One of Australia’s most famous Sports Sedan racecars from the iconic 1970s will make its first public appearance since being restored at next weekend’s Muscle Car Masters event at Sydney Motorsport Park on October 29-30.

The famous Ansett Valiant Charger driven by three-time Australian Drivers Champion John McCormack and now owned by former racer Mark Trenoweth will be on static display after many years unseen by the racing public.

As a special bonus, McCormack himself and two of his other groundbreaking Sports Sedans from the period – the Repco V8-powered Celica now owned by Bruce Gowans and the Jaguar XJ-S also owned by Trenoweth – will be on hand at Muscle Car Masters.

Entry to the paddock area is free.

Powered by a Repco-Holden five-litre V8 engine mounted right alongside the driver in a bid to optimize weight distribution – a practice adopted by virtually all similar cars in the years that followed – McCormack’s Charger debuted in early 1974 and was instantly a success. Built in Adelaide by former Chrysler engineer Harry Aust, McCormack’s Charger used many components taken from an Elfin Formula 5000 open wheeler including fully adjustable twin wishbone suspension, powerful disc brakes and a Hewland five-speed gearbox.

The Tasmanian won the prestigious Toby Lee Sports Sedan Series at Oran Park in 1974 aboard the Charger, which remains one of the iconic cars from the early era of Australian Sports Sedan racing.

First held in 2005 it has become a permanent part of Sydney Motorsport Park’s calendar and this year moves from the Father’s Day weekend to October 29-30.

The 2016 event will feature an all-star racing line-up of Historic Group A and C Touring Cars in the Heritage Touring Cars class, Australian Trans-Am, Group N Historic Touring Cars and Group S as well as the new Sports Racing Car Invitational demo category featuring thumping Sports Cars, GT, Can-Am and Historic Sports Sedan machinery.

Tickets are now available for Muscle Car Masters with online purchases offering a significant saving compared to on-the-day prices.

Following a successful private shakedown at Winton Raceway in northern Victoria on Monday, the prototype Formula Thunder 5000 car is set to make its public debut with demonstration runs at Sydney Motorsport Park’s Muscle Car Masters meeting on October 29-30.

Nearly 12 months of design and car build work, based at Borland Racing in Melbourne, reached a milestone this week, with the car turning a wheel for the first time at the northern Victorian track.

Formula 3 champion Tim Macrow took the wheel of the five-litre V8-powered car for the day, initially working through a program of technical systems checks, before winding up the pace through the afternoon.

Macrow will also be at the wheel when the Formula Thunder 5000 prototype takes to the circuit at Muscle Car Masters for three 15-minute demonstration runs over the weekend, with one session Saturday and two on Sunday.

“It couldn’t have been a more productive day for day one with a brand new race car,” said Chris Lambden, who has overseen the development of the FT5000 concept to date.

“The systems checks – primarily ensuring the engine, gearbox, and MoTeC system were speaking to each other correctly – were done by lunchtime, and Tim was able to push things along later in the day, even though we were running the car in relatively conservative spec.

“All our technical partners had someone on hand for the day and, I’d have to say, everything went like clockwork, which is a great credit to all of them. After all the work that has gone in, it was pretty exciting to see and hear the car on track.

“We’re looking forward to running the car publicly for the first time at the Muscle Car Masters and illustrating the sight, sound and smell of the FT5000 concept. Sydney Motorsport Park is a venue that should allow the car to stretch its legs a bit.”

The FT5000 prototype is the result of a desire to create a cost-controlled ‘Big Banger’ crowd-pleasing, modern open wheeler race car, at the same time providing an exciting challenge for top racing drivers, from Formula Ford/Four graduates to more experienced racers.

Based on a chassis design by American company Swift Engineering modified to suit, it utilises a 5-litre V8-engined, big tyre, modest downforce philosophy that, even prior to the car’s completion, has created a lot of interest.

While a small number of one-off warm-up events are planned through the second part of 2017, FT5000 plans to concentrate on a summer season of events (December 2017 to early February), along the lines of the Tasman series of days past. Initially at least, the cars will run under CAMS’ generic Formula Libre umbrella.

“Completing and now running the car is just one further step, one box ticked in the process,” says Lambden.

“The next one is to assemble a decent grid of cars, by confirming interested teams/drivers as soon as we can, so we can set about creating cars over following months. For now, we’re thrilled with the first run of the car, and looking forward to the next step.”

Muscle Car Masters is a celebration of Australian motorsport history, heritage and passion jointly promoted by the Australian Racing Drivers Club and Chevron Publishing, a division of nextmedia.

First held in 2005 it has become a permanent part of Sydney Motorsport Park’s calendar and this year moves from the Father’s Day weekend to October 29-30.

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The first and last cars to win the CAMS Australian Sports Car Championship are the latest additions to the new Sports Racing Car Invitational category at this year’s Australian Muscle Car Masters on October 29-30 at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Alan Nolan and his Nola-Chevrolet became the last-ever CAMS Australian Sports Car Champions in 1988, claiming the four-round title by eight points before the championship was discontinued at the end of that season.

First held in 1969 the Australian Sports Car Championship honour roll includes the likes of Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan, John Harvey, Allan Moffat and John Bowe.

Now, 28 years on, Nolan and his Nola will be joined by the car that won the inaugural Australian Sports Car Championship in 1969 in the hands of the late Frank Matich; the mighty Matich SR4 (pictured) now owned by Nigel Tait.

They will be part of a trio of 15-minute demonstrations featuring big banger Sportscars, historically significant Sports Sedans and muscle-packed GT and Can-Am cars.

Also confirmed among the Historic Sports Sedans line-up are two of legend John McCormack’s old cars.

Mark Trenoweth is bringing to Sydney the ex-McCormack Jaguar XJ-S that the Tasmanian racing legend drove, while fellow Tasmanian Bruce Gowans has recently finished restoration of the wild Toyota Celica Sports Sedan that McCormack helped build. The Trenoweth-owned Charger Sports Sedan will also be on static display.

Wall Racing will return to the Muscle Car Masters with its Formula 5000-powered Holden Dealer Team Torana formerly raced by Colin Bond. The team had hoped to have its Toyota Supra; a car that began its life as a Chevrolet Monza, but it is a late scratching due to mechanical issues.

Australian-built Sportscars will be well-represented by Steve Webb’s Repco-powered Elfin 360, Nigel Tait’s gorgeous 1969 Australian Sports Car Championship-winning Matich SR4 and Keith and Tim Berryman’s Matich SR3.

The glorious Can-Am cars of the 1970s will also be represented by Andrew Kluver’s marvellous ex-Keke Rosberg Newman-Haas Lola Can-Am car.

Event organisers still have room for additional cars with owners of suitable Sports Cars, GT, Can-Am and Historic Sports Sedans invited to contact them.