It's a wrap
Inaugural Joondalup Festival of Motoring winners make their mark on the event history
Thousands of car enthusiasts found paradise on the streets of Joondalup this weekend at the Joondalup Festival of Motoring, with the final day seeing unique, modified, restored and adored vehicles lining the streets of the Automotive World display, while cars built with speed in mind demonstrated their horsepower during the Joondalup City Sprint.
With a drop of the flag from the City of Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob the battle was on amongst the 150 competitors as to who could set the fastest cumulative time and go into history as the first Joondalup City Sprint winner. The on track action delivered plenty of thrills and spills for the thousands of spectators who lined the streets throughout the day to witness the sight and sound of the cars in full flight.
In the end, it was Troy Wilson who rose to the challenge of delivering the driving skill the 2.4km sprint track demanded and posting an outright time in his Mitsubishi Evo X, which could not be beaten.
Wilson said the course was easily underestimated as a horsepower track but soon revealed itself to require more than just a fast car.
“I originally thought the course was going to be high speed, but once we started running, I discovered it was more technical than I thought,” said Wilson.
“There were booby traps out there with the kerbing, but that’s all part of it. I loved that it was technical, and lucky for me I got through unscathed – but there is probably a little bit of touching wood involved with that.
“Near the end where the big hay bales and the crowd was standing was a highlight. The car was definitely loose and hanging out a bit through there – that was fun!
“Atmosphere in Joondalup was awesome for the first event, and I’m looking forward to next year.”
Matt James-Wallace in the Nissan R32 GTR took second place on the podium, a little over 8 seconds overall behind Wilson.
James-Wallace also embraced the challenge provided by driving suburban streets at speed in a motorsport setting.
“I obviously like to get the horsepower down in the GTR and find some speed,” said James-Wallace.
“There were some dips and crests in the course and managing it (the car) through was a challenge, but I loved it!
“Well, apart from the roundabouts – I’m not a fan of going through those roundabouts.
“I did better than I hoped. I was placed Number 5 in the seeding, and when I saw the other drivers on the entry list, I predicted I’d come around fifth or sixth with everything going well.”
Rounding out the podium was Cody Harris in the Mitsubishi Evo 8MR, who was just over 3 seconds behind James-Wallace.
Picture 1: Matt James-Wallace, Nissan Skyline R32 GTR (Credit: Tim Allott)
Picture 2: John Webb, Radical SR3 RSX (Credit: Koi Collective)
Picture 3: Joondalup City Sprint Podium (L-R): 3rd, Cody Harris, 2nd, Matt James-Wallace, 1st, Troy Wilson (Credit: Koi Collective)
Picture 4: Cody Harris, Mitsubishi Evo 8MR (Credit: Tim Allott)
But the glory wasn’t just restricted to the track, with three People’s Choice Awards up for grabs in the Automotive World precinct. It was a hard decision for eventgoers to choose a favourite from the 480 immaculately presented vehicles on display in the Old Blighty (UK), Drift to the Orient (JAP), Route 66 (USA), The Continent (Europe) and The Land Down Under (AUS) areas.
One of the three People’s Choice Awards went to the immaculate Holden Monaro of Jeff Clinckers and his wife Karen, who are heavily involved in the HSV Owners Club of WA.
While the Monaro’s blue paintwork and unique rims are eye-catching, the car also has plenty of grunt.
“Jeff has owned his Monaro for two years, and it was the dream car he always wanted to own,” said Karen.
“The Monaro has an LS3 engine with mild cam and 3 ½ stall shift kit. It also runs 3.9 gears with a True Track diff and has done a 12.3 second quarter mile.
“The HSV Owners Club of WA car club provides great options for members to enjoy both the motorsport and social sides of membership. I’m a FIFO wife and the club gives me an opportunity to get out to social events with my Clubsport.
“I recently volunteered as flag marshalled at one of the motorsport rounds at the Raceway, and it was a great way to experience the motorsport side of the Club.
“At the Joondalup Festival of Motoring, we enjoyed seeing the people interact with our Car Club display. We love hearing people’s car stories and the passion displayed when relaying their experiences with the marque. So many people love Holdens.”
Event Director Justin Hunt said he was proud of the event team and felt privileged to be entrusted by the City of Joondalup to organise the event.
“Our team worked tirelessly to bring this event to fruition, and they can be absolutely proud of the result,” said Mr Hunt. “There were plenty of smiling faces out there from competitors, spectators and the next generation of motoring enthusiasts!
“We’re grateful to the City of Joondalup and their local community for their enthusiasm and support of this event. We think this year has shown an appetite for these events in Perth, and we look forward to building it into one of the region’s iconic events.
The Joondalup Festival of Motoring is a partnership between the City of Joondalup and Justin Hunt Management.
For full results, event news and information please visit www.jfom.com.au (website), facebook.com/joondalupfom (Facebook) and @joondalupfom (Instagram).
Media contact: Lauren Cornes, Media Manager, Joondalup Festival of Motoring, 0431 080 811
About the Joondalup Festival of Motoring
Start your engines and get ready for the inaugural Joondalup Festival of Motoring, 28-30 October 2022. Joondalup City Centre will host 1,000+ vehicles across the weekend during this free, multi-day event. There is plenty of family-friendly fun and entertainment to delight everyone, including photography, movies, cuisine, competitions and local business activations.
Event highlights include
:
Friday, 28 October
Powerplay Corporate Challenge: Joondalup’s very own PowerPlay will be hosting our first ever Corporate Challenge.
Grand Cinemas Mega Motoring Movie Marathon: A selection of high-octane favourites, including Days of Thunder, Ford Versus Ferrari and the original Italian Job.
Saturday, 29 October
City of Joondalup Coffee & Cars (Boas Ave Carpark): Join us for Coffee & Cars in the Tyrepower Service Zone, right in the heart of Joondalup. This event will be fundraising for Wheels For Hope and a gold coin is required to exhibit your vehicle.
Cars & Cocktails Kennards Hire Central Park: Coffee gets swapped for cocktails! Central Park will host a variety of food trucks, some chill entertainment, and a pop-up bar will have a selected range of custom motoring themed cocktails. An exquisite range of high-end and rare vehicles will be showcased in Central Park, including vehicles from the WA Motor Museum and some “exclusive guests” from local, private collections.
Sunday, 30 October
Joondalup City Sprint: The 2.4 km Sprint is run through the Joondalup City Centre. This course has it all: a combination of straights, some tight technical challenges and even a smooth flowing section. There will be an exciting blur of colour and sound as the drivers compete to set the fastest time.
The Automotive World: Wander through the five regionally-themed precincts, no passport necessary. Take in every gleaming detail of the 500+ marvellous machines exhibited.
Cars & Cocktails Kennards Hire Central Park: The fun times continue in Central Park on Sunday. Bring the family and enjoy all the sounds and action of the Sprint. A range of food trucks, and our pop-up bar will be available on site.