GT Falcon will be safe around the houses

Glenn Badger is not nervous about rolling his 1970 XW GT Falcon around a few sharp corners at this Sunday’s Albany Classic, despite not making it through practice last year in the same car.

Tragically blowing a core plug three laps into practice in 2011, the 36-year-old now has the chance to make amends at his home event a decade after he first entered motorsport competitively.

“I’ve done a few events in it already and have raced it at Barbagallo, Collie and a few other places,” he said.

“But I love the crowds (at the Albany Classic) and it being my home event.

“You meet a whole bunch of good people that are car enthusiasts and it’s great for Albany.”

He and a handful of other locals including Greg Marchesi and Kevin Organ are set to thrill onlookers when they fire up their cars and race the temporary 1.5km street circuit through Albany, reaching speeds up to 160km/h along the Aberdeen Street straight.

More than 140 cars are expected to line up to race the clock during the regularity racing event, where drivers try to achieve a time as close as possible to one pre-nominated before they begin.

Vintage Sports Car Club of WA president Ross Oxwell said the Albany Classic was unofficially celebrating its 21st birthday this year.

“We believe it’s the second biggest circuit motoring event in WA after the V8s,” he said. “It’s become an iconic event and is nationally and internationally known.”

Mr Oxwell said cars ranging from 1926 to 1982 had entered the event, including a genuine Lagonda Rapier and Bartlett Special that competed in the original Albany Tourist Trophy race in 1936 and 1937.

Time trials follow a parade around the circuit at 11am.

josh.nyman@albanyadvertiser.com