Bob Jane with two of his many racing cars, his Torana XU-1 and Cortina GT 500

Multiple Australian motor racing Champion Bob Jane will make a rare return to the racetrack to commemorate the 45th anniversary of his victory in the Armstrong 500 at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on February 11 & 12.

Jane, now 76, has been appointed ‘Patron’ of the Shannons Phillip Island Classic historic meeting, which has attracted a Southern Hemisphere record entry of 470 touring, sports and racing cars and 24 international entries to the track that hosted Australia’s first touring car endurance race in 1960.

According to Bob Jane, the passion of historic racing fans is something that he can closely relate to. "It is an honour to be the Patron of an event that will remind me of the glory days of Australian and motor racing. I am looking forward to stepping back into my Camaro for some display laps and to enjoying a great weekend of historic racing at one of the country's truly great racing circuits," he said.

"I don't think that I will be going anywhere near as fast as I did when I won the Armstrong 500 at Phillip Island back in 1961," He added. Jane and co-driver Harry First won the endurance race driving a Mercedes-Benz 220SE sedan.

The four time Australian Touring Car Champion (1962,1963,1971 and1972), will bring three of his classic racing cars to the Shannons Phillip Island Classic, strapping himself back into his immaculately restored 1971/2 Championship winning Chevrolet Camaro 427 for display laps on Sunday February 12.

The other racing cars from Bob Jane's classic collection that will be on display at the Historic Phillip Island event include his 1961/2 Australian Touring Car Championship winning Mk II Jaguar and the Bob Jane T-Marts sponsored Schnitzer BMW 635 that drivers Johnny Cecotto and Roberto Ravaglia raced to second place in the 1985 Bathurst 1000.

Jane is one of a number of Australian motor racing champions who will be seen behind the wheel at the meeting. Others include three time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack Brabham, Australia's first Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan, Australian Gold Star and Sports Car champion John Bowe and Australian Touring Car Champion ands nine time Bathurst winner Peter Brock.

The capacity programme of qualifying followed by 33 races for all categories starts at 9.00am Saturday morning February 11 and finishes on the Sunday afternoon at 4.45pm.

General Admission costs $40 for the weekend, or $20 for Saturday and $30 for Sunday with children under 15 admitted free.

A record 270 cars have also enrolled for untimed practice on Friday February 10, to which General Admission is just $10.

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