Phillip Island Classic

The 2008 Phillip Island Classic is set to break all attendance and entry records when it starts on Friday, March 7 and ends on Sunday, March, 9.  Over 485 entries spanning the history of open wheeler, sports car and sports sedan racing will fill a 42-race program for the special 2008 commemorative event that celebrates 80 years since the first Australian Grand Prix.

This year's Phillip Island event is also part of an official global golden anniversary celebration of Formula Junior with over 48 entries from around the world participating in the weekend's program.

A combined field of 32 Formula One and Formula 5000 open wheelers will generate the biggest collection of Formula 5000 entries seen on an Australian circuit since the wild F5000 category was started in 1969.

In combination with special guest race cars from Europe and New Zealand, the Phillip Island circuit will play host to no less than a dozen forty-foot shipping containers, after bringing their valuable cargo to Australia.

Special display cars include a genuine Jaguar D-Type, a rare race-prepared Gullwing Mercedes-Benz from Germany, a Cologne-racing Ford Capri from New Zealand, a rare Ferrari Monza, an Alfa P3, a Maserati 150S and a selection of valuable overseas cars to mark the first Australian Grand Prix. These include a 1934 Le Mans Singer, a Chevron B16 sports car, a Cooper-Bristol and a Bugatti from the 1930 AGP.

Both Maybach 1 and Maybach 2, Australia's homegrown grand prix contenders will be at the event, driven by international motor racing journalist Simon Taylor.

A special display of the weekend's most noteworthy cars will be convened in the main street of Cowes, Phillip Island's main coastal town, between 5 and 6pm on Saturday afternoon, March 8, to mark the AGP's 80th Anniversary.

The weekend's theme is Australian legends, both machines and identities. Apart from the cars, famous racing drivers including Frank Matich, Warwick Brown, Norm Beechey, Alan Hamilton and Bob Jane, will be at Sunday's program signing autographs.

This year's patron is John Bowe, who will be driving at least two cars in the weekend program.

For fans of Aussie touring cars, there will be a packed series of Group C and Group A heats including several Walkinshaw Commodores and a growing selection of A9X Toranas, adding to the usual excitement generated by the Falcon GT, Charger, XU-1 Torana, Monaro, Mustang and Camaro entries .

The annual Phillip Island Classic is becoming just as famous for its static displays of owner cars in the open fields surrounding the circuit. No less than 45 car clubs, 25 out-field trade displays and 20 pitside displays will ensure that there will be plenty to see between races during the 2008 event.