The Gnoo Blas classic car show next month will honour the Australian Touring Car Championship and the old Gnoo Blas race circuit where the V8 Supercars spectacle began 60 years ago.
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It was a big weekend for Orange in January, 1960.
The city was celebrating its centenary and events included a Bushmen's Carnival rodeo for rough riders, the kennel club's annual show and the first Touring Car Championship.
Built as a community project by Orange City and Canobolas Shire councils in 1953, Gnoo Blas was formed by a narrow simple triangle of lightly bitumened Huntley, Bloomfield and Forest roads and had no amenities.
According to Gnoo Blas president Denis Gregory it was a far cry from the V8 tracks now like the shortened former Formula One grand prix circuit at Adelaide where the 2020 V8 opening round will be held a week after the Gnoo Blas car show.
The V8s will be represented at the Gnoo Blas show and anniversary dinner by Team Penske Mustang driver Tony D'Alberto and V8 Supercars chief strategy officer John Casey.
- Gnoo Blas president Denis Gregory
"The V8s will be represented at the Gnoo Blas show and anniversary dinner by Team Penske Mustang driver Tony D'Alberto and V8 Supercars chief strategy officer John Casey," he said.
Former V8 team owner Garry Rogers and former Holden Special Vehicles and Holden Racing Team boss John Crennan will also be here. Racing legend Kevin Bartlett who was in the 1960 Orange race will be here along with several other 1960 drivers including Spencer Martin.
On the front row of the championship race were the three Jaguars of David McKay, Bill Pitt and Ron Hodgson and after 20 action-filled laps McKay emerged the winner from Pitt and Hodgson. McKay also recorded the fastest lap of 2m 35s.
McKay's trophy was held by his wife Anne and passed on to Dom David and Spencer Martin who lent it to Orange for the car show.
- Gnoo Blas president Denis Gregory
McKay's small winning silver trophy for the race was held by his wife Anne for years and then passed on to custodians Dom David and then former race driver Spencer Martin who has lent it to Orange for the car show.
Gnoo Blas also hosted the first international motor racing meeting in Australia, featuring British and American drivers and Prince Bira of Siam and was the first track to boast an average lap speed of more than 100mph.
It was years later before Bathurst had a 100mph lap record.
The annual car show on February 15 and 16 attracts 600 cars and more than 5,000 people through the day.
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