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Muscle Car Masters has a new slot on the racing calendar for 2016, the last weekend in October. The jointventure partners, the ARDC and nextmedia Pty Ltd, announced late last year that the event will move from its Father’s Day slot to October 29-30 by popular demand. The date change separates it from the venue’s 2016 V8 Supercars round as both meetings previously ran in close proximity. The move was welcomed by competitors, officials and motorsport enthusiasts, particularly those previously unable to attend the Masters due to Father’s Day family commitments.

Racing categories confirmed

The

AMCM has confirmed its line-up of racing categories for 2016, with five returning categories plus a series making its Masters debut, the Kumho V8 Touring Car Series. The returning classes are: Heritage Touring Cars (Group C/A), Touring Car Masters, Australian Trans-Am, Historic Touring Cars (Group N) and Group S (production sports cars). The Kumho V8 Touring Car Series is the unofficial third-tier of V8 Supercar racing, where Commodores and Falcons of previous seasons continue their racing lives. Many teams run their cars in period liveries.

New demonstration sessions for 2016

Arevamped line-up of demonstration sessions will spice up the 12th running of the nation’s most successful retro racing event. Cars from the Australian 5.0-litre Touring Car Association will hit the track for a series of ‘spirited demos’. These are the earliest ‘Supercars’ – original machines from the 1993 to 2002 pre-Project Blueprint era in period liveries. Also new is a ‘Sports Racing Car Invitational’ session each day. Invited cars come from the ranks of historic Sports Sedans, GT cars, plus Can-Am, Le Mans-style and Big Banger sportscars. Heritage Hot Laps will be rested for 2016.

A9X Nationals returns to Sydney

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race day, Sunday October 30, will host the 2016 A9X Torana Club Nationals’ show and shine. It will be first time since 2005 – and the inaugural AMCM – that Sydney has hosted the A9X Nationals. Meantime, the Pit Straight Car Club Corral and Featured Muscle Marques display and parade will have twin focuses. Ford’s contribution to performance heritage will be celebrated in the month the company winds up manufacturing in Australia. Meanwhile, Brock Commodore owners will mark the 10th anniversary of Peter Brock’s passing and 30 years since the VL Group A’s launch.

Minis to celebrate golden anniversary

Aspecial all-Mini race will be held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Morris Cooper S’s win in the 1966 Gallaher 500 at Bathurst. That was when Bob Holden and Rauno Aaltonen led home no fewer than seven other Minis in the annual production car classic. The anniversary race will draw from Group N Historic Touring Car ranks, meaning a busy weekend for ‘flying brick’ teams. Meantime, off the track, owners of Australian-built examples of the famous Cooper S are invited to display their cars in Pit Straight Car Club Corral. Bob Holden is expected to line-up again in the Heritage Touring Cars events on October 30.