from concept into reality.”

Images by Angryman Photography.

The inaugural Neil Buckby Jaguar - Ross Auto Classic, will feature a competitive closed road town stage, and a vehicle display featuring some of the world’s most desirable cars.

Working with various Ross community organisations and the Northern Midlands Council, organisers will stage the inaugural event, open to all automotive brands, on Sunday 12 March 2017, the Eight-Hour Day long weekend.

Neil Buckby Jaguar – Ross Auto Classic event designer, Stuart Benson, said: “This free to see festival is best described as a picnic style social motorsport event - a great family day, and found just one hour’s drive from Hobart or Launceston.”

The former Targa Tasmania designer and event director said “Further to the excitement of the Timed Competition, and the colour of the Show and Shine, spectators are encouraged to participate in the event too, by traveling to the festival in their classic and unique cars, and enjoying some delicious homemade food and refreshments.”

The Show and Shine will see a display of rare and highly desirable, classic and modern vehicles assembled for viewing by the public, and assessment by judges for various awards. While the Timed Competition will feature a diverse range of classic and modern, sport and grand touring cars, all being driven the way that their designers intended. The Competition will be conducted seven times during the day, on a course that features highlights of the former Ross Targa Stage.

Some of the historically significant vehicles that are being prepared especially for this event include Group B rally, as well as Group A and Group C touring cars, all made famous during their memorable periods on the world stage, as well as exotic super sports cars and crowd pleasing Australian muscle cars.

The Neil Buckby Jaguar – Ross Auto Classic is expected to attract a field of up to 150 invited vehicles across the Timed Competition, and Show and Shine, and participants will include state and national champions from several eras.

Mr Benson said “The event has been designed to stimulate economic growth for the Heritage Highway Tourism Region through visitation, and with support of the local community it is hoped for the festival to become an annual event.”

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