The Covid-19 level 2 scare is over, for now, and classic car enthusiasts can pick up their plans for a walk down memory land at Teretonga Park on February 20 and 21.

Publicity officer for the annual Mobil 1 Classic SpeedFest, Lindsey Beer, said it was “All go. Everything is as per normal,” after the Government decided on Wednesday to step most of New Zealand down to Covid alert level 1, while keeping Auckland on alert level 2. 

In a real coup for the event, former two-time World Cup Touring Car Champion Paul Radisich will be at the wheel of his 1994 FIA Touring Car World Cup winning Ford Mondeo. 

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He will be competing in the Archibalds Historic Touring Car Class, which features a large field of saloon cars.

Radisich is a Kiwi driver and had a successful career in both single seater race cars and touring cars in Europe, the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

He won back-to-back FIA World Touring Car Cups in a Rouse built Ford Mondeo in 1993 at Monza, Italy, and in 1994 at Donington Park, England. 

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It was at a time when touring car racing was at its peak and some great names and great marques fought it out for dominance, Mr Beer said.

The class features a plethora of BMW Touring Cars, a Ford Sierra Cosworth, Alfa Romeo, Rover Vitesse, Jaguar XJS and two Holden Commodores.

Many of them have an interesting history, such as the BMW E36 318i driven by Matthew O’Donnell.

This is the car driven by Tony Longhurst when he and team mate Paul Morris came to blows during a race in Australia after a tangle. 

The Rover Vitesse of Allan Dippie of Wanaka leads Christchurch driver Matthew O’Donnell (BMW 318) and Warren Dunn of Palmerston North (BMW M3) in the Archibalds Touring Car Class at the recent Skope Classic at Mike Pero Motorsport Park in Christchurch. PHOTO: Richard Opie  

Also lining up on the grid is a large field of Classic Saloons, with Steve Ross of Dunedin piloting a famous Kiwi race car, the PDL 1 Mustang, which at its peak was promoted as “electric blue and 180mph”. 

Ranged against Ross is another Mustang driven by Paul Coory of Mosgiel, a Camaro, an MGB GT V8, and several varieties of Porsche right through to an Austin Mini Clubman GT and a Ford MK3 Zephyr.

There are yet more saloon cars in the burgeoning Historic & Classic Pre 78 Class, featuring everything from a Ford Galaxie to a Ford Anglia.

The Sports & GT Class feature some New Zealand built classics such as Sid II, a McRae U2 and a Southland built Ford GT40 replica. 

On the other side of the coin the field also contains global marques such as TVR Tuscan, Porsche and MGB.

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More classic cars will be lining up for the Formula Junior, the Formula Libre and the Vintage Racing Car class.

The Noel McIntyre Drainage Clubmans competitors are also on the bill with a large field of varied machinery.

The Cobra Club of New Zealand has organised a parade of vehicles during the Saturday lunchbreak.

The action starts at 9am on both Saturday and Sunday.