The best way to experience the excitement and beauty of the Historic Leyburn Sprints is being there.
The round-the-houses Sprints on Queensland’s southern Darling Downs will be staged on 21-22 August, celebrating the 25th running since its founding in 1996 and 72 years since the little bush town hosted the 1949 Australian Grand Prix.
With more than 200 cars of all types and vintages competing one-at-a-time against the clock on a one-kilometre closed-street course around the township the noise and smell encapsulates the excitement.
We have four double weekend passes to give away to lucky readers so they can get close to the action.
Entries close at noon, Friday 13 August.
To enter simply go to: warwickstanthorpetoday.com.au/competitions and click on Historic Leyburn Sprints.
219 cars to return to Sprints
Defending champion Dean Amos will head a huge field of 219 entries for the 25th Historic Leyburn Sprints next month.
The entry list includes 58 different makes of racing, sports and touring cars, ranging in vintage from 1925 to 2019 and each competition for honours on 21 and 22 August.
The weekend is set to feature non-stop grassroots motorsport, classic car and caravan displays, appearances by the Leyburn Legends drivers, markets and a host of other family-oriented attractions.
Sprints President Tricia Chant said thousands of spectators and competitors were “hungry” to return again to Queensland’s Motor Sport Event of the Year.
“It’s a great weekend of inexpensive family entertainment in a friendly country atmosphere and this year the array of cars is simply amazing,” Tricia said.
Tricia said there would also be plenty of non-racing attractions, including around 120 cars and bikes in Sunday’s Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine and more than 30 vintage vans and matching tow vehicles on display.
Dean Amos, who recently won his third Queensland Hillclimb Championship, will return to the Sprints with his British Gould GR55B V8 single-seater.
“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,” Dean 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.”
Adult ticket prices remain unchanged at $20 for Saturday or Sunday or $30 for the weekend. Children under the age of 14 enter free and street parking is free.
The competition will begin at 8am on both days.
Sprints to kick off ‘horsepower’ month
August is set to be a big month for the Southern Downs, with the Historic Leyburn Sprints the first of many major events in the region.
Running between 20 and 22 August at Morgan Park, the IOR Rosebowl Polocrosse Carnival might be the pick of the region’s horse fans.
On 14 August, those more rodeo-inclined can experience all the thrills and spills of arena horsepower at the Killarney Rodeo.
Later in the month, and also in Killarney, is the annual Waddle, Saddle and Pedal on 28 August.
Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said the month-long program was a major highlight of the region’s events calendar.
“Southern Downs Horsepower Month is a new initiative to help promote all of our exciting horsepower-related events happening across the region,” Cr Pennisi said.
“Warwick has always been known as the horsepower capital of Australia so it’s wonderful that we continue to attract significant events to the whole region, as well as our locals also hosting some huge events.
“From Morgan Park Raceway to polocrosse, rodeo, drags and more, the Southern Downs offers plenty of horsepower action and I encourage all of our residents and visitors to share in the atmosphere this August.
More information about Southern Downs Horsepower Month can be found at southerndownsandgranitebelt.com.au.
