Brief recap from the 2026 Bridgestone Festival of Speed at SMP

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Bridgestone Festival of Speed

With Jon Black – Images by David Griffiths – Highside Photography

The Post Classic Racing Association of NSW returned to Sydney Motorsport Park for its long-running Festival of Speed, and, as has often been the case, the weather again shaped the narrative.

Day one of the 2026 running of the event was contested in oppressive heat, while steady rain swept across the circuit on Sunday. The mixed conditions made tyre choice, setup and restraint as important as outright pace.

Despite a challenging few seasons following the COVID-19 interruption, nearly 200 machines and sidecars rolled through the gates. The program covered machinery from Period 2 through to the newest addition, Period 7.

Period 7 Gains Momentum

Period 7, spanning 1991 to 1999, is steadily gaining traction. Expect to see machinery such as:

Suzuki GSX-R600
Kawasaki ZX-7RR
Honda CBR900RR
Yamaha YZF-R1

The category broadens the appeal of Post Classic racing and adds another layer to already diverse grids.

40 Years of PCRA – Presidents Cup

The PCRA marked its 40th anniversary with a special two-leg Presidents Cup. Eligibility required the combined age of the rider and machine to total at least 100 years, resulting in a broad mix of experience and machinery.

Two divisions ran within the Cup:

Under 500cc
Over 500cc

Calum Mackintosh claimed the Over 500cc class honours.

The Under 500cc and overall Presidents Cup went to Mitchell Mulligan aboard a Ducati 500 Pantah, a standout result against strong opposition.

Period 6 Formula 1300 – The Benchmark Pace

For those asking which class produces the fastest laps, Period 6 Formula 1300 remains the reference.

Reigning Australian Champion Jack Passfield set the quickest time of the meeting with a 1:36.1 lap aboard his 1989 Yamaha FZR1000. The time was recorded in greasy conditions after the extreme Saturday heat and the residual oil from a preceding four-wheel track day.

Saturday largely belonged to Passfield, who controlled qualifying and dominated the Period 6 Formula 1300, Superbike Masters and Unchained F1 contests.

Sunday, however, was a different story. In the rain, Keo Watson mastered the conditions, taking overall honours in those same three categories, also on a 1989 Yamaha FZR1000.

Paddock Highlights

A walk through the pit lane revealed the depth of machinery on show.

Paul Parlett fielded a Yamaha TZ250, TZ350, Suzuki XR69 and a Suzuki GSX1100 for Steve Kairl. Paul has been getting faster and faster each time he goes out on any of his vast array of racing machines (he has more in the shed!), and this really showed with him winning Period 5 350 with an almost flawless run of victories. The little TZ250 saw its first time out with Paul, and he stuck it on the second step of the podium, despite it blowing up the engine – a great effort.

First-time Post Classic competitor Dylan Lamb entered Period 6 250GP on a Honda CBR250RR that he had picked up on the cheap. While results were secondary, Lamb described the experience as a major step up from track days and a valuable introduction to racecraft. Usually, this is a hotly contested class, so while there was no expectation of any sort of result, Dylan tells me he had a blast out there and even got to pass another rider. You might laugh at him passing one other rider, but until you’ve been out there and raced for your first time, it is a big step up from where most beginners come from – track days.

Not content to just be a sheep, Lamb also contested Period 4 125 aboard a Honda CB125 and secured the class win. Later in the weekend, he swapped roles to passenger on a Period 4 Yamaha XS650-powered sidecar, gaining an appreciation for the physical demands of three-wheel competition.

Sidecars Deliver in the Wet

Approximately 20 sidecars from various eras competed over the weekend, delivering some of the most animated racing, particularly in the rain.

Patrick Clancey and Stephen Bonney were the clear benchmark, winning convincingly on their F1-specification Suzuki 1000cc-powered outfit.

Rare Machinery on Track

Among the rarities circulating were an Armstrong 250, think magnesium everything and damn expensive, piloted by Steve Kairl and an ex-World Superbike Kawasaki ZX-7RR ridden by Paul Grant-Mitchell. Both machines drew attention from competitors and spectators alike.

Upstairs in the Hinkman Room, further historic race bikes were displayed, including:

An ex-Mick Doohan Marlboro Yamaha 750
GSX-R750 race bikes as campaigned by Shawn Giles and Peter Goddard
A Freddie Spencer Honda VF750

The display offered welcome shelter from both heat and rain while showcasing significant pieces of Australian and international racing history.

Superbike Masters – Old Formula Returns

A Superbike Masters category was also introduced at the Festival of Speed, running under the earlier Period 5 and Period 6 750/Unlimited format previously seen alongside ASBK competition.

With ASBK now focused on Period 6 and Period 7 machinery, the future naming and structure of this standalone Masters series remains to be finalised. It is likely to adopt a title similar to Australian Superbike Masters, and its trajectory will be worth monitoring as the year unfolds.