Preview: What to expect from 25th Historic Leyburn Sprints

One of the Southern Down’s biggest and most iconic sporting events will be hitting the racetrack next weekend, with some Leyburn Legends and motorsport icons set to make an appearance. Find out what else here:

The Historic Leyburn Sprints will hit the Southern Downs racetrack next weekend. Photo: NRM

The Historic Leyburn Sprints will hit the Southern Downs racetrack next weekend, with this year’s line-up featuring motorsport, classic car and caravan displays, appearances by the legendary Leyburn drivers, markets, and more.

Sprints president Tricia Chant said the classic motorsport event attracted up to 15,000 visitors every year to the region.

“We’ve got everything lined up … and are expecting a huge crowd – there’s a lot of pent-up enthusiasm for the sprints since we were forced by Covid to cancel the 2020 event,” Mrs Chant said.

“(It) will be a major event for the Southern Darling Downs when everyone is in need of a boost to their spirits or their business trading.”

The event was also postponed last month due to Southeast Queensland’s Covid lockdown.

Weekend attractions will include Australia’s oldest racing car – the 1922 Wikner Ford Special, the race-winning 2008 Ford Fusion NASCAR of Australian star Marcos Ambrose, vintage caravans and a spectacular Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine display of more than 100 cars (Sunday only), plus country markets and trade displays.

Dick Johnson in his Ford Falcon at Mt Panorama. He is among big-name guests at this year's Historic Leyburn Sprints. Photo: NRM

Off-track, visitors can also visit the Shannons Show ‘n’ Shine and Vintage Caravan displays, get involved in the meet-and-greet appearances by the Leyburn Legends including motorsport icon Dick Johnson, country markets, exhibitor and trade displays, a fun run and charity auction.

Dick will be one of a number of senior or retired drivers honoured at this year’s event for their contributions to motorsport.

Dick won five Australian Touring Car Championships and three Bathurst 1000 races with his Ford team and was chosen as one of 150 Queensland icons for the State’s 150th celebrations in 2009.

He will also be there this weekend to support his grandson Jett Johnson in his bid to win a prestigious trophy.

Sixteen-year-old, third-generation racer Jett will compete for the Ann Collins Memorial Junior Award, where drivers aged between 14 and 17 are judged on their ability to match a target time around the 1km street course.

The Ann Collins Memorial Junior Award was named after the late, former sprints president Ann Collins whose goal was to encourage young people in motorsport.

The Juniors will be among up to 200 drivers of historic, classic and late-model performance cars in a packed weekend of competition and motoring entertainment.

Supercar racer Brodie Kostecki, who plans to run in an American NASCAR sedan in the 750-horsepower event, said fans could expect to “feel the ground shake when this thing lights up”.

Kostecki will run two demonstrations on the second day of the weekend and will also be on hand to show fans around the car when it is on display.

“The STP NASCAR will be awesome to see and hear at Leyburn, even though it’s built for running on far bigger and faster tracks in America,” Kostecki said.

“I’m excited that the fans at Leyburn will be the first in Australia to see the Fusion run in public. I’ve only driven it in a private test at Queensland Raceway and at other times it spends a quiet life at the Gold Coast Motor Museum.

“It’s truly an awesome thing to drive and the noise is earth-shattering. While there is an amazing entry list for this year’s Leyburn event, I don’t think there will be anything louder or tougher than the number 59 Fusion.”

The competition is scheduled for 8am on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12.

Adult ticket prices will be $20 for Saturday and Sunday or $30 for the weekend. It’s free entry for children aged under 14 and street parking is also free.

The event will also be live-streamed via the Historic Leyburn Sprints website.