COMING EVENTS

Dec 13th                                          Christmas Function & Patrons Night
                                                        Dorothy Tate 9802-4739 or
                                                        Helen McDonald 9589-1217       

Feb 27th-29th                                   Phillip Island Classic Entries Out
                                                        Sandra Caffin 9744-1807

All dates below are still to be confirmed.

March 20th –21st                             Oran Park                                  HSRCA
April 10th –11th                               Mallala                                      SASCC
April 18th                                        Rob Roy Hillclimb                         VHRR
May 29th-30th                                 Winton                                      A7 CC
June 19th-20th                                Eastern Creek                             HSRCA
July  24th –25th                               Queensland Raceway                   QSCC
September 25th –26th                       Eastern Creek                            HSRCA
October 16th –17th                          Midweek Wakefield Park                HSRCA??
November 13th –14th                        Sandown                                   VHRR 
November 27th –28th                        Wakefield Park                            HSRCA         

*CCE…..denotes Club Championship Event

VHRR Clubrooms are situated at 30-32 Lexton Rd. Box Hill

     LUNCH MEETINGS WEDNESDAYS (NOT CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS)

     RED PLATES SCHEME    Our club Volunteer doing this task is Lloyd Shaw.
                                     Contact him on ………0415.351.164

ALL THE ABOVE CLUB ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THE WEDNESDAY LUNCH ARE DESIGNATED RED PLATE ACTIVITIES.

Visit our website: www.vhrr.com

Roll Over Protection 2004
Most competitors will by now have appreciated that there are new rules regarding the roll over protection that will come into force in 2004.

These changes have come about as a compromise in achieving a reasonably sensible public liability insurance policy that will still allow us to race our historic cars without the full imposition of the extensive modern safety equipment used in other categories of racing. 

While the 2003 CAMS, manual noted the new regulations that would come into force in 2004, the 2004 manual will also include a set of Guidelines for those cars that have technical reasons for not being able to comply with either the Schedule J or 1973 rules.

The Commission has been studying roll-overs involving historic cars and how well their Roll Over Protection Structures (ROPS) stood up in the accidents.  From this data we have been able to construct a set of guidelines that will mean drivers will be able to improve their protection in cars that for technical reasons cannot comply with the letter of the Schedule J or 1973 rules. This study has also shown the dangers of poorly constructed and installed ROPS. Discussions with the CAMS Technical Committee and their legal dept have allowed us some freeway in creating this set of guidelines for some of our more 'difficult' cars.

In summary the new rules look like this:

There are three options:

• Schedule J bars

• Bars based on simplified 1973 rules

• Bars that conform to a set of 2004 guidelines

If you have a Group C, N or S car, there will be no change and you will need to continue to fit a ROPS that complies with the Schedule J.  There are a few cars in Group S who have difficulty in complying with Schedule J because of their chassis type and these will be able to apply the guidelines option.

Ja, Ka and Lb cars have the option of no bars, or a bar that complies with any of the three options.

Jb, Kb and Lc cars need to conform with either Schedule J or the 1973 rules.

All other cars must have bars that comply with Schedule J or the 1973 rule option.

In most cases later group cars with a racing history will most likely have had to comply with the 1973 rules at that time, but there will be a few M or O cars that may need upgrading of their RPOS.  Usually this will mean larger material diameters and improved bracing, but competitors should be careful about effective mounting of these structures as this has seen to be a weakness on some installations.  Also there maybe some cars from the M or O period that, for some reason may not be able to comply with the Schedule J or 1973 rules and these may be able to apply for the consideration of  bar that complies with the guidelines option.

Contact you local eligibility officer if you have doubts about your car's ROPS.
Tony Caldersmith Chairman Historic Eligibility Committee

Patron Inauguration & Christmas Break-up        December 13th
HURRY A FEW SEATS LEFT. AN EVENING NOT TO MISS.

Official Welcoming and Inauguration of our Patron Sir Jack Brabham plus Club Championship presentations. The Manningham is our venue again. Bookings ………Helen McDonald 9589-1217 or Dorothy Tate 9802-4739.

BRM P25 RESTORED AND RACING
News comes from the UK that the BRM driven by Spencer Flack At Phillip Island in 2002 has been restored following the tragic and fatal race accident.

In accordance with instructions from the Flack family, the original chassis was the basis of the rebuild together with the original centre panels, nose and undertray which had been duplicated when the car came to Australia. New suspension was fabricated and the remainder of the body was made from sheet magnesium as per 1957 specifications.

Driven by Rob Hall of Hall and Hall, who carried out the project, the car looked magnificent at its first outing at this years Goodwood Revival. The BRM has an important history as its won the 1959 Dutch GP in the hands of Joakim Bonnier.                                                                Roger James 

FAX Machine
Thanks to all concerned members . The FAX machine has been recovered and returned. It was taken home by a member inadvertently!!!!  

VHRR SMALL ADS
1.Australian Motor Sports Needed to complete collection: I have about 90 issues to swap, trade, or to help others complete their collection. I need the following:
1953 January 1954 April, October, December  1955 February 1960 December 1961 All
       Greg Smith 03-9596-8851 or bugatti@bigpond.net.au

2. ON-SITE RACING CAR RESTORATION :My mobile workshop comes to you. Full restoration for frames, suspension, steel, aluminium and fibreglass panels incl. fuel and oil tank manufacture. New VHRR Member Damien Petersen Phone: 0412 222 997 Extensive experience on Porsche, Brabham,Ferrari and Jaguar. RING FOR A QUOTE. 

3. VWA Special 1961 Gp.M Log Book &COD Built & raced by Max Jackman. BMC 1800cc with VW running gear. Successful hillclimb & track history. Won class 1964 Geelong sprints and 1964 Hillclimb cchamp in class. Ready to race. Trailer and spares. CH 1366 Club reg. $15000
Ph. (03) 9432-7775  or www.photoasia.com.au/vwa.htm

4.Wanted: To assist with race preparation and share a drive.
I am an experienced competition driver and have worked on racing cars, especially engines for many years. I can assist you and seek a drive.
VHRR Member Horacio Diaz    Frankston   0417-194-522

EXTRA
Attached to this issue is a copy of the results of the club championship, and as usual prizes will be presented at the Christmas Function 13/12.

Also is an article regarding health written by Past President Roger James. This is most timely as most of us go at this time of the year for our competition licence renewal.

Christmas and new Year Greetings.

The President Ian Tate and Committee wish everyone a very
MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND A

HAPPY NEW YEAR

AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT

OVER THE PAST YEAR.

 Disclaimer; The views and opinions expressed within this newsletter are not necessarily those of the VHRR Inc. or its Committee and/or its newsletter Editor.  Whilst all care has been taken, neither the club or its officiers accept responsibility for the accuracy of information printed and the quality of any items or services advertised or mentioned in this publication.  Incorporated association Number A 0007117C. The Editor reserves the right to edit contributions submitted for publication.

Club Championship
Club championship at 1 December (post Sandown)

The Racing Driver and Physical Fitness  - Roger James -Pharmacist

 The Australian Institute of Health and welfare has released a report card on the nation’s health so its timely to remind racing drivers to have a stock-take of their health.

Racing drivers have a number of goals to achieve with their health programs:

• To maintain their annual CAMS licence with a positive medical report.

• To ensure mental alertness and maximum reflex responses.

• To avoid weight gains (imagine how much metal would have to be taken from a car body to counteract a driver weight increase of 2 Kilos.)

 So, some aspects of this report are worth noting in order to achieve these goals.

• 60% of men and 36% of women aged 25-34 years are overweight increasing to 74% and 69% when over 55 years.

• 33% of men and 25% of women have high blood pressure although mostly controlled by medication.

• Alcohol consumption per capita has dropped by 10%

• Exercise levels do not increase with age with 45year olds achieving only 50% of minimum level.

The National Physical Activity guidelines recommend 30 minutes of accumulated activity on 5 days per week as a minimum level. Racing drivers are trained to use dash-board instruments to measure a car’s performance so can we apply the same thinking to the performance of the human body?

Yes, there are some simple gauges to give an indication of one’s health direction.

• Bathroom Scales: Check the naked body weight first thing on getting out of bed and more importantly, reduce food and drink while increasing exercise to control increases in weight.
   

• Pocket Calculator: Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) according to Formula:
                              
  Weight divided by Height Squared=BMI

        E.G. 87 kilos divided by 1.74 m multiplied by 1.74m Giving 27 k/m squared.
        Average BMI is 18-25 with overweight being 25-30 whilst obese is over 30.

• BP Sphiemometer (Blood Pressure Gauge): Have your blood pressure measured twice a year and every time you see a GP.  More importantly, take notice of the GP's advice.
   

• Walking System Programmer: A range of gauges that count the number of steps taken are available from Dick Smith shops.  A fit person exceeds 6000 steps per day. The device worn on a belt will guide an office worker to the ideal level of walking exercise and supplementary action for others.

In summary, the amateur racing driver can enhance health through measurement and taking the necessary action with improved sporting performance and disease avoidance as a likely result. The professionals do much more with supervised exercise and calorie control programs.

VHRR members, you know the rules : “use the mirrors, observe and act on the instruments and take the steps.” That is, body as well as racing car. 

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